Warning: Undefined variable $href_target in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/phpGiggle/phpgiggle-config.inc.php on line 44
Hyperesthesia syndrome? Cat twitching all over. | Ask A Vet
 

 


Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Hyperesthesia syndrome?

Species: Cat
Breed: mixed breed, longhai
Age: 2-5 years
I have a unique situation. Recently I have moved to a new apt 3 hours away from where I found and raised my cat. My cat has developed a skin twitch where the area down his spine twitches and as a result, he bites his paws, legs, and the base of his tail frantically. He then hides in a dark place for hours. I took him to the vet who checked him for fleas, which he did not find. He gave Pebble a steroid shot and said that should clear things up. It has been 3 weeks and he still has these skin twitching episodes. I have spoken with multiple vets and vet techs who have been stumped by this. He eats and drinks regularly as well as has regular bowel movements. Any insight as to what this may be would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.


Warning: Undefined variable $related_questions in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Warning: Undefined variable $related_articles in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Deprecated: strlen(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/related1.php on line 75

Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

This is a tough question to answer without actually seeing your cat. But, I do have a few thoughts.

You may want to ask your vet about the possibility of something called idiopathic hyperesthesia syndrome. We don't know what causes this, but cats who have this condition will be very sensitive over their back and tail region. It is usually treated with anti-anxiety medication (even if the cat doesn't seem anxious.)

I have also seen cats do this if they have fleas. Even if you can't see any sign of fleas on Pebble, I would recommend treating with a prescription strength flea product.

It's not a bad idea to have your vet do a skin scraping to look for unusual parasites such as demodex mites.

If that doesn't work, a fungal culture for ringworm is a possible test to do as well.

And one final thing I can think of would be to do a trial of some anti-inflammatory medication. I have seen cats that can have similar symptoms because of arthritis pain.

Hopefully that helps!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---



Warning: Undefined variable $displayed in /usr/home/drmarie/public_html/askavetquestion.com/answer_np.php on line 253
Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Swollen neck on cat. My cat was been experiencing avswollen upper neck and underneath chin. It has... (31226 views)

ibuprofen for arthritis? my dog seems to have problems sometimes when getting up from a short or long rest,... (13666 views)

Chihuahua ate tennis ball. My small, 5lb baby girl chihauha (sp?) was outside playing with our two other dogs. ... (31947 views)

Kidney problems in ferret. Hi there, I am the owner of a ferret male, 2.5 years old, who in the last week,... (17177 views)

Big lymph nodes. My dog has swollen lymph nodes for about 15 days now and they are all over his body.... (25276 views)

No bowel movements after parvo. I have a seven month old poodle mix puppy with parvovirus. He was a puppy someone... (36038 views)

Eye problem. Chances eyes are really red all the time and gets a bunch of eye snot I clean it out... (11871 views)

Bumps on bulldog. Dr. Marie, Rocky has been having a series of hives over the past few weeks, which... (19480 views)

Pink growths on chest of dog. Sometime in the past 4 weeks my dog has developed small string like pink growths on... (19005 views)

Bumps over dog's body. My pug is having dry bumps on his body.. It's not paining him but yeah it's bit... (11252 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.