Shots for Sores in Cats

The most common cause of skin lesions in cats is flea allergy miliary dermatitis, in which a cat’s skin is highly sensitive to fleabites. Airborne and food allergies can also incite symptoms of itchiness. Other causes of broken skin include fungal infections, mange, feline acne, rodent ulcers, bacterial infections, inflammatory conditions or an autoimmune disorder. In some of these situations, the condition begins with unrelenting itchiness that causes the suffering cat to lick and scratch at the area until she ends up chewing or clawing the skin open. While seeking out the root cause of your kitty’s troubles, your veterinarian will provide her with prompt symptomatic relief before she tears herself apart, creating secondary infections.

Your veterinarian may recommend a cortisone injection to stop itching in your cat. For cases in which the cause is obvious and the cure simple, such as a flea allergy, a single injection may be all that's necessary to get your kitty over the hurdle. In other cases, such as rodent ulcers, a series of injections may be necessary to quell the itchiness while the sore heals. Depo-Medrol and Vetalog are common cortisone injections that act quickly and provide lasting relief. Antibiotic therapy, flea control or other additional treatments at home may be necessary to resolve the underlying issue.

Although it may be tempting to treat your cat’s immediate itching and put off diagnostic testing for the time being, doing so will likely make the relief short-lived. Since the benefits of short-term cortisone use outweigh the risks, most veterinarians will use cortisone injections sparingly, such as in a case when the start of flea season has snuck up on you and your allergic cat was bitten, or when your cat’s rodent ulcer flares up several months after the first treatment. Excessive long-term cortisone use can result in further health problems for your feline friend. As with any medication, alert your veterinarian to any side effects in your cat that concern you.

A cortisone injection is one of the treatments of choice to stop itching. Once this is accomplished, your cat will dramatically curb her obsessive grooming and incessant scratching. Her sores will have the chance to heal, and so will her misery and your sympathetic frustration. Tests such as fungal cultures, skin scrapings, allergy testing, food trials or aggressive flea control will rule out potential causes and provide a diagnosis. You and your veterinarian will form a plan to achieve relief, cure ailments and prevent recurrences.