Miliary Dermatitis Ointment

Feline miliary dermatitis has been known as 'scabby cat disease,' 'feline eczema,' and 'blotch.' The word 'miliary' is used because the lesions look somewhat like millet seeds. Feline miliary dermatitis is not really a specific disease itself but a set of symptoms which can be caused by a vast number of diseases. The causes include:

• Allergies, e.g., food allergy, atopy- such as allergies to pollens, and fleas.
• Bacterial infections. ◦Fungal infections.
• Yeast infections. ◦Parasitic infections of the skin, e.g., mites, lice.
• Hypersensitivity to intestinal parasites.
• Autoimmune diseases.
• Nutritional disorders e.g.,biotin or fatty acid deficiencies.
• Hormonal abnormalities The lesions of feline miliary dermatitis are multiple small, crusty bumps with redness underneath.

The lesions are sometimes limited to small areas of the body like the base of the tail or the head. In other cases, the lesions can cover a large portion of the body. Many times the lesions are itchy, sometimes severely so. In these cases, there may be more damage to the skin because of the constant scratching and licking by the cat. The hard part is determining the cause of the problem. Sometimes, the location of the lesions is helpful. If the lesions are at the base of the tail, fleas are a common cause. If the lesions are around the head, there is a stronger possibility they could be caused by mites.