Losing hair in big patches

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Cherie Hogan

Cherie Hogan

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Hello again,

Riley has started losing his hair in big patches. Can someone advise.

His diabetes appears to be headed for remission. He is drinking plenty of water. His food consumption is down primarily because he either is losing his appetite or he is suspicious of any wet food with phosphorus binder and potassium mixed in. He is, however, still eating Young Again kibble.

He has been taking Zobaline dosed at twice a day since October to help with his neuropathy. I started him on 1.25 mg of Nutrived yesterday which I dose twice daily. I have gotten very little phosphorous binder or potassium into him but I am sending for pill pockets and number 5 capsules tomorrow so I will be able to pill him.

His urine stream is down substantially from what it was and he has mild constipation.

He is in stage 2 CKD with high phosphorus levels and low potassium levels and is both anemic and has a low red cell count.

Please tell me if his hair loss, in patches with clear, pink skin and no sign of scratches or irritation, will subside once I get enough of the vitamin b, phosphorous binder, and potassium in him or could he be having an allergic reaction to one of these products?

Or, is his system simply shutting down one step at a time?

He has been on the Zobaline and eating the YA since October.

Thanks.
 
Any chance you can sprinkle some potassium or phosphorus binder onto the YA? They really are better dosed if given with food. The binder should be ingested at the same time as the food with the phosphorus in it. I don't think he would be having an allergic reaction to the minerals, but ECID. It wasn't an issue with Neko and she was on aluminum hydroxide, potassium gluconate and b-vitamins.

I have heard that as kitties are unwell, their coats can lose conditioning. Neko's black fur went quite red/brown. She lost a little bit of hair, but not much. Her hair got darker once I got all her meds going. Remember when Riley was first diabetic - was his hair a bit greasy or spikey. Then when they start insulin and things get in balance, the coat improves. Is Riley grooming at all now?
 
Hi Cherie.
If his potassium is low, he will need the potassium pills or gel. My cat hated the gel and it was vanilla custard flavored if I remember right. It was easier just to give him the pills than to see his face as I gave him the gel that he hated.
I'm not sure if the Zobaline which is the methylcobalamin type of B12 would help with the anemia. I would ask your vet about that. I used to give J.D. both cyanocobalamin B12 and a 1/10th capsule of Jarrow B Right.
J.D., I think had allergies or something, because every once in awhile I would come home to huge what looked like totally just plucked off in big pieces of his hair on the ground and it looked like a big cat fight had ensued. He would have bald patches, where I guess he plucked his fur out for whatever reason. It only happened about once of twice a year (maybe wintertime with all the dry heat), but my vet would not give him a steroid for it because he was diabetic. Hopefully, Riley is just having a reaction in the same way and it is nothing to worry about and will pass.
 
Please join the Facebook group Cats with Chronic Renal Failure. Post his labs there....
 
What are his phosphorus numbers?


Nevermind I just saw his labs on your ss.

If he's not in sub q's I would start that immediately. They can give you injectable b and iron that goes right in the sub q line so you eliminate the stress of giving the nutrived.
 
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