eosinophilic disorder?

catmom5 · October 29, 2013, 05:58:42 AM

It looks as if Rascal has some sort of eosinophilic disorder. We've done all of the food allergy stuff and it hasn't helped at all. So, the next thought is some kind of eosinophilic disorder. It appears that steroid use is the standard treatment along with identifying and removing the allergen (which is next to impossible to identify). Just curious if anyone has had any experience with this.

The good thing is that Rascal is eating well, active, playing and still very affectionate. She just has a lot of hair loss on her belly, inside her back legs and she has these red patches on her back legs and sometimes on her chin. I hate the thought of long-term steroids for her . . .

Thanks
catmom5

Fizzy1 · October 29, 2013, 08:29:07 AM

Well crud. I don't have any experience with it. I understand your reluctance to use the steroids. I have no idea if this is something that might be helpful, but did the vet give any thought to a one-time injection of the long-lasting steroid just to see if Rascal showed any improvement with it? Maybe if you could break the pattern for a short time, it would give her a chance to heal.

I'm glad to hear that Rascal is still acting healthy. I'll keep you both in my thoughts

catbird · October 29, 2013, 10:04:22 AM

Sorry to hear that the food trials didn't work. My friend's cat had something similar with the hair loss; although it was thought to be environmental (pollen, mold, dust, or something like that) allergies, not eosinophliic disorder. The vet prescribed an antihistamine, which the cat took for the rest of her life (I think it was every other day or every third day or something like that), and the condition went away. Considering where the hair loss is occurring (I suspect from overgrooming due to itching?) is there any possibility that it is the kitty litter? I sure hope you can find something to help Rascal.

GKit · October 29, 2013, 10:31:34 AM

Have flea allergies been eliminated? My BIL's cat had hair loss, with red scabby patches that bled which turned out to be flea allergies. He got better after they treated him for fleas. It seems simple, but I seem to remember it took the vets a long time to figure it out. He was an indoor/outdoor cat though.

Gypsy has had high levels of eosinophils from time to time; with her they seemed to correlate with mucus-like material appearing in her stool. We never got it nailed down, but the mucusy stuff seemed to go away with wormer, though she had loads of food issues also at the time, which muddles things.

I hope they figure out what it is and you can find something that works for Rascal. I'm glad she's eating well!

Spartycats · October 29, 2013, 10:44:07 AM

I would try for a definitive diagnosis with a veterinary dermatologist. Consider histopathological exam of a skin scraping, and serum or skin testing. Might be atopy. or something else.

Treatment would depend on diagnosis. Have seen EFAs and cyclosporine and immunotherapy mentioned, as alternatives to corticosteroids.

catmom5 · October 29, 2013, 02:24:42 PM

Thanks, everyone, for your thoughts. She has been seen by a dermatologist for a consult and we may have to go that route again. Her internal medicine vet put her on zyrtec, which did nothing at all to help with the overgrooming. No fleas. We've tried the limited ingredient food and I have a good air filter. Even had the house checked for air quality. No new carpet, paint, etc that would trigger more reaction. The last time she was at MSU they were considering allergy or the eosinophilic disorder. Just want to go in being informed. We'll see how things go. Right now, I hate to take her in because, other than being a bit hairless (in spots) she's acting just fine.

Will keep you posted.
cm5

catbird · October 29, 2013, 04:34:56 PM

Would your vet consider a trial of a different antihistamine? I know with people, one kind doesn't do much while another works, and it varies from one person to the next. I would think it might be similar with cats.

Sandi K · October 29, 2013, 06:42:24 PM

catbird's idea on the kitty litter might be worth a try. catmom, I know when KiKi was having food allergies it took us forever to figure out what it was but she wasnt having any dermatitis issues but I know food allergies can cause that as well. Did you try just a plain boiled chicken and rice diet? Sometimes those limited ingredient foods still have things that can cause food allergies. We finally figured out with KiKi it was any fish and it was very difficult trying to find foods at that time that didnt have fish in them. Sparty's idea on the serum testing might be good to try too.

Mandycat · October 29, 2013, 11:38:59 PM

catmom,
This is another possibility to consider.

http://www.pet360.com/cat/health/stress-and-hair-loss-in-cats/nBytzuBZv02RrzV1axaa-A?Cats-And-Dogs=Alopecia-(Hair-loss)

petslave · October 30, 2013, 08:25:01 AM

This exact thing happened to my mother's cat over and over. Every time I had her change her to grain free simple foods (wellness), it went away. Then she would go back to the other foods and it would happen again.

It sounds like you did food trials, but maybe try a very simple canned or raw food? Radcat is a very simple raw food, not sure about the canned foods anymore, though NV limited and Wellness seem fairly simple.