Dermatitis from Insulin Shots!

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

So, a month or so ago I noticed a single scab near Bandit's shoulder blade where I usually give his injections. I thought maybe he had been fighting with my other cat, so I didn't pay it any mind. This past week, though, It's gotten worse where there is a bunch of scabs in that area. It looks just like when my other cat (who has a flea allergy) has milliary dermatitis, but it's concentrated in the spot where I usually give his insulin shots instead of being all over.

I know that it's not a flea allergy with him (if there were fleas my other cat would have broken out much worse by now), and I'm wondering if anyone has ever had a problem with dermatitis due to insulin shots? I couldn't find anything about it anywhere, and I'm trying to eliminate possibilities. I know that food allergies can also cause it, but it just seems strange that it's concentrated in the one spot where I normally give injections.

Also, I know steriods can cause diabetes in cats, but can you give diabetic cats steriod shots? Bandit has a vet appt. next week, and I want to make sure I have my facts straight in case they want to give him a cortisone shot for the dermatitis.

P.S. Bandit is on Lantus.

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Re: Dermatitis from Insulin Shots?

I am not aware of diabetes causing dermatitis. However, each cat is different. Please check Bandit for fleas. IN my house it is not unusual for only one or a few of mine to get fleas. My mitten used to get them and flea treatment stopped it. Yes, diabetic cats can get steroids. I just complicates insulin dosing.

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

Re: Dermatitis from Insulin Shots?

I checked for fleas with the flea comb, and didn't find any. I gave both of them Frontline just to be sure. However, it's strange that the patch of scabs is only at his normal injection site. My other cat gets them all over her body if she has fleas. Bandit has also never had a flea allergy before. I'm going to shoot elsewhere for the time being, and see if that changes anything, also.

Bandit is really close to remission right now, so I'm afraid to do anything that might impede his progress. If I can elminate the dermatitis by finding the cause, I'd rather do that, but if it's not fleas, nor a beef or seafood allergy, nor a reaction to his shots, then I don't know what else to do. He's not scratching at all, which is also strange.

 

[kate and lucky]

Re: Dermatitis from Insulin Shots?

Could just be some kind of infection.

I would say to vet that you really want to avoid using steroids. Obviously if it's serious and there's no other option that's different but there's all sorts of stuff available now.

Could also see if you can take a pic or two, post and ask if anyone else has experience of it on their kitty.

Good luck and hope all goes well. :mrgreen:

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

Re: Dermatitis from Insulin Shots?

It's been a little over a week, and while the scabs are nearly gone where I was shooting his insulin before between his shoulder blades, now they're popping up on his flank in the new area I'm shooting. And they're getting worse. Which makes me think the problem has to be the injections. Has anyone else here has ever had this problem before? I'm not sure what to do! I obviously don't want to change insulins when he's doing so well on Lantus. I have no idea what could be cause the reaction. He's been getting injections since late October and this just started a month ago.

 

[Anonymous]

Terrible as it may sound I wonder it your cat may be allergic to the insulin? which one are you using? when my cat breaks out like that from a single flea bite i am told by my vet tom is alergic to flea's.
this would be a quandry(?)...
you are right the steroid shot would be a real hindrance to treating the diabetes, so i wonder if a change of insulins is in order.

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

which one are you using? ... i wonder if a change of insulins is in order.

Bandit is on Lantus. But he's on a very low dose right now (.25u). I really don't want to start over from scratch when his diabetes is finally under control, and he's possibly headed towards remission.

Has anyone ever heard of an allergic skin reaction to Lantus before? Are there any ways to treat other than taking the cat off the insulin?

 

[Anonymous]

Julia you might want to ask this on lantus. and i know you would'nt want to change him of course with him doing so well, i know that would be a total bummer. maybe there is no allergy but that is what it sounds like. find out what is in the lantus he could be allergic to.
some of those lantus peeps seem to be able to find out just about anything!

 

[kate and lucky]

Just a thought to put out there.

Could he be reacting to the needle heads? If he cold I'm not sure what you could do or if there are different types.

I'm not convinced it's the Lantus.
As a last line of defence, if you think you are going to achieve remission, move the injection site again.Does it bother Bandit?

Have you got any answers from LL? If not, try pming Jill, she may have some ideas.
Scritches to Bandit :mrgreen:

 

[Anonymous]

wonder if he could be allergic to the plastic from the syringe. latex. well i guess we could wonder all day...one thing is clear, it does appear to be coming from the shots.

 

[kate and lucky]

Further thought

Have you had kitty checked for mites?

In humans you can get Cellulitis-puncture wound (needle) and then various bacteria gain entry and cause problems (this is usually red, swollen, so not same but I'm wondering along the same vein).Strep ones seem to be mentioned most.

If it's something like this, I would have thought anti biotics would be the answer.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

As a last line of defence, if you think you are going to achieve remission, move the injection site again.Does it bother Bandit?

It doesn't appear to bother him, and I haven't seen him scratching. When I touch or examine the spots he doesn't appear to be bothered. He has been lethargic, but both the cats have because of the heat. I suppose I can try moving the injection site all around is body and see if that makes a difference...it seems to take about a week or so for his skin to break out. It starts out as little bumps...and then they turn scabby.

 

[Julia & Bandit (GA)]

He has a vet appt. tomorrow, so we'll check for mites then. Definitely not fleas, because I dosed him with Frontline to be sure. Would mites be more likely to bite at an injection site?

I'll take a look into the cellulitis...

 

[tuckers mom]

Ask on Lantus if there is any possibility about pH level of the insulin doing this. I do not use Lantus but I recall seeing once that the pH level may bother a cat or two.

However, your numbers are great, I'd want to stay on Lantus with a spreadsheet like that. Maybe switching around the spot as Kate noted would be the way to go.