Ear Dermatitis in Cats: Signs & Management
If your cat’s ears are red and swollen and they spend a lot of time scratching and rubbing, it could be ear dermatitis.
When a cat’s immune system detects a foreign organism, like a virus or bacteria, it triggers a defensive response. Sometimes protein molecules in food are mistaken for these invaders and the resulting immune system reaction is known as a food allergy.
A cat suffering from a food allergy may experience a range of signs, including hair loss, redness, vomiting, itchiness and diarrhea. To help manage these signs and future episodes, a vet may suggest a change in diet.
An elimination diet trial is often the first step in diagnosing and managing an allergy. The aim is to identify if a cat has a food allergy.
It begins by transitioning a cat onto a veterinary exclusive diet, such as Royal Canin’s Ultamino, which is specially formulated for adult cats with severe adverse food reactions.
These diets are highly digestible and have limited ingredients to help reduce the chances of an allergic reaction.
Often, they contain hydrolyzed protein, which means the protein molecules have been cut into tiny pieces to lessen the chance of an immune system response. By contrast, most retail cat foods contain large, intact protein molecules.
Cats on elimination diet trials must avoid eating anything other than the trial food recommended by the vet, as feeding other food, treats, chews or leftovers could affect the results.
After 8-12 weeks of being fed the test food, the vet will begin to reintroduce ingredients they suspect are antigens into the cat’s diet, to see if they provoke an immune system response.
If clinical signs reappear, the vet will then transition the cat onto a tailored diet containing an alternative source of protein or hydrolyzed protein.
Depending on the cause of the allergy, a vet may recommend one of several cat food allergy diets, like a novel protein diet or a hydrolyzed protein diet.
These diets usually contain either hydrolyzed protein, like the food used on the elimination diet trial, or sources of protein that are less commonly used in cat food.
Often, these types of diets are manufactured in carefully controlled environments, like at Royal Canin, where there are strict protocols to prevent cross-contamination with ingredients that may cause an allergic response.
Expertly formulated dermatological diets (focusing on the skin and coat) contain nutrients that are specially designed to:
Some of these diets may not be suitable for cats who are still growing or reproducing. Your vet will be able to advise you on the best option for your cat.
Discovering the cause of a food allergy can be challenging and you’ll need to work closely with your vet to achieve a diagnosis.
Based on the results of an elimination diet trial, dietary history, clinical signs, and any health conditions, your vet will be able to make a recommendation on the long-term nutrition and support that is required.
At Royal Canin, we offer a choice of novel and hydrolyzed protein diets, in wet and dry options in our veterinary exclusive Dermatology range.
If the cause of your cat's signs is a food allergy, their digestive issues will typically show signs of improvement within 1-3 weeks, when using a hydrolyzed protein diet as part of a vet-managed elimination diet trial. If they’re experiencing skin issues, it can take up to 12 weeks for the signs to improve.
If your cat continues to show clinical signs after that period, a vet may decide to conduct further diagnostic tests to investigate other possible causes, such as an environmental allergy.
Learn more about environmental allergies here.