Dry skin on back.

[earth]

I'm sure this is a problem with dogs as well as cats (I am a cat owner as I mentioned before). My cat is a fairly large orange tabby. Because of his size he's not the best at grooming around the base of his tale. He's got really dry skin back there and he is constantly scratching at it to the point of drawing blood some times. I bought a spray-in conditioner which I apply daily and it does help, but not enough. Does anyone have any suggestions?

[jules]

could this possibly be excema (hope that's spelt right!) has he had fleas recently? sounds like some sort of skin condition that could spread ... maybe a visit to the Vet?
J and J

[stardust]

i would also try some light brushing.. brushing stimulates the oil glands and helps with dry skin. it could also be the diet he is eating. what is your cats name?

[earth]

Originally Posted by jules

could this possibly be excema (hope that's spelt right!) has he had fleas recently? sounds like some sort of skin condition that could spread ... maybe a visit to the Vet?
J and J

He's never had fleas and it's been a problem since I've had him. The vet says it is a skin condition mostly because he's unable to groom that area properly.

[earth]

Originally Posted by stardust

i would also try some light brushing.. brushing stimulates the oil glands and helps with dry skin. it could also be the diet he is eating. what is your cats name?

I try to brush him once a day. Recently I've been trying more wet food in his diet so I will see if that will help. Brushing definately helps, as does the spray-in conditioner I've been using.

His name is Stanbury. Big fat orange tabby. A hulk of a male. He rocks.

[Pugdawg1]

I don't know if wet food would be the solution. Perhaps a good supplement? Something for the coat/skin.

[GreenleafGreyhound]

I honestly do not think that wet food will help. Oils (Cod liver oil or olive oil) works for my dog. I hide a capsule in some peanut butter and her dandruff problem has improved. If you don't think oil is right for Stanbury, try Missing Link for Cats. With some grooming and supplements, his coat should fill in.

[DarknessDivine]

Yes, please find something. I had a neighbor who's cat had that problem and it got to the point where his fur completely matted on top and the vet had to cut it off..It's horrible.

[earth]

I was rubbing his back last night (got a nice big scar for doing it) and noticed something new. It looks like he has little zits on his lower back. THey don't look like zits though... THey look more like blisters. I'm going to get him an appointment at the vet as this is something new. I don't know if it's him aggrivating the issue by scratching repeatedly or what. He also has a few little bumps on the back of his thighs that he really doesn't like being touched.

Anyone notice that animals are right wusses when it comes to some things? ****.

[ChiChi]

my golden (as do many goldens) have sorta the same problem he licks and licks and licks till he got down to the muscle one time! you might want to watch and see if he licks himself constantly or not... that may be the problem

[earth]

He does lick himself constantly! He's actually got bare spots on his belly and thighs. He will lick an area raw then continue to a new area to lick.

[LabLuver22]

Hmm, well I'm not an expert on this stuff but here might be some causes for his excessive licking:

-Allergies, these can be very hard to pinpoint so talk to your vet about it
-Boredom
-Anxiety

What's your cat eating? Some foods are more likely to aggravate allergies than others...if it's a food allergy. If it's anxiety, I've heard of these Comfort Zone plug-ins that are supposed to work really well in calming anxious pets. Apparently, they use a blend of herbs and then some kind of pheremones (or however you spell that) that imitates what a mother dog or cat would give off to her puppies or kittens. Or something like that.

If it's not allergies, and your cat just has dry flaky skin, here are some things that can help:

-Regular brushing (already discussed, but very important)
-Massages, this might sound stupid but it really does help. Massage helps improve the blood circulation. Some pet-supply catalogs carry the Good Vibrations Massage Brush, which is like a massager and brush in one. It's great--my dogs and cats LOVE it.
-A high-quality food with quality fat and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids
-A teaspoon of olive oil or flaxseed oil added to his food every day, or an omega-3 (fish oil) capsule disguised in a ball of cheese, tuna, or really yummy canned food, given every day
-Drs. Foster & Smith make a product called Vitacoat, which is really great. It basically is like olive oil or flaxseed oil, except it has more nutrients and tastes better (bacon flavored).
-A gentle, moisturizing oatmeal shampoo can help with dry coats, too.

But I'm glad you're going to your vet. Dry skin is one thing--dry skin, blisters, and red raw skin are another.

[Alexis]

How is your kitty doing? Have you been able to take him to the vet yet? My fiance had a dog that had chronic skin probelms. There are so may options (which have been montioned here). I hope all works out for you two! Let us know how it's going!