My cat has a swollen lip. What are shot alternatives for allergies?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Lilith. Wow, how odd. It would be nice to know what the injection was that she received. I can only guess that it's a shot of benadryl (diphenhydramine) or some form of cortisone. This is an odd case. I would start to wonder about some type of allergic reaction to something in her environment or some food ingredient that she is consuming. Insect bites/stings or some environmental allergen could be the cause or some ingredient in her food. Other possibilities include some type of infection that keeps moving around but honestly I have not seen anything like this before with this kind of history and presentation. I'm not sure how they are treating this and that would help to offer some suggestions. If the injections aren't working by themselves, maybe she needs a combination of drugs given and very close monitoring. Dogs airways rarely swell with allergic reactions unless they receive some trauma to the neck or if a venomous snake bites them over the neck region. Otherwise I wouldn't expect swelling of the throat but this could progress to that. I would be trying antibiotics, steroids, anti histamines, possibly some Apoquel (for allergies), fish oil, turmeric, cumin, and boswellia (all of these spices are anti inflammatory) I would also put her on a bland diet right now of only boiled chicken/rotisserie chicken with white rice mixed 50:50 just in case it's something in her diet. But if she has developed a chicken allergy, you would have to look at a limited ingredient diet which has another protein source. I would question you on what is different in her environment- new products used for laundry, cleaning, carpet powders, treatments done in the home, remodeling projects in the home, different pet products tried or pet treats, etc. Good luck with this interesting yet troubling case. If your vet cannot solve the puzzle, consider a referral to a dermatologist and see if they can sort it out.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly due to allergies. It really comes down to figuring out what is causing his allergies so that they can be treated or the specific allergen avoided. Allergy shots are available in cases of environmental allergies. It seems like he is certainly adapting to his new environment and that is normal and expected. 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, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Steluta!! I agree, the most common reason for the swelling is likely an insect bite or other allergic reaction. If the chin is still swollen tomorrow or her attitude and eating habits change have her seen tomorrow by your Vet. The mainstay of treating allergic reactions are steroids in cats. I would want to have her mouth examined well first to be complete. I hope this helps and I wish Steluta a speedy recovery!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. The lump could be from a recent vaccination or it could be some type of tumor. If he was vaccinated recently, I would monitor the mass to see if it goes away on its own. Shadow could be dealing with an allergy or the licking could be due to pain as well. If the licking persists despite a steroid injection, I would recommend having an Cray taken of the back end to make sure there are no obvious bone changes that may be causing this. If there are not, then I would recommend starting a shampoo such as Douxo PS calm shampoo and bathe twice weekly. I would also recommend using welactin omega 3 fish oil and essential 6 spot on by dermoscent to help with a potential allergy. I hope this helps guide you in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns.

She could have an eosinophilic granuloma which is common in cats and can be caused by an allergic response. The lesion may become ulcerated and is typically treated with a corticosteroid. If she has any fleas then she should be treated for fleas. You could also put her on a hypoallergenic diet and see if that helps. Try to find a low cost clinic or a vet that would take a payment plan so you can get her treated. If she just needs a corticosteroid then it shouldn't be very expensive. Hope she gets better soon!

I can see that Cocoa has swelling of her lower lip. This is a sign of an allergic reaction, which is pretty rare. I recommend calling your vet to let them know what is going on, and holding off on the next dose of Clavamox until Cocoa is seen by a vet. The lip swelling is not life threatening, but if Cocoa develops trouble breathing it can be very dangerous. If you believe that she is having trouble breathing, she should be seen by a vet immediately.

Thanks for visiting Petcoach. It sounds like your vet would like to start allergy shots. In the past these have been utilized with some major challenges for pet owners. They can take anywhere from 6-12 months or longer to work in many cases, they can fail, and the pet will continue to have outbreaks that must be treated as you go along with the shots. Many owners today elect to go with an allergy pill (Temaril-P or steroids shots (Depomedrol) for cats) as needed to help reduce the symptoms of their pets allergies. Also trying Heppa filters in your home as well as minimizing dust by periodic cleanings can help remove the stimulus altogether. I would elect to treat as needed and since steroids are well tolerated in cats, it is not a bad start to helping maintain Apple's allergies. I even have some cats who can go 1-6 months in between steroid shots, so they can be few and far between. You did not mention a food allergy or having done a food trial as well. This can rule out concurrent food and environmental allergies. Here is a website link that can help you get started. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951526 This should be done too because if there is also a food allergy present, this will likely cause continued allergies despite your other treatments. My top hypoallergenic food to try is Royal Canin Rabbit and Potato or Royal Canin Ultamino. Discuss this option with your vet and see if you'll can come up with an agreement that is feasible and can produce the best results for Apple's ongoing allergies. Best wishes and take care.