Cat Acne Treatment And Home Remedies
Hall says one of the best home remedies for cat acne is to change from plastic food and water bowls to glass, ceramic, or steel. Porous plastic scratches and cracks too easily, creating a nasty little playground for bacteria.
“I also strongly recommend cleaning bowls daily with hot water and soap,” she adds. This is also a sure-fire method to prevent future flare-ups. For hairless kitties, she tells pet parents to frequently clean their skin with medicated wipes to remove excessive oil and debris.
At-home cat acne treatments of benzoyl peroxide are usually too harsh for kitty’s skin, so follow your veterinarian’s guidelines for using over-the-counter products. Generally, it’s best not to apply typical human pimple medications to treat cat acne unless your vet advises it. However, it’s possible that in mild cases, once the underlying cause is identified, they might suggest dabbing a bit of witch hazel onto the surface area.
More than likely, your vet will recommend using specially-formulated antiseptic/antifungal pet wipes that not only clean the area but also treat bacterial infection.
If your sweet furball has a more severe case of feline chin acne, such as large pimples, swelling, or bleeding, it’s time for professional treatment. After a thorough exam , your vet will gain a clearer picture of his condition, how to treat your cat’s acne, and the reason for it.
How To Diagnose Feline Chin Acne
If your cat has developed blackheads or sores on her chin, a veterinary visit is necessary for treatment to prevent further progression. At your cats appointment, your veterinarian will likely rule out a variety of potential issues, such as mange mites, fleas, fungal infections, allergies, and bacterial infections. Besides a thorough physical exam, your veterinarian may perform a skin scraping to check for mites, a skin cytology to search for bacteria or yeast, or a dermatophyte culture to rule out ringworm.
If the sores appear suspicious and do not have a typical chin-acne appearance, your veterinarian will likely recommend a biopsy to check for immune-mediated diseases or neoplastic causes.
What Is Cat Chin Acne
Acne is a condition that presents as blackheads and pimples on the surface of the skin. In felines, acne is commonly found on their chin.
Like us, cats can get acne when the hair follicles around their oil-producing sebaceous glands become clogged. When sebaceous glands over-produce sebum, the hair follicles become blocked, and that area of the skin becomes oily.
Blackheads form when extra keratin gets trapped in the hair follicles. Pimples appear when bacteria infect those blackheads. This process is similar to how acne develops in people.
Not much is known about cat acne. While we understand what causes feline acne, we dont know precisely why keratin is over-produced in the first place.
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How To Treat Cat Acne: Everything You Need To Know
We arent the only ones who suffer from acne a lot of animals do as well. Cats are the best example of that. They even get it from stress and poor hygiene habitsjust like we do!
But treating acne for cats cant be the same as humans, right?
I mean, a cat wont take oral medications or go through chemical peeling. Thats unless its a pretty skin-conscious cat.
Ill tell you how to treat cat acne in case you suspect your cat has it. And, Ill tell you how acne is different from other skin conditions and how to diagnose it.
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Does Feline Acne Hurt My Cat
If your cat has a light sprinkling of blackheads, they probably dont notice the acne at all. As long as your cat isnt actively scratching or pawing at their chin, or reacting to touch as though they were in pain, its likely youre more aware of the acne than they are. However, if your cats acne develops into tender whiteheads or pink sores, their chin may itch or feel painful. This can lead to more damage if your cat scratches the acne or begins to excessively groom their face. They may create open sores, which can become infected. Fortunately, this is rare, and most cats are not bothered by acne.
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Managing Your Cats Skincare
If you ever had acne as a teenageror as an adult!the very sight of your cats acne might bring back bad memories. Luckily, there are many methods for treating feline chin acne effectively. With persistence and know-how, youll have your kittys skin clear in no time.
If you find that your cat is acne-prone, continue to consult with your veterinarian to manage the symptoms as they arise, ruling out any other causes.
- PETA. Did you know that cats can get acne?
- Dermatology Clinic for Animals. Cat acne.
- Animal Health Foundation. Feline acne: Causes and treatment.
- International Cat Care. Acne and Stud Tail.
Dr. Melinda J. Mayfield-Davis, DVM, WCHP-AH, brings over 20 years of experience in veterinary medicine. She is the Technical Services Veterinarian with Innovacyn, Inc., parent company of Vetericyn Animal Wellness. She received her DVM from Oklahoma State University and now resides in Southeast Kansas with her husband, two children, four dogs, and six horses. Prior to working with Innovacyn, Dr. Mayfield owned and operated the Animal Care Center in Columbus, KS.
What Is ‘chin Acne’
This disease is called cat acne or, more formally, follicular keratinization. The medical name just tells us that our cats hair follicles are blocked by an excessive production of keratin. Keratin is a protein found in the outer layer of skin. When the keratin is “trapped” in the hair follicle it creates an appearance of a dirty chin on your cat. But it actually is blackheads or whiteheads.
Bacteria can invade the comedones and result in pustules . When cases become severe, your cats chin may lose hair, become red, and even bleed. The hair follicles become more inflamed and large sores that resemble boils can form . Once furunculosis occurs, the area can be painful.
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What Does Feline Acne Look Like Photos
In mild cases, cat acne will not display any major symptoms. Usually it will just be a discolored area around the chin and lips of the cat. The sebum that is discharged causes blackheads just as in humans.
You may see blackish specks, both scattered through the cats hair and also still attached to the skin, which can usually be easily removed by gentle cleansing.
In severe cases, feline acne can spread over a much larger area, covering the chin, lips, cheeks and even the insides of the lips. It can cause a crust and scabs. This is usually because of opportunistic, secondary infections.
The skin may develop flaking, lesions and bleeding. Obviously if it reaches this stage it can be quite painful for the cat, so gentle care is needed when treating cat chin acne.
Mild Cat Acne Photo
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Causes Of Cat Chin Acne
Veterinarians cant definitively point to what causes cat chin acne, but they have some theories. Like with humans it is probably a complex interaction between skin cell turnover, skin oil composition, bacteria on the skin surface, and other unidentified factors, says Layne.
Here we take a deeper dive into some of the most common theories of whats behind cat chin acne.
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Can Cat Chin Acne Be Prevented
You can definitely prevent cat acne from returning in the future. The first thing most cat owners do is remove plastic dishes. Many cats have a sensitivity to plastic.
Help your cat with grooming. If your cat is not great at cleaning themselves, use vet-approved wipes to help them out so acne doesnt return.
You should also figure out why your cat might be stressed. This can prevent acne from returning. Cats are most often stressed due to new situations, new schedules, or new places. Cats are creatures of habit and dont like when their daily routine is disrupted. Has anything changed recently?
- New cat or pet in the home
- More or different work hours
- Change in food
- A new family member or housemate
- A change in layout
Clinical Signs Of Feline Acne
The most common sign of feline acne is what appears to be a dirty, crusty chin. It may start out looking like blackheads in humans. Unfortunately, it can progress further if the blackheads become inflamed, swollen, reddened, and infected. They may become quite painful and rupture, become further infected, or even spread the infection to other parts of the body.
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How Is Feline Acne Diagnosed
Feline acne is usually diagnosed on appearance alone and/or the history of using a plastic food or water bowl. However, its not always that easy. Other possibilities for skin lesions that appear to be feline acne include fungal infections such as ringworm, allergies, parasites such as fleas or mange mites, or some rare autoimmune conditions such as Pemphigus Foliaceous.
If in doubt after a thorough history and exam, your vet may recommend a further workup, including fungal cultures to look for ringworm, skin scrapes to look for mites, and blood work such as a CBC and chemistry to assess overall health and look for signs of autoimmune disease.
Response to treatment is probably the most common way to diagnose feline acne. This means if the skin lesions go away after changing the food and water bowls and cleaning the chin area for a period of time, then it was most likely feline acne.
How Vets Diagnose Cat Acne
Your veterinarian will diagnose feline acne based upon clinical findings, your cats medical history, and the elimination of other possible skin conditions.
A skin scraping and cytology may be needed to help rule out other causes, such as mange, various skin tumors, and a condition called eosinophilic granuloma complex.
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How To Get Rid Of Acne
How to Get Rid of Acne Acne is a typical inflammatory skin illness that primarily impacts the face, neck, chest and upper back. It is triggered by an interaction in between Hormonal agents, germs and sebum produced by the sebaceous glands in the skin. Acne is typically believed to develop at the age of puberty, however, lots of ladies have acne throughout life or it might establish in the adult years.
Treatment for acne depends upon seriousness. Moderate cases might be relieved by cleaning the confront with a gental toilet soap or by drying representatives such as benzoyl peroxide. Serious acne might require oral treatment with prescription antibiotics such as tetracycline or hormonal agent treatment such as dianette, which likewise function as a contraceptive.
Acne is the term for plugged pores, pimples, as well as much deeper swellings that take place on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders as well as the arms. Nobody aspect triggers acne. As doctors comprehend it, when these glands are promoted by male hormonal agents which are produced in the adrenal glands of ladies and boys, acne takes place when sebaceous glands revive around adolescence.
We have actually put together and combined newest details on Acne, acne triggers, acne treatment, acne signs with great deals of natural home remedy for acne remedy.
Some Crucial Realities about acne
Acne Treatment Care
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The Causes Of Cat Acne
Unfortunately for pet owners, there is no one definite root cause of feline acne. There are a number of factors that may affect the way your cats skin produces oil and functions as a barrier against potential pathogens. Well go over some of the potential causes for cat acne, including:
- Grooming habits
- Other diseases
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Is Your Cats Chin Covered In Black Specks Or Oozing Pimples Youre Probably Looking At Feline Acne
While writing a review of CleanHealthy Bowls last week, I got to thinking about acne. Cat acne. Why would a disposable pet food bowl make me think of feline acne? When cats have an acne problem, one of the most common first treatment steps is a switch to a bacteria-free bowl. Switching to a more sanitary bowl isnt the end-all solution for cat pimples, but cat guardians have observed a possible connection between outside bacteria and acne. Theres a lot more to treating your cats acne, though. Feeding your cat out of a cleaner dish is a single piece of the anti-acne puzzle so lets put the rest of it together. Corners first.
Before we dive in, lets find out what feline acne is and why your cat might have it.
Are Certain Cats Prone To Cat Chin Acne
While all cats are susceptible to acne, some are more likely to develop the condition than others. If your cat doesnt groom properly, they will most likely form acne on their chin more commonly than others. Cats with allergies may also get acne more often than other felines.
There are some cat breeds more prone to cat acne than others. Hairless cats and those with curly or wiry fur are likely to develop this skin condition.
A lack of fur will leave cats with very oily skin. They also dont have a coat that blocks dirt and such from getting to their pores. The Peterbald and other cats with fur mutations have greasy skin that makes them more prone to acne.
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Recovery And Management Of Cat Acne
If your cat is plagued with chin acne, remember this is usually only a superficial problem and not one that will have serious impacts on your cats overall health.
Most cases of feline chin acne are relatively harmless and respond well with improved hygiene.
The condition does become painful if it reaches the point where lesions swell and/or scab, so this is the point where more aggressive treatment is required to manage your cats acne.
What Not To Do If Your Cat Has Allergies
If you discover blackheads, whiteheads, or little red bumps on your kittys face, dont panic. Chances are, your cat doesnt even notice them. Although its worth mentioning to your veterinarian the next time you visit, many cases of feline acne are mild and have absolutely no impact on a cats quality of life.
- Read more:
- Kitten dry skin
If you decide to treat your cats acne at home, remember that you cant use the same approach as you would with a human breakout.
As tempting as it might be to get in there and start squeezing kittys pimples, you need to resist the urge to pop them. Rather than helping your cats skin heal, this could actually cause pain and irritation and could also spread the acne to new areas.
Its also important not to use any cleanser that contains alcohol or peroxide, since these can be irritating to sensitive kitty skin. And even if you have an acne treatment that works wonders on your teenagers skin, never use it on your cat. Human acne medications can be harmful to animals.
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How Feline Acne Is Diagnosed
The clinical signs of cat acne are usually hard to miss, making it fairly easy for non-professionals to spot the issue. Still, it can be worthwhile to consult your veterinarian whenever you notice a change in your cats physical or behavioral health.
In the case of feline acne, veterinarians use a variety of testing to properly diagnose the problem, including:
- Medical history If your cat has dealt with feline chin acne in the past, medical history can help make a quick and simple diagnosis. Additionally, if previous tests have indicated a likelihood of developing skin issues, these details may be included in your cats medical history.
- Skin scrapings By taking a small sample of your cats skin, vets can run several tests to develop an accurate picture of your cats skin issue. Skin scrapings are typically very minorly invasive, so your pet shouldnt be too shaken up by the ordeal.
- Cytology Also known as cell biology, this method of diagnosis involves taking a blood sample for testing. This is mostly done to ensure your pet is not dealing with a more severe illness.
Its in your cats best interest to receive a professional opinion. Not only can a vet provide the relief of knowing exactly whats going on with your pet, but they may also give detailed treatment options or point you in the direction of helpful resources.
How To Treat Cat Acne Once And Fur All
March 9, 2021 // by Kristen Levine // Chew on this: Some posts may include affiliate links for which I receive a small commission. However, all products I dig up are ones I pawthentically love!
If you thought that skin issues were only a human problem, think again! Our feline family members can also be affected by a variety of skin conditions, including cat acne and blackheads.
Of course, theres the occasional cut or scrape. But in addition to issues caused by injuries, many of our cats also suffer from allergic itches and other irritations, including acne.
Does it surprise you to hear that cats can get acne? Heres the dirt on how to recognize and treat feline acne, how to know when at-home treatment isnt enough, and how routine feline facial care can help you treat many other common issues and keep your cats skin healthy.
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Treatment At The Vet And Home Remedies For Feline Acne
There are some things you can try at home before calling to make an appointment for an exam with your vet. First off, you can change your cats food and water bowls to stainless steel or glass if plastic or even ceramic bowls have been in use. There have been some reports of cat allergies or sensitivities to ceramic bowls so its best to go with stainless steel or glass. Cleaning the bowls more frequently should also be considered.
You can clean your cats chin area with a mild antibacterial hand soap and warm water, or use a benzoyl peroxide cleansing pad designed for acne in humans. Other good cleaning options include anti-seborrheic shampoo or chlorhexidine.
Apply a warm compress, if your cat will allow it, may help loosen up the pores and increase circulation to promote healing.
If none of the above seem to be helping, then its time to see the vet. Your cat may need systemic antibiotics, prescription topical medication, and/or anti-inflammatories to overcome the acne or infection.
