Feline acne?

Dr. Marie replied:

Thanks for sharing this excellent photo with me:



Now, I can't officially give you a diagnosis over the internet but I can tell you that this looks very similar to feline acne. We don't know why cats get acne. Often it will look like little blackheads. The acne is usually on the chin or lip.

If there is just one dot and it doesn't seem to be bothering him then I wouldn't be worried about it and I wouldn't recommend doing anything. However, if there are lots of them or they seem to be inflamed and bothersome then it's best to see the vet to get some treatment. I will sometimes treat these with a human product like Oxy-pads. Or, I will sometimes prescribe a special cream for them.

It is believed that some cats get acne from an allergy to plastic, so if Gizmo eats out of plastic dishes at all, I would change those to either glass or ceramic or stainless steel. Also, be sure that the dishes are kept nice and clean.

If this one spot gets much larger or starts to ulcerate (open up) then it's worthwhile to have your vet take a look. Another possibility is an eosinophilic ulcer which is again, not a huge deal, but often needs steroids in order to clear up.

Something like a tumor would be quite unlikely.

I hope that helps!

Dr. Marie.

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