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Anybody else got a cat with pillow foot?

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Billymonster is rather uncomfortable at the moment as he's come down with a case of pillow foot (plasma cell pododermatitis) in both of his back feet and his pads are rather sensitive.

 

I know that the treatment for pillow foot is either steroids or antibiotics, but it does seem like the treatment is pretty much a fumble around in the dark as veterinary science doesn't know what actually causes pillow foot or how either a steroid or an antibiotic treats it. The clear up rate for both of the treatments appears (from web searches) to be not exactly impressive and everything seems to be geared to getting the cat comfortable until the pillow foot goes away by itself.

 

Because the treatment is so vague and lots of cats seem to get better from this by themselves I haven't taken him to the vets yet but in the last few days Billy has started to get little splits and sores on his pads which makes me think that I may have to take him for treatment even if the odds of it working aren't great.

 

Has anybody else got any success stories for me or bits of information that could lead me to choose between the available treatments?

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I would try to soak his pads in an anti-bacterial wash and moisturize them. Like you said the info is very vague. At least this way you lessen the risk of infection and hopefully stop the skin from cracking. The problem would be stopping him from licking the cream off, and finding one that won't harm him if he does. Bepanthen is fantastic, it moisturises and promotes skin healing - but it obviously hasn't been sanctioned for use in animals. Maybe some Metacam would help to ease the pain? Must be sore bless him :(

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I did try to soak his feet in antiseptic, but it's his back feet and getting him to let me get a hold on his back paws is really not easy!

 

He's a young, big, strong cat and although getting a look at his pads is easier than with Isaac or Al, he's still got this idea that a cat really ought to resist this sort of thing.

 

From looking at his pads what I don't want to do is to further soften the skin, as it's already hugely stretched and paper thin, but how do you stop a cat from walking a bare sore on the sole of his foot into the litter tray, the soil in the garden and every other source of bacteria (apart from putting him in a bandage which he can take off in 3 minutes flat)?

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Your only option may be antibiotics then. If you cant stop the germs getting in, which I agree is impossible, the only thing you can do is stop them from causing infection. When I've had to do anything with George's back feet the only way to keep hold of the little bugger is to wrap him tightly in a towel. He sulks for a bit afterwards but only for a few minutes.

 

I'd also keep him in for a bit and just let him use the litter tray. At least you can keep cleaning it and limit the bacteria.

 

Hope you get it sorted, sounds nasty

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Is it possible to spray his paw with the new skin stuff? it might help to give it some extra protection from bactaria until it recovers.

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I don't know much about pillow foot but would some silver spray for skin help? I know you can get it for some animals and spraying would avoid having to bathe. It is meant to gently help with infections and healing.

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my cat had this, she also has asthma, i took her to the vets and they gave her an injection and she no longer has it (she was a rescue so stressed out) as for the asthma she copes well with this (they told me to give her my inhaler) you try spraying something into a cats mouth, its not happening and i am not stressing her, good luck and hope it clears up soon

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Ooooh- good thought Jess. I may try the colloidal silver if he'll let me. At least it won't cause him any harm if he washes it off.

 

Chez- I did consider the new skin spray, but if you've ever used that on your hands you'll know quite how much it stings. I don't even know whether that is toxic when ingested by animals and I don't want to seal in any bacteria into the sore as that will make things worse rather than better.

 

I guess it will come down to the vet to decide whether we try the antibiotics or the steroids. Both seem rather like a shot in the dark, but I can't leave him how he is if the sores are going to continue.

 

The answer to how you give a cat an inhaler BTW, is to spray it into a volumatic-type spacer device and then hold that over their nose for a few breaths. I've had to do that with a foster cat and the difference it can make is huge :)

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Medusa - it won't be toxic once its dried. You aren't going to be putting it on inches thick. The propellant shouldn't be inhaled and the solvent carrier will soon dry. I know only too well how much it stings but I thought the paws didn't have broken skin on yet? I use it to help open cuts on my hands heal. I have an allergy on my hands and sometimes have to spray new skin on to give them a chance to heal.

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He's got a raw sore on one pad at the moment which is only a couple of days old so I would imagine it would really sting putting all sorts on it. I'm really hoping that I can get it clean and healthy so it will heal, but healing isn't that easy for pillow foot cases apparently.

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