Food
The first reference that I consulted was a book on "natural" cat care. It said that healthy animals treat mange like any other infection and fight it off. It suggested several ways to improve the overall health of the cat, including higher quality food.It wouldn't be easy to upgrade the quality of the food we were giving Bandit. We were already giving him the same premium kibble that we feed to our own (indoor) cats. But he had certainly lost weight. Perhaps he could be induced to eat more.
I went shopping, and brought back one can each, of every different kind of high-quality canned cat food that I could find.
This was pretty successful. He started eating more, which should stop or reverse the weight loss. It would also provide a reliable way to sneak oral medication into him.
Pink Lotion
I was also concerned that he was scratching his skin raw, because of the irritation from mange. I decided that an antihistamine might help, and settled on Benadryl Allergy (Diphenhydramine HCl).I devised a topical lotion to slosh on Bandit. The lotion was colored pink by the colored coating on Benadryl Allergy tablets.
The lotion contained:
| Ingredient | Amount | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Benadryl Allergy (Diphenhydramine HCl, 25 mg) | 2 tablets | antihistamine |
| R-7M Ear Mite Treatment (Pyrethrins 0.15%; Piperonyl Butoxide 1.50%) | 4 tsp | mite insecticide, intended for ear use |
| DMSO | 3 tsp | transdermal carrier |
| Benzocaine, powder | 1/8 tsp | anesthetic |
| Waterless no-rinse cat bath product | 1 tsp | emulsifier, carrier |
Benadryl that I used in the Pink Lotion.
The trade name "Benadryl" is used for several different products.
Make sure the active ingredient is Diphenhydramine HCl, 25 mg.
DMSO that I used in the Pink Lotion.
R-7M Ear Mite Treatment that I used in the Pink Lotion.
I was working in the dark here. I knew nothing about how cats react to these medications, optimum dosage, drug clearance, etc. I didn’t know how much of each medication was getting through the skin, having a topical effect, or was being taken orally as he groomed himself.
It was possible that this "treatment" would kill him. But it was certain that he would die without help – he was following exactly the same pattern as Grimalkin did.
Later, I found confirmation for the Benadryl, at least for dogs, on a web site:
Pets with mites often make a bad situation worse by opening mite wounds and causing infection. Treat the itch with an over the counter antihistamine (like Benadryl). Give dogs 3mg. per each pound.
The pink lotion was used from shortly before 7 July 2003 until at least 17 July 2003. I think that the pink lotion actually helped. If it wasn't really a cure, it perhaps kept Bandit going until I was able to take more effective, desperate measures of a home mange treatment. In addition, the antihistamine made Bandit drowsy, so that he would sleep more, conserve energy, and scratch less.
My journal entry of 14 July 2003 says:
Bandit is looking significantly healthier. His fur is starting to grow back around the neck and shoulders. The skin is pink underneath, but in generally good condition – much less scabby. He still has a tendency to scratch himself, and sometimes draws blood. His appetite is good – he relishes 2 cans of mushy food a day, and will eat additional kibble if it is provided.
Wormer
Also, I dosed Bandit's mushy food with Hartz wormer. If we can kill other parasites and improve Bandit's overall health, he might have additional strength to fight off the mange. I had also noticed that some drugs used to kill mites were also used in lower doses to kill worms.I used:
I used 5 capsules on Bandit, and repeated the dose as the instructions said.Hartz Health Measures Once-A-Month Wormer Piperazine Adipate (equal to 80 mg Piperazine base/capsule) Dose: 1 capsule/2.5 lbs body weight
Note: This product probably doesn't taste bad. When I put it in Bandit's food, he eats it all anyway.