Surprised seeing a zit on your fluffy friend’s face? It might be unbelievable, but “Acne” can occur in feline fur babies like humans. Cats typically develop acne on facial regions like the chin and lips. If your fur friend develops such a skin condition, it could be a one-timer that happens once and disappears after that or stays for longer and recurrently occurs.
However, some kitty cats experience acne bursts repeatedly and may deal with it their whole lives. Remember that every cat is unique, so one cat may have flare-ups now and then, while another may experience a single episode that can be quickly resolved and won’t return. Whatever the case, maybe meet your vet for medical assistance.
Cheap cat insurance policies cover a feline fur baby’s testing, treatment, and medication costs during accidents, allergies, injuries, and emergencies. Consider buying cat insurance in NZ to manage unplanned vet costs effectively. In the meantime, read this article to learn what causes feline acne, what it appears like, and common ways to treat it.
Causes
Hair follicles around a feline’s lower lip and chin can get clogged with an oily secretion called sebum, leading to acne on a pet’s face. Apart from clogged hair follicles, a cat can also suffer from a secondary bacterial skin infection.
Some things that can trigger acne in cats are suppressed immune system or poor grooming habits. Skin surface issues like malfunctioning hair follicles and abnormal oil production are common reasons cats develop acne.
Excessive grooming to the extent that a cat’s chin rubs on its fur repeatedly can also cause facial acne. Other common reasons are stress, anxiety, atopic dermatitis, and contact with other cats that have acne. Age, gender, and breed don’t play a significant role in the development of acne.
What does it appear like?
Acne begins as whiteheads or blackheads and then turns into watery crusts; they swell and become little red pimples. You will notice hair loss, bleeding crusts, pus formation, nodules, redness, and heat in severe cases. Sometimes it is accompanied by pain and itching sensations.
Take your cat to the vet if you notice any of the symptoms mentioned above. A simple physical examination is just enough to determine the issue. However, a vet might also scrape the skin to test the cells or suggest a biopsy to rule out potential skin conditions. A culture and sensitivity test may be recommended if your vet suspects a bacterial infection.
Treatment
The treatment plan will depend on the root cause and severity of the issue. For instance, a vet may suggest antiseptic cleansers, antibiotics, topical ointments, and shampoos that help clean the infected area and lower the incidence of acne.
Acne is treatable in most cases, and good hygiene can reduce the chances of frequent acne sprouts. Cat insurance NZ helps provide your furball with top-notch medical care during distressing health scenarios. Contemplate purchasing cheap cat insurance in the least so that providing basic health care need not be a significant financial challenge in times like these and many more.
