Dark spot around Fred's nose...what could it be?

Hi
I haven't been on in a while. Fred is about to turn 20 this month, and on Lantus for 4 1/2 years. He has been very difficult to regular lately--getting LOTS of HI and 500s preshots--so am now experiementing with increasing his dose.

He still has mild HCM and kidney disease (haven't had blood tests since end of March) so don't know latest status. I stopped giving him subQ fluids in Jan after they induced cardiach heart failure. But he got the fluid extracted and has been on Plavix for the HCM only since then and the heart disease is fine, not progressing.

He has been getting increasing rear-limb weakness--extremely so--for the past month or more.

And about 10 days ago I stupidly put him on the balcony to lie in the sun but didn't factor in that it was super hot (95 degrees) and with all his disesase he couldn't take that....so I found him in respiratory arrest and rushed him to the vet. At first they were asking me about putting him to sleep--and i was reluctant, not believing that this could be his time...and so they cooled him off (with water) and gave him oxygen) and literally within 45 minutes he recovered completely. The vet was shocked and let me take him home for the night. He's been purring every day since.

However, his blood sugar has been high (even before this) and he has this dark area around his nose--like the black of his nose has extended onto his upper cheek/lip...I'm pretty sure that's never been there before. Can't tell if it hurts, etc.

I googled and the most I could find was that this might be Cushing's Disease--said to cause hyperpigmentation and is noticed when diabetic cats become hard to regulatel...(because of increased cortisol in the body)...

anyway, I am due to take him to the vet, but was waiting a week or so because it's in the 100s here in New York City and I thought I"d let him recover from the heat stroke first....

Otherwise my little guy is doing pretty good. But "m worrying that he is going to reach a point where he can't walk at all. He falls quite a bit, not sure if he's in pain, but when he tries to turn, often just plops down. He has arthritis too.

 

Infection or bad teeth can cause BGs to increase -- definitely time for a vet exam and probably bloodwork.

 

Cushings is very very rare in in cats. Could it be sunburn?

 

I just made a vet appt for 10 days. don't think he has an infection and he has barely any teeth left, although maybe....

hmm sunburn? maybe...he was on the patio---I just can't remember how long it's been since I"ve seen this darkness around his nose...one week at least, but maybe more...I just don't know and also can't tell if it hurts him.

the high BGs are making me nervous because they really make him feel bad and walk very wobbly...such a never ending battle, esp juggling all these diseases.

thank you

 

I'm sorry no advice but sending prayers for Fred.

 

It could just be freckles which are harmless. Orange cats are the most prone to developing freckles on their noses, inside the mouth, and lips as the age. Cats of other colors may also develop freckles. I'd have the vet check it out just in case.

 

Dear Martica, Wow, Fred is very attractive and does not look his age at all! When you see the vet you will no doubt get labs run and since you have the very difficult combination of cardiac disease and renal failure you have to cater to his heart first and cannot give subQ fluids for that reason. Your vet may choose to try to work out a way to get some fluids into him and yet not upset the balance, I don't know. You probably know that some of his leg weakness could be due to low potassium (which goes hand in hand with renal failure), high phosphorus (ditto), peripheral neuropathy from his diabetes, and the arthritis. If his potassium value returns as low you can supplement it, if the phosphorus is high (which I do think will be the case) you can add a phosphorus binder to his food. Humans who have high phosphorus always say they have painful leg cramps, no doubt cats feel the same way but do not say it in so many words. I don't have any helpful info about the dark pigment around his nose. I can say that my diabetic cat Lilly normally has a nice dark liner around her pink nose and when her BG was high the line became much darker and wider for a while, then it returned to normal once she was in better health. Best regards. Sugarpura

 

another thought - check out the drugs he is on and if any of them say to stay out of sunlight - it's possible he could just be a drug reaction and keeping him inside will help.

 

Hi
Thank you for these tips--Sugarpura--VERY interesting that you notice that your kitty's nose gets more darkness as the BGs stay high---this is the kind of info our vets can never know and that we learn from this board....Fred has been VERY high for months--and I've been intermittingly controlling it...and just past week now increasing his dose again and (fingers crossed) that seems to be ok...he seems to have a new 'pattern'...where he's low and suddenly the insulin wears off or something and he just spikes up right around or after shot time--and within a few hours---so I'm experiementing with a higher dose in tiny increments and just testing more....

I've tried wiping off his nose and it appears to be sensistive, but then I'm just not sure if it's just bugging him that I"m wiping his nose...really hard to tell. But the spot is def. not supposed to be there.

So I def. notice that when he is high--his rear leg stuff kicks in and gets much worse...so maybe this nose thing is that. Of course my vet is on vacation aand I really didn't want to see anyone else there since he's the only one who really knows Fred. So we go in one week.

I will read his meds--that's a good idea--to see the contraindications--he's only on Lantus, pepside and plavix.

It has occurred to me that I might need to try a short acting insulin, but I"m soooo afraid to go on a whole new regimen---he's almost 20 and we've been on Lantus for 4 3/4 years...and I feel like at his age to go thru the risk of something fast-acting--it just feels a little scary to me. I wonder if his pancreas has just suddenly worn out and so he just suddenly needs more.

When I get the time I'm going to post some shot numbers and get everyone's opinions.

thanks all.

PS--Fred is a handsome boy, but this is an old picture...although admittedly, a grey cat probably doesn't look older cuz he's already grey! But if you saw hiim walk--verrrrryyy slowly...and you saw how bony he is (about 8 1/2 pounds, when at his obese peak he was 18...and probably ideal is 12...) well, you'd see he looks like an old kitty. But he still purrs every day and eats well and poops (some constipation). So despite all these diseases I think he still wants to be with me...

 

Also, Fred is already on a phosphorus binder--I switch between the 2 types int he food---but maybe his Potassium is low--I guess we'll find out with the blood test next week. If all I need to do is supplement for him to improve, that would be awesome. fingers crossed.

 

The dark spot on Sky's nose turned out to be ringworm. Have your vet check for that, too.

 

What's the rear limb weakness? Does it look like neuropathy or more like a stiff gait? I see that potassium was mentioned. Tucker's rear legs are stiff when he walks, like an old man. He has low potassium and is on supplements twice per day. While kidney failure issues can easily cause low potassium, diabetics can get it too since there is increased PU/PD.

As Gia mentioned, Tucker got a black spot at the very edge of his nose, right on top going up a little towards the bridge, it's ringworm. There's quite a few cases of it here in CT, one shelter in Danbury, the Danbury Animal Welfare Society, has been shut down for months and is only just starting to be able to adopt out cats due to the ringworm outbreak there.

 

oh no, ringworm! That's all Fred needs is a whole new problem to treat! I hope it's nothing major....but then again I guess ringworm is better than cancer. I will google it to find out more. Our doc appt is in one week. Maybe he was exposed while at the emergency vet for heatstroke 2 weeks ago--otherwise he has NOT contact with other animals every (if that's how you get it).

thank you

 

I'm not sure if this is the same, but this is Jake.



He's got dark spots all around his nose, however he's had this for a while since he was about 6 or 7. He did have a small growth that fell off in like a week so I assumed a cat fight, that little brown piece at the top is not the growth.. it's a piece of cat food Not sure if this is the same, perhaps this is just a way to boast about my goofy little beauty

PS - Fred is absolutely GORGEOUS!

 

Martica, we suspect pigeons. Pigeons are carriers and they like our windowsills. With the windows open we think spores got in, all three of mine show signs and so do I. If it is ringworm please let us know the treatment your vet chooses, there are several and we are on numbers three and four.