How to properly treat cat acne at home

27.08.2019

Skin diseases in cats

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Cat chin acne is a common skin condition in the feline species. To be more precise, this is the most common manifestation of acne in cats. It can appear at any age and the gender of the animal does not matter. The disease can get worse, worse, or even be extremely difficult to treat. Signs and symptoms range from barely noticeable comedones (blackheads) to severely inflamed and debilitating pustules. Some cats are not bothered at all, while for others, the pimples are very itchy and painful. Localized hair loss and skin redness are also common.

The main causes of the disease in cats

It is quite difficult to immediately say why inflammation of the animal’s skin occurs. Therefore, it is extremely important to correctly detect the location of acne in your pet. The place where it appears will indicate the cause of the disease. Mostly in animals, blackheads appear in the area of the lips and chin. Veterinarians identify the following causes of the disease:

Low stress resistance in the animal. After a change of environment, for example, very often there is a disruption in the functioning of the sebaceous glands.
Insufficient hygiene, poor cleaning of the animal's chin.
An unusual change in the functioning of the sebaceous glands, as well as in the cat’s hair follicles.
The animal's immune system is quite weakened. Acne tends to appear at moments when the body loses all its defenses.
If low quality plastic utensils are used for food.

These are just a few of the main causes of acne in animals, which can lead to dire consequences. The main requirement for the owner is to closely monitor the condition of his animal.

Prevention

The secrets of prevention, how to get rid of constantly appearing herpes on the lips and reduce the possibility of its recurrence, are quite simple:

according to all the rules, cure fresh herpetic rashes using antiviral and drying ointments;
strengthen the immune system with the help of immunomodulators, vitamin therapy;
Do not touch shared utensils with your lips without treating them additionally.

If your partner has herpes, personal relationships also need to be adjusted to preventive measures - in other words, avoid kissing (not only on the affected lips, but also on intimate places where genital herpes can develop. Even if the herpes “only popped up” on the lips – it is possible that the pathogen may be on the mucous membrane of the genital organs, although their morphological changes have not yet been observed).

Knowing how the herpes virus type 6 is transmitted in children (and it is transmitted through breastfeeding and through saliva, most often from the mother), it can be prevented as follows:

if you suspect you have a disease, do not kiss your child;
do not give water to your child from your own mug;
stop breastfeeding;
Do not “clean” a baby’s dropped pacifier or pacifier in a quick way by sucking it in your mouth (an archaic method that, nevertheless, for some reason has taken root among mothers).

Related services: Consultation with a dermatologist Dermatovenereology

How to correctly identify acne in a cat

Some types of cats have a chronic form of skin disease. When treating pathologies in animals, it is possible to completely eradicate the possibility of a secondary infection, which can aggravate the animal’s condition.

There are numerous symptoms by which you can easily detect some abnormalities in a cat. If you detect them earlier , then it is possible to treat your pet in time without consequences for its health. What you should pay attention to:

Overflow of blood vessels on the skin.
Small acne with a white or black surface.
A gradual increase in size of acne and its growth on the surface of the cat's face.
Noticeable swelling near the lips.
Vivid inflammation of ulcers and nodes in the follicles.
Painful itching.
Partial baldness of a cat.

The latest symptoms indicate an advanced stage of acne. The pet tries to relieve the itching by scratching the wound for a long time, which leads to discomfort and a bloody crust. Those follicles that become damaged cannot produce hair again, so the cat begins to gradually go bald.

Diagnosis of the disease

Herpetic blisters look so characteristic that they cannot be confused with the morphological signs of other diseases - neither with an abscess, nor with specific ulcerations, nor with an allergic rash. In the vast majority of cases, the diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical manifestations.

A blood test for antibodies to the herpes simplex virus is an indirect method of identifying the pathogen in the body. It can be used if the body’s reactivity (the intensity of the response to external harmful agents) is low, and the infiltrate does not develop into characteristic blisters, which raises the question among clinicians: is it herpes?

Herpes simplex, which is manifested purely by a rash on the face, should be distinguished from herpes type 6, which is characterized not only by a rash, but also by a sharp increase in temperature.

What are some skin diseases similar to acne in cats?

Before starting treatment , it is necessary to accurately determine the disease in your pet. Only a veterinarian will tell you the correct diagnosis after a thorough examination of the animal in the clinic. What appears on an animal’s face can indicate not only acne, but also other skin diseases. The symptoms of many diseases coincide, it is recommended not to draw hasty conclusions. The most similar causes in terms of symptoms:

allergy,
dermatophytosis condition,
scabies,
granuloma of the eosinophilic group,
demodicosis reaction.

In order to completely exclude or confirm a fungal or parasitic group of skin lesions, a scraping study should be carried out. It is recommended not to jump to conclusions and make a diagnosis based only on symptoms. For an accurate diagnosis, laboratory data is required.

Symptoms of herpes simplex infection

There are few signs of herpes, but they are all very characteristic. Therefore, difficulties in differential diagnosis almost never arise.

The main symptoms of infection with herpes simplex, which is the most common form of herpetic lesions, are as follows:

painful tissue swelling appears in the affected area;
after 1-2 days it transforms into a denser infiltrate;
the infiltrate turns into a bubble with liquid;
the blister bursts and a painful ulcer forms in its place;
the ulceration dries out and is covered with a new layer of epithelium - the wound heals.

The way lips look after herpes is the same as after any other skin disease: the swelling disappears, but the ulcer cannot heal for some time. It is covered with a yellowish film that constantly “peels off” from the wound surface, thereby exposing the wound and delaying the process of epithelial regeneration at the site of the lesion.

Step-by-step treatment

Treating acne in cats at home is quite simple. The main requirements are to maintain hygiene and sterilize the area with sore skin. This is what will help reduce the risk of new onsets of the disease. Any treatment must be coordinated with a veterinarian, since the animal’s condition may worsen if the diagnosis is incorrect. But if you are completely sure that your pet is experiencing discomfort due to blackheads and acne, you should take a number of actions to avoid a growing problem:

It is recommended that you regularly shampoo your pet on the affected area, thoroughly and gently.
Before starting the procedure, the area should be neutralized with 3% hydrogen peroxide.
If the animal has long hair, it is necessary to shave the hair in the affected area.
The preparations that need to be applied to the area must dissolve the keratinized part of the skin.
The use of antibiotics to treat acne in cats occurs only in advanced cases, when black spots on the chin begin to grow.

Home treatment should always be carried out carefully and using sterile items. Fluffy pets will try to escape from your hands in every possible way, not succumbing to your intervention.

Is it worth it to self-medicate?

Many owners use lotions and scrubs to relieve painful itching in their pet. The use of such medications can lead to poor health. Black spots on the chin should be treated only with proven remedies. Home treatments can cause allergic acne .

Treatment should be carried out by a knowledgeable person - a veterinarian. The first signs of acne in cats appear noticeably; after they are detected, it is recommended to visit a specialist. It is he who will competently conduct laboratory tests, make a diagnosis and prescribe treatment that must be followed. Any changes must be agreed upon.

Only by the size of the rash can one determine the degree of complication of the disease. When a cat's acne is at a minimal stage, local treatment of the animal is prescribed, but if the affected skin has reached large proportions, a comprehensive series of actions is applied . When treated by a specialist or at home, you should:

do not squeeze out existing blackheads and pimples,
adjust the proper nutrition of your pet, while eliminating all possible allergic sources that serve as irritants,
Treatment should be carried out until the cat has completely recovered.

It is important to remember the principles of treatment - do not abuse 'folk' remedies. The pet must undergo a course of laboratory tests in order to know the diagnosis for sure. Based on the diagnosis, it will be easier to cure the cat.

How to get rid of constantly appearing herpes on the lips

Herpes is the competence of a dermatovenerologist. Only a qualified doctor can tell you how to treat different types of herpes, taking into account:

characteristics of the immune system of a particular person;
the degree of weakening of the body at the time of the disease;
tendency to relapse.

Medicines that are used for herpes on the lips:

antiviral drugs in the form of ointments and gels (acyclovir, herperax);
immunomodulators that increase the body's resistance (cycloferon, arbidol);
at the stage of herpetic ulcers - softening balms with Vaseline and allantoin.

Many people wonder how to quickly cure colds on the lips in adults in 1 day (based on analogies with the influenza virus, colds on the lips mean a herpetic rash). Answer: if the process has developed beyond the infiltration stage, no way. The vesicle must go the entire way from its appearance to self-opening, the formation of a wound surface and its healing, and this will take an average of 2-3-4 days. An ointment for colds on the lips that would speed up this process has not yet been invented.

But if you just feel characteristic pain and notice swelling, physiotherapy methods (UHF, microwave) can contribute to the reverse development of the infiltrate, and it does not transform into an ugly bubble that spoils the anatomical aesthetics.

Medicine for herpes on the lips of a child should be used strictly according to the doctor’s instructions - regardless of whether this concerns immunomodulators or antiviral drugs.

You can read more about what treatment methods are used for herpes on our clinic’s website

Effective remedies for rashes in pets

Before you begin home treatment for acne in cats, you need to decide on a list of necessary medications. The best treatment method would be healing shampoos with tar soap. It is these solutions that can provide maximum antiseptic and antiseborrheic effect. It is worth applying the mask regularly. Calendula tincture soaked in a gauze bandage will reduce the severity of the disease in a few days.

A drug for the treatment of acne in cats based on Furacilin is found in Perkutan. A similar prescription can be purchased at any veterinary pharmacy. The main requirement is that contact with the eyes is unacceptable .

When a secondary focus of infection occurs with the appearance of a bloody crust and abscess, antibiotics are used. For the speedy restoration of the skin, preparations with vitamins A and retinol-containing medications will help.

You should use cosmetics at home for treatment only as prescribed by a specialist. It is necessary to exclude all fatty types of food, replacing them with vitamin supplements.

Folk wisdom in the treatment of acne

Traditional medicine is always popular with supporters of natural treatment. Here are some recipes:

Two tablets of ground furatsilin with three tablespoons of chamomile decoction. Store the solution in a cool place. Lubricate black spots on the cat’s chin 6-7 times a day.
You can treat a problem in a cat with fresh pumpkin juice, rubbing the affected area several times a day.
Mix a few tablespoons with dry herbs and cook in one liter of water. Lotions are made 4-5 times a day.

For various reasons, acne may appear on a cat's chin. Effective remedies will tell you how to treat this disease. The main point is that it is not recommended to apply lotions more than 10 times per day. Do not overdry the skin of your pet's face.

Acne and blackheads can occur at any age in a cat, regardless of breed, gender or weight. The disease is common among domestic animals.

Treatment for this type of disease is not so difficult. The basic rules are not to self-medicate, observe the basic requirements of cat hygiene and its nutrition should be rational.