What Is Feline Acne?

Posted on December 26th, 2013

Feline acne is a skin condition that starts on the chin of the cat and seems to affect both males and females equally.

In the very early stages of this skin disease, a gray pigment may be present in different locations on the chin skin of the cat, including a slight hair loss. As the condition progresses, those gray spots often become blackheads with an actual core. These blackheads may further develop into infected pustules that may cause the skin of the chin to become totally swollen and inflamed.

The effects of the feline acne are typically treated first with topical antibiotics and if the condition does not respond, systemic antibiotics are usually prescribed.

The cause of feline acne comes from a hormone antibody imbalance that can be easily measured with a simple blood test that has not yet been recognized by the veterinary profession. Once this imbalance has been corrected, the feline acne which is the effect, will heal. Unfortunately at this time, there is only one veterinary laboratory that is qualified to do this test which is National Diagnostic Laboratories.

The test involves a single blood draw that goes into a red top serum separator blood tube. The tube is then refrigerated, delivered refrigerated and run in a cooled state to insure correct results. Unfortunately this is not the normal way of handling blood samples in general and this is why most hormone antibody test results are incorrect because the serum blood sample was allowed to reach room temperature or higher before being processed correctly.

The test results for the cause of feline acne will indicate a cortisol imbalance, elevated adrenal estrogen which will bind the availability of thyroid hormones for the body to use, and this hormone imbalance will also cause the B and T lymphocytes not to provide their protective function for the body.

This imbalance, allowing for an elevated adrenal estrogen to be produced, will cause the B lymphocyte to reduce its protective antibody production and when the mucous membrane antibody called IgA, is below 58, malabsorption of oral antibiotics and other supplements will occur. Note: This is the reason why many medications and supplements do not work, because they could not be absorbed with a low IgA.

70% of the cats that have an IgA imbalance, will demonstrate a small red line at the point where their gum reflects upon the enamel of their teeth, that I have called a gingival flare (further information about it is on this website). This gingival flare will best be seen on what is referred to as the canine tooth. If this is the situation, then a few well timed intramuscular injections of an active cortisol may be required.

For more information about this imbalance and the simple diagnostic blood test, please read the article entitled Atypical Cortisol Estrogen Imbalance Syndrome (ACEIS) which is commonly known as Plechner’s Syndrome.

For further information on the internet identifying what the effects of feline acne are and what present day treatments are recommended, please go to these websites:

Wikipedia - Feline acne

WebMD - Acne in Cats

About - How do you cure feline chin acne?

Hopefully by understanding feline acne and then identifying its cause, you will be able to help your cat to heal from this unnecessary effect.

Sincerely,

Dr. AL Plechner