"Miliary Dermatitis"

A cat can be very itchy and present with broken skin over the entire body. The skin will be irritated and have a gritty, granular feel to it. Hair will be missing in these areas, the areas can be juicy or dry. Scabbiness is common with these allergic symptoms.

The gritty-granular feeling dermatitis is called "Miliary Dermatitis" and the work up for this in franchise practices is extremely expensive. After the Neurology Consult things may rapidly progress to full thickness skin biopsies, fungus cultures etc. depending on how close the vet is, to making the month's quota.

It's also possible to give 7 to 9 days of oral prednisolone and if the lesions clear up (improve greatly) quickly (usually under 72 hours) then the diagnosis is confirmed; without the urinalysis and chest xrays.

Miliary Dermatitis is normally distributed across the shoulders, face, chest and neck. But it can be manifested JUST around the neck, JUST the chin, or JUST the ear flaps.

Sometimes when the ear flaps feature the miliary dermatitis it may look like Fly Strike. This is not common in cats. It's also vanishingly rare in indoor cats. However, some consideration should be given to the possibility if the medications don't work - while medicine to repel flies finally does.

If your cat has miliary dermatitis and responds to a steroid, especially if it responds without an antibiotic - it's nice to have that diagnosis but it does 'tend' to mean that some medication will be needed to maintain "level of control" for the cat, for life.

Occasionally fleas can set up miliary dermatitis and SOMETIMES in the complete abscence of fleas a cat can get over miliary dermatitis and not need continued medications.

Most flea control doesn't prevent miliary dermatitis because the flea still has to bite the cat - creating the allergies anyway.

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