Why does my cat have new lumps under her skin? Is dog food the cause?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding XiaoMi. It appears that she has a skin infection on her abdomen. Mammary tumors grow out of the mammary gland under the skin. The exception is if the tumor becomes large enough, the overlying skin can ulcerate and rupture. This does not appear to be the case though from the attached pictures. I do think that she should see her veterinarian. She will likely need antibiotics and a medication to control any itching. She will likely have to wear an E-collar to prevent self trauma as well. If the cause of the infection (if that is what it is) can be determined, this can help to prevent future recurrences. Allergies are common ok the abdomen. I hope this information helps!

Hi there, it is hard to give you a specific answer regarding these bumps without seeing them, but I will try and give you some suggestions. If the lumps have just come up and feel soft they could be urticaria from an allergic reaction. Likewise if they are fairly new and are red or hot they may be caused by a skin infection. However, if the lumps have been there for a while again they could be infection but they could also be little growths in the skin. Have a good feel and if they are under the skin and soft they could be fatty lumps. If they are hard and in the skin they could be cysts, and if on top get may be warts. Unfortunately there is also the possibility the growths could be tumours. If you like you can repost with some photographs or more information and we can try and help more. I would recommend going to the vet to have he lumps checked f they have been there for a while. If they have just come up and don't look infected you could wait a day or so and give an antihistamine in case of allergic reaction.

In an older pet who is just now experiencing allergy type symptoms, I would definitely suspect that it could be either the new litter, new food or a combination of both that is causing this. I would start with changing the litter back to the normal litter that you used to use. As for the skin, you can try bathing Billy in a hypoallergenic shampoo (Duoxo calm shampoo) or oatmeal based shampoo. However, Billy may need a steroid shot by your vet to calm things down. If the change in litter doesn't cause resolution of the skin, then I would suggest changing the food back. I hope you can get Billy's skin back to normal soon!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is likely a skin infection which may be secondary to something like allergies. The infectious component would have to be taken care of but it is crucial to take care of the possible allergy as well so this does not continue to happen. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. There are many things that can cause allergies though in most cases they can be broken down into 3 big categories: flea, food and environmental allergies. Allergies are usually worked up in a stepwise fashion starting with flea allergies as this is the easiest and cheapest to take care of. If not on a flea preventative, then it would be a good idea to get started on one. If already on one then it would be a good idea to change to something else (there are many new products out in the market). If not improved in 1-3 months then it is time to move on and check for food allergies by switching to a novel diet (new protein and new carbohydrate). If that does not seem to be the issue then you are left out having to check for environmental allergies which require blood and/or skin tests. Allergies can be very frustrating to deal with at first but so rewarding at the end when we are able to treat them effectively!

Hi, and thanks for your question. Although a picture of the lump would help to give you more specific answers, this growth should be ideally examined by your veterinarian to have a definitive diagnosis. Your vet will examine it and possibly perform with an FNA (fine needle aspiration) or a biopsy. Differentials would include skin cyst, infections or benign or malignant type of tumors. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be a benign or malignant growth. This is likely from her mammary gland. There is no way of knowing for sure without an examination though this represents a reason to seek veterinary care. This is usually determined with an examination and a fine needle aspirate (FNA) or a biopsy. Treatment depends on the findings up to that point. I recommend you have Dahlia evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a good night!

There are several types of food allergy. If you have not had any luck with the brands you have tried, I recommend to try a prescription brand made by Royal Canin called Ultamino. The protein is broken down to the amino acid level, thus it will not trigger an immune response. Basically you need to feed this diet for 8 to 12 weeks. During this time she cannot eat anything else. No treats, no canned food, nothing. At the end of the 8 to 12 weeks, if her skin is all cleared up, then you know it is food. If her skin is not cleared up, then it is not likely food and you should look into other causes. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions!