A small hole called a puncta is present in both the upper and lower eyelid very close to the where the lids meet near the nose. There is no general nonspecific treatment for epiphora. Topical eye antibiotics and/or anti-inflammatory medications may be needed periodically to decrease irritation caused by the epiphora. If the lump is small enough, a vet may recommend removing it in its entirety. HOW do I change, or correct this? It is performed under general anesthesia. ( Log Out / Well, she sprayed under the bed, she upended an upholstered chair and sprayed that, there was no closet, no hiding places for fleas. My cat has pure red cell aplasia and presents with profound anemia, jaundice, lethargy, and inappetance when she has flare ups of her disease. No more fleas!!! X Research source Drinking water also helps moisturize your skin, so be sure to consume an 8 fl oz (240 mL) glass of water 8 times each day. Tears are continuously produced on the eye in most cats. That’s true, there’s a steroid hepatopathy in which the cat’s skin thins and tears leaving gaping holes with the raw muscle just showing. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. It is also not recommended in animals less than seven months of age, as it will cause yellow discoloration of the developing permanent teeth. Now, if you’re a veterinarian, you’re thinking, “this is real bad.” That’s what the dermatopathologist told me, too. And feline Fragile Skin Syndrome is a death sentence. Having suffered in his last home, Toby looked to his big brother for protection in the shelter. Doc Truli provides Online insight, information, and coaching. Use moisturizer on your arms and legs. It's a common problem in older adults. Either let the skin tear air dry or pat it dry very carefully. Skin that is dry tears much more easily than skin that is moisturized. The VirtuaVet Website and Doc Truli do not provide Online medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. (Your email is strictly kept private. The second cat dermatopathologist concurred with the first and was equally mystified. Many cat's will not tolerate baths, so do not force this step as it is not the most important. I cut a couple of biopsy samples from the edges of the cut skin (figuring, I might as well get a diagnosis.) Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. ... the eyelids. I think this because we found nothing else and her skin healed rightful when the fleas were finally eradicated. No kidding! I reached for the sterile surgical glue, which I had almost zero hope would actually stay in place and gently peeled the skin back over the underlying fat, glued it in place, gave antibiotics, and crossed everybody’s fingers for good luck. Good day Dr. Truli – I just lost my feline, Anniegirl, yesterday and she put up a fight but finally was tired after a whole week in Critical Care ICU (she had an IV and nasal feeding tube). Specific treatment depends on the cause of the epiphora or ocular discharge. The area around the eye, especially towards the nose, is washed and dried each day using a gentle cloth and lukewarm water. Bathing your cat with a gentle shampoo or dawn soap can kill the live fleas on it. She seems to be okay, she eats and she loves to get on the couch and sit on our lap and follows us everywhere in the house. Dry skin tears all that much easier. Look out for increases in scratching, licking, or itching in certain areas of the body. However, when something irritates the eyes, the body produces more tears than normal. Veterinary Specialists Available by Referral from Your General Practitioner, American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, Veterinarians Behind the Scenes: Specialists, A Career as a University Veterinary Specialist, Veterinarians Behind the Scenes: Government, Industry, and Zoo Medicine, How Roger Tory Peterson Inspired Doc Truli, VirtuaVet Terms of Service and Disclaimer, Action for Sighthound Adoption and Protection, R.A.T.S. Skin tears are wounds that may look like large cuts or scrapes. There should be no redness, lumps, flaking, or any other signs of irritation. High quality example sentences with “tear skin” in context from reliable sources - Ludwig is the linguistic search engine that helps you to write better in English The skin is easily torn (often with little or no bleeding) at the slightest contact with anything sharp - rough surfaces or even the cat's own claws when scratching or grooming itself. How to Prepare a Cat's Bath With the prednisolone, Nicco ate better, felt better, the anemia started to resolve, the jaundice resolved. Skin tears in elderly is basically similar to typical wounds, such as cuts, punctures, and scrapes.However, as this is classified as an acute wound which should be sutured to promote proper healing. Some common causes of tear flow obstruction include: Epiphora can also result when tear production increases due to irritation of the eye or stimulation of the tear glands. Lacerations can be caused by an injection needle. That never happens! Once the underlying eye condition is diagnosed, appropriate therapy is started for that condition. Do not rub it. That’s true, there’s a steroid hepatopathy in which the cat’s skin thins and tears leaving gaping holes with the raw muscle just showing. Cat With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Finally Finds Forever Home, ... “We’re very lucky that his hypermobility condition seems to be mild and we manage it very easily,” Georgina added. Collagen is a protein that is one of the three main building blocks of the skin. It tore open a tiny bit after a few days, but we left it alone. Be careful not to tear the skin worse and do not use hydrogen peroxide or other products—water or saline is just fine. (Dog staged the photo). Okay. They occur principally on the extremities as a result of friction and shearing forces which separate the principal layers of the skin. Often, the best way to treat skin tears is to ensure they never happen in the first place. They’re considered acute wounds. This turning in happens because of excessive skin that pushes your cat's eyelid up into a scroll shape. After 2 weeks of me trying to figure this out, and his mom trying to get the room cleaned, we figured it out! The are a long-haired cat breed, meaning they require more frequent maintenance and brushing (especially since unkept hair can easily become matted, which may cause skin infections). My cat has leukemia, the skin is very thin and tears easily she is slightly icteric and her blood chemistry is normal Low HCT (16.3) and HGB (5.2) Iron/Vit B. Leukemia/FIV test positive. Cat's fur should be clean and fluffy and skin should feel smooth. Can I treat it further with bluecoat and place a cone around his head so he doesn't lick it off, and how much penicillin should I give him to help fight the infections? Tears usually heal rapidly and the skin and may be criss-crossed with scars. After 23 wek in his shirt, the purple area started to turn pink. It is a special X-ray technique that helps outline the tear drainage system from the corner of the eye all the way to the nose. Usually, the tears drain at the corner of the eye without spilling over. Rat Assistance and Teaching Society, "How did you hear about Dr Truli's holistic house call?" I have trimmed the hair around the wound and dabbed it with peroxide. He had had enough!! As the underlying problem improves, the epiphora also gradually subsides. Epiphora can be caused by numerous conditions. I think the fleas gave her a disease that caused her liv to fail and then the ski tearing came as a sequela to the liver failure. Cat eye discharge originates from the tears that the body constantly produces throughout the day. I inspected her for injuries, because I suspected a fight, she sometimes gets into them. But miracles happen, especially when you don’t give up! You just cannot live without good skin; the skin is the largest organ of the body. According to Cleveland Clinic, there are a number of preventative measures you can take to reduce your risk of skin tears. A disease spread by fleas? After a month, we tried without the shirt on. Here’s the deal: I gave him a Capstar prescription flea pill in the hospital which kills every flea on him. In some cats the duct opens just inside the nostril. The vet said she had to many battles too fight, including probably metabolically. The dermatopathologist called to check up on “the case” and see what the autopsy showed. This condition is most common in the flat faced, long-haired breeds of cats, particularly the Persian and Himalayan breeds. Skin tears are acute, traumatic injuries, presenting predominantly in the elderly. She also gets folded ears and pot belly look. ( Log Out / Veterinary care often includes diagnostic tests to determine what is causing the epiphora or ocular discharge. Of course, the next day, the skin had reopened. As a result they are less irritating to the skin and cause less staining. Thin or fragile skin in cats, more commonly called skin fragility syndrome (SFS), is a rare but extremely serious condition in cats that causes the skin to become dangerously thin and able to tear easily. That’s fortunate! Dacryocystorhinography is the flushing of the entire tear duct system with a contrast agent that is visible on X-rays. Then another crack opened over his right shoulder. Epiphora is initially classified into one of three categories: Once a specific diagnosis has been established, appropriate treatment can be instituted. Recommendations for home care depend upon the underlying cause of the problem. In addition, some general care is necessary to maintain the health of the eye. Fleas: Cat flea allergy dermatitis (also called flea bite hypersensitivity) is the most common cat skin problems.It is more difficult to diagnose in cats than dogs. Her arm felt wet, on the side. There is a wide variety of cat flea allergy symptoms, including the use of their teeth and tongues to scratch the skin. Yours Truli, my assistant, and Nicco’s mom just watched this eruption of the surface of his skin break into cracks, like the 2012 crust heaving and splitting. They are not the main reason for a dermatology clinic appointment and patients usually consider them too minor to mention until I am walking out of the room. Even stroking the cat can cause the skin to stretch and tear. Yet Nicco still had some fleas. The tears also help keep the nose and nostril moist. It’s highly recommended to clean your home, hoover the carpets and wash all bedding to remove any fungal spores, which can remain dormant for several months. Older cats and those with white ears and heads are especially susceptible to skin cancer. In other cats, the duct opens further back in the nose. And, by the way, Nicco was furious about this whole weeks in the hospital an intravenous thing. I took tiny sutures used to sew the clear cornea on the surface of the eye, and delicately sewed the skin into place. The best foods for pr… The skin thickened up. As with other cat skin conditions, hair loss can also occur in the infected area. ( Log Out / History of previous skin tears : If an older person has had one skin tear, they are more likely to have another one because their skin is fragile. 1 Skin tears were first defined in 1993. Did I not say?….Did I not write in a letter?….Did I not provide a handout?….she never really listened before. I weaned him down on the prednisolone pending the pathology results because my most likely theory was either the medication caused the skin reaction, or the unknown disease did in the first place. To confirm a diagnosis of cancer, a biopsy is necessary. All Rights Reserved. Nicco was fine! My assistant was gently holding him, when a crack opening up in his skin over the shoulder on the left, and the skin just slid back 4 inches like cellophane pulling off a loaf of bread. There are several potential diagnostic tests that help delineate the cause of the epiphora. The epithelium- the outer top layer of skin that holds hair, was so thin I could see light through it. Do not delay in bringing your pet to a veterinarian for examination as some causes of epiphora, especially those that are sudden in onset are potentially vision threatening and require immediate medical or surgical attention. “What? [19] Oral tetracycline therapy may be used for short periods of time to reduce severe tear staining of the hair around the eyes and face. But I’m happy for him!”. What happens? When we started Nicco on the prednisolone and antibiotic, I still did not have a diagnosis why he was jaundiced, anemic, attacking his own blood, and many, many tests had come up negative or inconclusive. "Divine intervention"Doc Truli, Dog work-out, man work-out. This means they occur suddenly and typically heal in … The vet diagnosed she may be borderlined diabetic and/or Cushing’s disease. The IHC Group. Toby has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a condition wherein his droopy skin is extremely fragile and easily tears. My cat has a wound, a tear in the skin about the size of a dime. These cat skin conditions may be irritating your favourite feline: If any of the above scenarios ever describe your kitty, then be prepared for the occasional splish splash in the bath. Your cat may just have one stray loose hair that comes away easily. While tears are typically colorless, they can dry to a dark red-brown-black crust, especially in the cat. Moisture and bacterial build-up in that area aggravates this irritation. Feline skin fragility syndrome has many possible causes, but mainly, it is characterized by extremely fragile and often thin skin. He got his shirt off one night and clawed a 2 inch gash, which I surgically glued shut. Her anemia only responds to high doses of prednisolone, 15mg twice a day for up to months at a time. I told her,get IGR (Insect Growth Regulator) products, like VetChem brand or Zodiac brand at the pet store. From this sac, a small tube or duct (nasolacrimal duct) carries the tears into the nose. Inflammation within or nearby the tear duct system, Tear duct scarring after severe conjunctivitis, A foreign body lodged within the tear duct (rare in cats), Hair rubbing on the eye from deformities of the eyelids, eyelashes growing in an abnormal location (distichiasis), or hair growing in a direction that bring it close to the eye (trichiasis), Inflammation of the eyelids themselves (blepharitis), Corneal ulcerations, abrasions, scratches, wounds, Foreign body on the surface of the eye or exposure to irritants, such as smoke, chemicals, and soaps, Anterior uveitis, or inflammation of the iris and ciliary body, Irritation or stimulation of tear glands from topical eye medications, Irritation from suture material around the eye from a recent surgery, Infection or irritation around or under the eye or within the eye socket (orbit), Tearing with eating, which is a rare form of stimulation of the tear glands, Possible tear staining on face below the eye, near the nose, Accumulation of dried discharge on the edges of the eyelids, Ulceration and irritation of the skin below the eye, near the nose, Dramatic color change or cloudiness to the surface or within the eye, Possible pain with increased blinking or squinting, Possible swelling of the eyelids or face around the eyelids, Possible change in size of the pupil or eyeball, Obstruction of tear flow through the nasolacrimal duct system, Reflex stimulation of tears due to ocular irritation, Overproduction of tears by the lacrimal glands (least common), Complete ophthalmic examination including magnified examination of the eyelids, tear drainage holes (puncta), conjunctiva, cornea and front chamber of the eye, Schirmer tear test to determine if tear production is below normal, normal or excessive in quantity, Fluorescein and possibly Rose Bengal staining of the cornea to assess for the presence of ulcers, lacerations or scratches, Tonometry to measure the pressure within the eye to evaluate for the presence of glaucoma, Flushing of the tear duct system with saline to determine if it is open all the way to the nose. A cat with excess skin may suffer from an extremely rare and serious medical condition called cutaneous asthenia, dermatosparaxis, or Ehlers–Danlos Syndrome. This hereditary condition results in a deficiency of collagen of the skin. Feline cutaneous asthenia is a rare inheritable skin disease of cats characterised by abnormal elasticity, stretching, and improper healing of the skin. Chronic tearing can also result in a brown to rust-colored staining of the hair around the eyes and face of cats. This X-ray study may be done when congenital absence of part or all of the nasolacrimal system is suspected, or when compression, cystic dilatation, scarring or obstruction of the system is suspected. Fragile or thin skin that tears easily is a common problem in older adults. I reluctantly put Nicco under sedation (I didn’t want to, he had just had massive jaundice and organ dysfunction and the most likely thing causing the skin problem was a drug reaction, but I had to). Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email. “If that would’ve happened to me at home, I would have fainted, maybe died.” Me too. We were on to something good! Ringworm looks like a raised, red circle on the cat’s skin which can get crusty, red and thickens the skin. Tylosin is an antibiotic that comes in a powder form and is usually administered on the food. Rinse the skin tear with tap water or a saline solution. Common causes of epiphora in this group include: Some of the above disorders cause both obstruction of tear flow and stimulation of excessive tear production. ( Log Out / Then all of a sudden,she clicked on the IGR part and I helped her pick out the right flea spray. Just a mild cat or baby shampoo will do the job handsomely. To further avoid dry skin, make sure you drink enough water. Tears normally flow down these two drainage holes into a central collecting sac (lacrimal sac) that sits just under the skin below the eye. Infections may require both topical and oral medications. If there is a flap of skin, gently lay … The Mayo Clinic characterizes thin, fragile skin as skin that easily tears or breaks. Gently clean away any eye discharge with a sanitary cloth or tissue, and keep the area clean and dry until the cause of the problem is identified. Oral tylosin may also decrease tear staining and can be used for longer periods of time than oral tetracycline. Tears that spill over onto the face can also be irritating to the skin of the face. Meanwhile, Nicco was at home, and coming to the hospital every 2-3 days for me to check under his shirt and make sure all his skin wasn’t falling off or infected. 2. This condition tends to occur in aging cats that may have concurrent hyperadrenocorticism (chronic overproduction of steroid hormones in the body), diabetes mellitus, or excessive use of progesterone. Honestly, I’ll never know for sure what made Nicco sick. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! While tears are typically colorless, they can dry to a dark red-brown-black crust, especially in the cat. She lost an eye due to the atrophy. Although uncommon, epiphora may also result from overactive lacrimal (tear) glands and be unassociated with any source of irritation. This results in a discharge from the eye that is much more pronounced than usual. As soon as we start weaning her prednisolone she improves and heals. I wander if she was having liver failure if she might had a reaction to some natural flea and tick medicine that had 10% peppermint oil and some other ingredients. I got this stuff at the supermarket. But I had to try. These steps include: 1. OMG! Normal cats may occasionally have minor tear overflow or minor eye discharge. Nicco wore a little shirt (he despised it.) Unfortunately she lost weight when I was away for 3 weeks and came back noticing she was juandice. I never had this happen until THIS year -- please help! Sometimes thongs go upsettingly wrong. It is NOT necessary to use a "flea" shampoo or a "flea dip" for this purpose. The overproduction of tears is most often a reflex, activated to expel irritating material from the surface of the eye or when significant irritation develops inside the eye. This is a normal skin response to high doses of corticosteroids. Skin Tumours. ©Copyright 1999 - 2021. To help you figure out the most common skin problems in cats and how well you can treat them as well as how to protect your kitty from these health conditions, here we go. The foods you eat can also affect your skin. However, excessive, chronic or recurrent bouts of epiphora suggest a problem may be present. (Another one of those things I think, but I can’t say for the sake of professionalism.). Pendulous wing-like folds of skin form on the cat's back, shoulders and haunches. Aging, sun exposure and genetics all play a role in thinning skin. Unfortunately, oral tetracycline cannot be use long-term in cats because it may cause liver disease. The condition is caused literally by “steroid burns” and is totally normal when on high doses of steroids. Some forms of blockage of the tear duct system are not correctable and the epiphora can be expected to be chronic. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Inefficient drainage of tears from partial closure of the drainage openings, increased kinking of the drainage duct in the nose, or wicking of tears onto hairs present in the crease where the eyelids meet. Certain medications, such as long-term use of oral or topical corticosteroids, also can weaken the skin and blood vessels in the skin. 2 Some are unavoidable, but many are considered preventable. Yay! Wondering if your cat has a skin problem? “Thank G*d that happened here!” was the first thing anybody said. 3 weeks into this skin tearing part of the saga, I noticed that Nicco still sometimes had fleas on himself. What Do You Believe About Pet Healthcare? Since I've passed the 55+ age -- I've noticed that if I scratch my skin on my arms, hands & wrists that my skin tears & bleeds immediately. It can affect both of your cat's eyelids or just one eyelid. An immune system dysfunction that righted itself? https://www.petmd.com/cat/conditions/skin/c_ct_cutaneous_asthenia Presence of bruising or discoloured skin (i.e. ), Add VirtuaVet to Your Google Homepage or Reader. The dermatopathology revealed microhemorrhages throughout the blood vessel bed underneath the skin, The disconnect n the microvascular supply had caused the skin the thin and whither and eventually rip. This is believed to be due to porphyrins or other pigment-like substances present in the tears. Its just as though my skin is paper thin.. whats up with that? With each blink of the eyelids, tears are pushed along the outer aspect of the eyelids towards the nose. Being cat skin quite sensitive, they are highly susceptible to allergies, skin infections, parasites and many other conditions that pave the way to skin conditions. A weird toxin in the garage that we couldn’t find? When the cause of the epiphora cannot be corrected, or corrective measures fail to resolve the tearing completely, then a daily maintenance routine may be necessary to decrease the adverse effects of the epiphora. She came in an hour or two ago. 3. As you advance in years, the layers of your skin simply thin and become more fragile. A lump in your cat’s skin is not necessarily cancer, but should be checked by a veterinarian. 10-Year-Old Miniature Dachshund with a Swollen Face, virtuavet.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/happy-westie.jpg, virtuavet.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/leggings-for-a-dog.jpg, virtuavet.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/yorkie-teeth-before-cleaning.jpg, virtuavet.files.wordpress.com/2013/07/18-yorkie-teeth.jpg, virtuavet.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/cat-abscess.jpg, Healing Success for Great Pyrenees Autoimmune Skin Disease, Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine Heals Impossible Ear Infection, One Veterinarian to Cure “The Holding Pattern”. She was jaudice, anemic, skin tearing off like paper on the back of her neck, and problems with her liver. In this cat’s case, there were no steroids involved. My cat spends time outside and sometimes gets in fights. She progressively starts getting more and more fragile, skin gets thin and purplish, tears easily but does not bleed, just pushing her fur back to inspect causes peeling of the skin. So, here I am, my beloved patient on the table in front of me, his mom standing there (she had come for a visit and was thinking of taking him home that night). That all sounds great, but it really did not tell us why it started in the first place, or how to prevent it from spreading over his whole body. ecchymosis) Skin that is bruised or discoloured is likely to tear easily. On Facebook or Twitter, VirtuaVet Keeps You Updated When New Posts Arrive. But he was eating and drinking, and had not broken with a fever. The dermatopathologist felt it was not a drug reaction, and it resembled nothing she had ever seen before; she sent the samples for another opinion. Tetracycline is an antibiotic that concentrates in the tear glands and chemically changes some of the components of the tears. Sometimes I must treat a patient without knowing the exact diagnosis. That’s not the only way a cat can get the thin tearing skin. It says it’s for fleas.”. In younger adults, sutures can be easily performed by medical practitioner. You really MUST get rid of every flea on him and in his room in your house.”. Dear Emily, However, there are a number of other factors affecting the skin's thickness. Your cat may be referred to a veterinary ophthalmologist for further evaluation and completion of some of these tests, which may include: The goals of treating epiphora include 1) eliminating any causes of excessive tearing, 2) eliminating any obstruction to tear flow (if possible), 3) decreasing the irritation caused by the tears themselves, and 4) keeping the face and area around the eye dry and clean. “You know, fleas may have triggered this problem in the first place. If you discover red patches, pimples, scabs, open sores, scaly patches or hair loss, your cat may have a skin condition that needs treatment. Dubbed the "world's saddest cat" by many outlets, Tucker has genetic abnormalities that have etched her face in a look of dejection.The 1-year-old tabby also has thin skin, bruises easily and has hair loss, so she wears a variety of protective T-shirts. Then, when he went home, he went in a tile-floor bedroom, which mom had flea sprayed. Later I was watching TV, and she came onto my lap. Topical medications that cause epiphora are usually stopped and replaced with a less irritating medication. “Straight away we could see their bond,” Price told The Dodo. She had a couple clumps of hair that fell off, but I could not figure out where they came from. In this cat’s case, there were no steroids involved. Doc Truli's Twitter feed posts important recalls, news, interesting animal stories and tidbits, and business and technology animal-related news. Some deformities of the eyelids, eye lashes and facial hairs require corrective surgery in order to eliminate the irritation and the epiphora. That’s not the only way a cat can get the thin tearing skin. “What do you mean IGR? Change ), "Petcare decisions are practical, ethical, moral, and spiritual decisions" -Doc Truli, Enter your email address to subscribe to VirtuaVet and receive notifications of new posts by email. Does your cat have an itch? Epiphora is an abnormal overflow of tears down the face that results from either obstruction of tear drainage through the nasolacrimal (tear duct) system or overproduction of tears that overwhelms the cat’s normal drainage system. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The affected areas of the cat’s skin will usually be void of fur and the skin in that region of the body will often be either transparent or red to the point of appearing to be painfully raw. Is she going to live for a while? I’m glad your kitty heals when you adjust the prednisone dose. By now, the skin was purplish in color, and I was sure it would just slough off.