Alopecia in Cats

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Alopecia (Hair Loss) in Cats

By: Dr. Mark Thompson

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Section: Veterinary Care In-depth

Diagnosis

Your veterinarian will obtain a thorough medical history. Unlike most organ systems in the body, the skin can be directly observed. Therefore, what you have seen is very valuable in establishing a diagnosis. The breed, age, and sex of your animal may provide a clue. Expect to be asked about the age of your cat at the onset of the symptoms, the duration and severity of the symptoms, the degree of itching, medications previously used, and pattern of hair loss.

Your veterinarian will perform a thorough physical exam and skin exam. Particular attention will be paid to the pattern of hair loss and the distribution of the lesions. The appearance of the skin in the areas of alopecia will also be examined carefully.

Skin scrapings are commonly done to look for mites and other skin parasites. These scrapings are examined under a microscope.

Fungal cultures are often done to rule out dermatophytes (ringworm). Hair is plucked from the edge of the lesion and then is placed on a special culture media that turns from yellow to red in the presence of dermatophytes.

A trichogram may be done to characterize the alopecia. Hair grows in a cycle with a new hair being formed in the hair follicle to replace the hair that is mature and ready to be shed. Looking at hair under a microscope may tell the veterinarian if hairs are developing normally and may show broken hairs which would indicate a self-induced alopecia.

A hypoallergenic food trial or testing for allergen may be done to rule out allergy if the alopecia is related to pruritus.

A skin biopsy can be very helpful in diagnosing the cause of alopecia. The procedure may be done under general or local anesthesia. One or more small pieces of skin are taken from a skin lesion and submitted to a veterinary pathologist for examination. It is important for your veterinarian to send the sample to a pathologist with some expertise in dermatology. Even if the biopsy does not give a specific diagnosis, it may help to establish a path to diagnosis. For example, the results may indicate an allergic process, a hormonal process, or a bacterial process.

Blood tests for hypothyroidism, hyperadrenocorticism (Cushing's disease), or another type of hormonal disease may be done.

Treatment

The only way to successfully treat alopecia is to identify and treat the underlying cause. There are no symptomatic treatments.

If the alopecia is associated with pruritus, symptomatic treatments such as antihistamines, antipruritic shampoos, fatty acid supplements or corticosteroids may be temporarily helpful.

If alopecia is associated with pyoderma, antibiotics may help temporarily. Remember that pyoderma is nearly always secondary to another problem, so the underlying cause must still be found for long-term success.

Brushing dead and matted hair out of the coat may help to relieve symptoms that lead to alopecia.

Follow-up

Since there are so many different causes of alopecia, follow-up by the pet owner and communication with the veterinarian is critical. Administer all medications as instructed. Keep your cat's coat clean and properly groomed and observe closely for fleas. Flea infestation always makes alopecia worse.

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1 Ringworm (Dermatophytosis) in Cats
Ringworm is a contagious fungal infection of the skin and is not caused by a worm. It is spread from person to person, from animal to person, or indirectly from contaminated objects. Ringworm is typically...
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2 Endocrine Alopecia in Cats
Endocrine alopecia is a rare skin condition of cats that is hypothesized to be hormonal in origin. Affected cats experience thinning of the hair or hair loss, which has a similar bilateral distribution...
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1Endocrine Alopecia in Cats
Endocrine alopecia is a rare skin condition of cats that is hypothesized to be hormonal in origin. Affected cats experience thinning of the hair or hair loss, which has a similar bilateral distribution...
Read More
2Food Allergy in Cats
Most pets develop allergies to food ingredients that they have been fed for a long time, usually more than two years. In fact, if your cat has an immediate adverse reaction to a new food, it is probably...
Read More
3Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Cats
Flea allergy dermatitis is the most common allergy in cats and is caused by flea bites, specifically the saliva of the flea. It is a very itchy disease and predisposes to the development of secondary skin...
Read More
4Sarcoptic Mange in Cats
Sarcoptic mange (also known as scabies) is a highly contagious disease caused by microscopic mites that invade the skin of healthy cats and kittens and create a variety of skin problems.
Read More
5Ringworm (Dermatophytosis) in Cats
Ringworm is a contagious fungal infection of the skin and is not caused by a worm. It is spread from person to person, from animal to person, or indirectly from contaminated objects. Ringworm is typically...
Read More

Alopecia in Cats

Alopecia (Hair Loss) in Cats

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