Dr Anne Fawcett: Some cats can suffer an allergic reaction to mosquito bites

WITH the weather warming up the prevalence of mosquitos increases and so does the chance that your moggy may be allergic to mozzies. Dr Anne Fawcett sheds light on this little known allergy.

Some cats can suffer an allergic reaction to mosquito bites.

IN humans, allergies are often seasonal. Spring is notorious for causing hay fever, for example. The same applies to animals.

We see many more cases of allergic pets in the summer months.

One allergy that can present in a particularly dramatic fashion is mosquito-bite allergy in cats.

Affected cats may have a red, swollen, scaly, scabby or ulcerated nose and ears, with flare-ups occurring as the weather gets warmer.

If your cat’s nose and ears look scabby, it could have been bitten by mosquitos.

These lesions are significantly inflamed and may be uncomfortable or painful.

Some cats may have enlarged lymph nodes, particularly around their lower jaw.

The problem is mozzie-bite allergy in cats can look exactly like other conditions, like ringworm, which can also infect humans, or a form of skin cancer.

The signs are usually managed using corticosteroids, which can be given orally as a tablet or liquid, or via a long-acting injection.

Cats love to sun themselves during the day but it’s best to keep them indoors as the sun goes down.

Prevention involves reducing contact with mosquitoes.

Keep cats indoors, at least at times of the day when mozzies are most active.

Dr Anne Fawcett is a lecturer in veterinary science at the University of Sydney and a vet with Sydney Animal Hospitals Inner West.

Read her blog: smallanimaltalk.com

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