Day 1 - 18th May, 2011 (after 8 months from 1st signs).

Bailey has had scabs and sores on his ear, under his neck and on his forehead that get treated with cortisone and antibiotics, they settle and then get worse. It started in Oct last year when his left ear got all scabbed up. The in April it flared up again and the vet would give cortisone and antibiotics long term shots, and the thing would settle for about 10 days and then flare up again and spread. After three times, and also treating for mites in case it was mites (and ringworm was checked and it wasn't that) - I asked for a biopsy (about $350).

The vet just called. This is what he said.
Bailey has pemphigus foliaceus, which is an auto-immune condition where the body attacks the skin follicles, this causes blistering, sores, scabs. It is treated by cortisone. Too much cortisone can cause diabetes. It may be able to be treated topically.

I told him we can't cause diabetes because Bailey is absolutely imposssible to treat at home as he is kinda feral. I don't say this easily, I go to the ends of the earth and spare no expense when it comes to my fur babies - but the fact is, that Bailey will have to go the Rainbow Bridge if treatment depends on being treatable at home. Even two men find it hard to hold Bailey for pilling - he is big and strong and feral when not happy. The other thing is that he is fraidy/nervy cat and pilling/treatment atempts cause him immense stress and he hides for several days becoming very nervous and stressed for a long time.

When he has no vet issues, he is a lovely smoochy baby who I adore so much. I am crying writing this because he has been with me through so much, and I love him so dearly, and this might be the start of the end for him. I hope I find a good treatment that works and does not cause other issues in his body. I will call the Cat Specialist Clinic that treated Milo during his CRF battle on Monday and see if they have experience in it. If they do, I will absolutely take him there...even though its about an hour away by car. The vet I spoke to at my local vet cliic said he has never see this in cats - only in dogs. I have not started my research yet - just got off the phone to vet half an hour ago.

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Found a blog of a lovely Ragdoll called Lucy. Her blog is at

Here is an exert:
In the past week or so I have added another remedy to Lucy's regular dose of Arsenicum Album 200C and Ant Crud 6C. Skin Allergy Relief - a pre-made remedy from HAMPL contains psorinum, which has also been used for Pemphigus with good results. Since using both of these remedies together Lucy's nose-pad has returned to it's lovely "lilac" colour, instead of the black scaling pad.

Instead of mixing these with filtered water and administering orally, I part the fur and dab one drop onto her skin and pat it in. Two more drops and she's done. Surprisingly this is as effective as the oral treatment.

Also adding a pinch of Lysine-L to her meat and mixing through. Crusting is disappearing from her eyes.