Kittens suffer from allergies just like adult cats. The problem is, due to their small size, they must be treated and medicated differently from full-grown cats. With the help of a veterinarian, your kitten's allergies can be treated effectively.
Types
Allergies that kittens might suffer from include contact allergies (when an allergen touches the skin), flea allergies, inhalant allergies and food allergies.
Symptoms
Symptoms of allergies in your kitten may include itching and scratching; licking or chewing at the base of the tail or the back of the thighs; bumps, scabs, or rashes on the skin; hair loss; vomiting or diarrhea.
Diagnosis
Skin tests (such as applying allergens to the skin or conducting a biopsy of the affected skin), removal from the environment, blood tests and physical examinations are tests your veterinarian might perform to diagnose your kitten's allergies.
Treatment
Treating a kitten's allergies includes removal of the allergen from your kitten's environment (eliminating chemicals the kitten inhales or fleas and so forth), topical or oral antihistamines, a change in diet, dietary supplements and, occasionally, allergy shots.
Considerations
Any treatment you use on your kitten must be approved by a veterinarian and labeled safe for use on kittens. Also, a kitten may develop more allergies as it gets older, so periodic allergy testing may be beneficial.
Kittens suffer from allergies just like adult cats. The problem is, due to their small size, they must be treated and medicated differently from full-grown cats. With the help of a veterinarian, your kitten's allergies can be treated effectively.
Types
Allergies that kittens might suffer from include contact allergies (when an allergen touches the skin), flea allergies, inhalant allergies and food allergies.
Symptoms
Symptoms of allergies in your kitten may include itching and scratching; licking or chewing at the base of the tail or the back of the thighs; bumps, scabs, or rashes on the skin; hair loss; vomiting or diarrhea.
Diagnosis
Skin tests (such as applying allergens to the skin or conducting a biopsy of the affected skin), removal from the environment, blood tests and physical examinations are tests your veterinarian might perform to diagnose your kitten's allergies.
Treatment
Treating a kitten's allergies includes removal of the allergen from your kitten's environment (eliminating chemicals the kitten inhales or fleas and so forth), topical or oral antihistamines, a change in diet, dietary supplements and, occasionally, allergy shots.
Considerations
Any treatment you use on your kitten must be approved by a veterinarian and labeled safe for use on kittens. Also, a kitten may develop more allergies as it gets older, so periodic allergy testing may be beneficial.
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