Plasma cell pododermatitis

[OdinLovesLife]

My cat has been diagnosed with plasma cell pododermatitis by two vets. The first one wanted to put her on cortisone indefinitely, I didn't want her to have cortisone as the first option. The second recommended a 6 month course of antibiotics which helped but didn't completely get rid of the problem. After stopping the antibiotics the problem is slowly returning to it's previous state.

Does anyone have information and treating this problem in cats? Anything helpful?

[bosclo]

Greenies pill pockets. I would wait until he was hungry and feed him a pill inside one of these pockets. He always ate it.

[catlover36]

I am sorry to hear about your cat, but there is HOPE!  I adopted a cat with pododermatitis.  Her first owner gave her up when she found out about her illness.  So, I adopted her and made sure that she has a very safe, loving, and happy home.  Most importantly, I worked very hard with my cat specialist veterinarian to cure her.  I was very proactive about this.  I guess you can say that I am very stubborn and when there is a problem, I get determined to resolve it completely.  Now, about my cat, Angel:  She was in very bad shape when I brought her home.  Her paws were scary looking.  Her nail beds were black and oozing.  She had no energy and seemed very depressed.  She did NOT play with toys at all back then and she was a 7 month old kitten at the time!  I made sure to use a wheat litter, preferably Swheat Scoop.  It is easy on cats paws and the best litter I ever used.  At first, I cleaned her paws with an antibiotic and antifungal cream and hydrocortisone cream.  It helped a bit.  I also gave her cat benadryl which helped.  I took her to the vet, btw, please try to see a cat doctor at a cats only clinic.  They are much more knowledgeable about this disease.  My vet gave her a steroid shot and antibiotic shot which gave her some relief for 2 months.  Then, she was on prednisolone at 0.5 mg daily for close to a year.  This controlled the symptoms, but when I weaned her completely off, she started getting symptoms again.  My vet put her on Triamcinolone at a high dose for 6 months and then we slowly weaned her off over another 6 long months.  Angel is in full remission.  It has been a year since she has taken the Triamcinolone, which cured her.  Her paws are pink, firm, clean, and beautiful.  Her nail beds are normal too.  She is so playful now and chases my other cat all over the house and she is older.  It is so nice to see the change in her health and personality.  She is a totally different cat since the day I got her.  Please talk to your vet about Triamcinolone because it may cure your cat!  In the meantime, keep your cat comfortable by applying a hydrocortisone cream on her paws, cat Benadryl, Swheat Scoop cat litter, and cleanse the paws with a medicated shampoo weekly.  And, get her started on triamcinolone.  Good luck!

[furmomof5]

I have to agree with Opus on this, use the Atopica as a last resort.  It is a newer drug and all the side effects are not really known.  My mother had her dog on Atopica for a short period of time, it did not end well.  

I had a local pharmacy put the doxy for my cat in treat form.  He resisted a little at first but we finally found a flavor he liked and giving him his meds was no issue at all.  He would actually come running to take them.

[Valfran]

Thanx for your opinion !

[opus88]

thats too bad you found it was less effective in that form...oh yes they just 'know' when its time for meds don't they...
I have to do oral care on my Sami...and even taking the toothbrush out of the holder sends him running, I have to be very creative catching him first....lol

you could try that with the hair ball gel, but I do know some meds are very bitter. so she'll start to hide from the gel as well...but worth a try.

and I would highly recommend you try the doxy before atopica....steroids as the very last resort.

[Valfran]

I tried the trans thermal gel in thyroid form for my old male cat, it was very ineffective and after awhile he would try and hide from me when he saw the gloved finger.  The amount of the doxycycline from the capsule is very small, only an 1/8 of a capsule 2x a day. I was thinking about  mixing it with some of the hair ball gel and putting it on the corners of her mouth so she licks it off. I'm giving her a week off after her two weeks on the amoxicillin and then I have to decide between the Atopica, doxycycline or steroids. I have read where sometimes it just goes into remission on its own.