How to recognize and deal with eosinophilic granuloma complex | Pet Peeves
Cat owners may have heard of a condition called rodent ulcers. Hearing that your sweet cat has a ‘rodent ulcer’ can be shocking. But rest assured this condition has nothing to do with rats or any other type of rodent.
It is a disease that causes sores to appear on the cat’s mouth or body in a very distinct pattern. If the sore is seen on the mouth, it looks like an ulcer on the lip and is called an ‘indolent ulcer’ or ‘rodent ulcer.’ When seen on the body around the stomach, thighs, or throat, it often has the appearance of a rounded, flat plaque. The skin is raised and raw looking. The patch is hairless and inflamed. Sores that have this appearance are called ‘eosinophilic plaques’. The third appearance of these sores is usually seen on the back of the thigh. It will also manifest on the footpad at times. It is a long and narrow lesion, raised and hairless. This lesion is called an ‘linear granuloma’.
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The veterinary community groups these three types of lesions under one general term ‘eosinophilic granuloma complex.’ It gets its name from the type of white blood cells that are found in the sore when it is biopsied. Eosinophils proliferate in these lesions. Eosinophils are generally triggered by allergic reactions.
The most common presentation of these sores is the rodent ulcer or mouth ulcer. It stands out because it erodes down below the skin, creating a divot on the lip. Often the cat won’t even act like he notices it is there, but it looks quite painful.
The sores that appear on the body are usually itchier and more inflamed. The cat will lick the area a lot, causing more irritation. Sometimes the sores look like little bumps or multiple small sores. I have seen the sores appear as a generalized spattering of tiny bumps over the head and ears.
While the cause of these lesions is thought to be an underlying allergy, genetics do play a part in predisposing some cats to this disease. Allergies include insect bite hypersensitivity such as fleas, so flea control can help prevent the return of the condition. Food allergies and allergies to pollens and molds can also trigger bouts of this. However, some cats are just prone to these sores and removing allergens does not aid in the control of the condition.
If the sores have the classic appearance, it is pretty easy for the attending veterinarian to diagnose and treat. If the sores are obscure or unusual, a biopsy may have to be performed to get the diagnosis. Once the diagnosis is made, treatment consists of steroid therapy. A steroid injection is often given and repeated every two to four weeks for a total of two to three injections. This will often heal the lesion. If it does not, longer term therapy may be required. Oral steroids given at every other day, or every three day intervals can sometimes keep it under control. A newer treatment therapy involves giving the cat Zyrtec at a dose of five milligrams once a day.
While these sores can be pretty dramatic in appearance, the good news is that they are not contagious to other animals or people. They are just a hypersensitive reaction of the skin. The bad news is they can be uncomfortable to the cat and difficult to clear up if they do not respond quickly to steroid or antihistamine therapy.
This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: How to recognize and deal with eosinophilic granuloma complex
