One of my cats has developed a strange (to me) skin symptom. I would be appreciative of any thoughts regarding what it might be.

There is a thickened, hardened eruption, not a genuine swelling but more raised evenly across the surface of the skin on the entire area on the right side of his face where the whiskers are. This area is pitch black. (He is orange and white with pink skin. His whisker area is white.) It is growing larger in area, slowly. Appeared about 5-7 days ago and is now spreading to his cheek area under the eye. The hair/whiskers are unaffected/intact. It seems painless. Looks somewhat like the black crusty spots cats will sometimes get under their chins (like little acne spots) at times but is much larger, not crusty and can't be combed or loosened. The black skin area has no mottling of color, is solid *coal* black. It is dry to the touch, not exuding anything. It is very obvious and visible. Looks like a thick, black scab under the hair and whiskers.

He isn't accumulating food, discharging, suppurating or salivating on the area to cause this.

He has great sensitivity to touch on the cheeks and below chin. Will push those areas plus between eyes and crown of head against a hard object for the pressure, which will cause his head to tremble rapidly and very pronounced, side to side. This pressure seeking/sensitivity was present for weeks before the skin eruption/blackening.

I don't know what this type of skin condition might be called or what is causing it. He has been getting homeopathic Aloe and Carc. Can't find any "black skin eruption" in either remedy other than Allen - LIPS: UPPER: PUSTULE: BLACK POINT HAD BEEN, WHERE. {0> 1> 0} which isn't very close. Most references to black skin/spots seem more what I would think to be bruised "black and blue" type rubrics.

Any one have an idea what this might be causing this or what it is?

__________________
Sometimes on Earth, you can find something that resembles a little piece of Heaven. And sometimes on Earth, a little piece of Heaven can find you.

hi gpm, from what you describe it reminds me of when I overdosed my Cornish Rex who is also very pink and white with Sulph. He developed what I eventually accepted as chin acne or black heads (eruption)on his cheeks (whisker area) under the eye and also forehead and later, more sparsely on his tail and along his back. The black heads seems tougher to express or comb out and they were smaller, less raised or obvious than what I have grown accustomed to seeing under the chin.
The eruption did not seem to bother him in the least and it eventually went away with cleaning, no infectious pimples formed etc.

Hope that helps.

Thanks, Krista. I thought, when I first noticed the spot, that was what it was, too. An acne type thing. This has no individual bumps or any roughness at all. Can not be combed or loosened by picking at it. It's as though a heavy, solid coat of shiny, smooth, thick, coal black paint covers the skin under the hair. I've never seen anything like this before.

__________________
Sometimes on Earth, you can find something that resembles a little piece of Heaven. And sometimes on Earth, a little piece of Heaven can find you.

Hi Gpm, Sorry to hear about this. Not being a Vet, I haven't a clue what the diagnosis of this lesion could be. Has Fibrosarcoma been ruled out under professional diagnosis?

Mesenchmal neoplasms:
http://maxshouse.com/tumors_of_the_skin.htm for more information

I'm curious if there may be a relation to Carcinosin.

Chris

hi gpm, I understand from reading another post that you are looking for guidence from the original prescriber. Sorry I couldn't be of more help, its hard to really get a sense of what you are describing when you can't see it and feel it for yourself. I would probably take notice of Chris' post in wondering if there is a relation with carc. Could this developement be signifying a change in course of treatment? If this woman is not returning your calls is there anyone else you might be able to speak to? Let me know if there is anything I can do to help out.

Thank you, Chris....that's a great site you sent along. It's very helpful.

And thank you, Krista. I'm just on edge with the amount of medicine used in the Ramakrishnan protocol. It's frightening to me. The woman who prescribed it (and also the US rep for Dr. R) are so casual about it all....but I'm wringing my hands. My first thought was the black whatever was a result of so much medicine but couldn't find black skin eruptions in the provings for Aloe. It very well may be a result of Carc.

I think I'm just spoiled by the instant assistance always available either by posts on the BB or from those who have helped with cases, off the BB, who are so readily available with such sound knowledge via email. There really are some exceptionally good people here.

__________________
Sometimes on Earth, you can find something that resembles a little piece of Heaven. And sometimes on Earth, a little piece of Heaven can find you.

Hi Shirley,

Julio was tested by hair/saliva and the read out indicated intestinal cancer but not confirmed by regular tests. His case was posted originally in the Pet Forum, before the tests were done. He was quite bad at that time. Constipated so badly, small black balls finally, then passed nothing but pure jelly like blood several times. Unable to eat. He has a partial paralysis of the hind legs beginning suddenly one day about one year before these other symptoms.

I thought I was being solicitous of him by having the scan done because on his last trip to the vet office for urinary block, his anxiety was such that he vomited, aspirated and did die. He was brought back but I swore I'd never make him leave home again. He had repeated episodes of cystitis requiring hospitalization and catheterization leading up to the time he aspirated. This was a few years ago and have been very grateful that he never again had a problem with urine blockage. ( My thanks to Geir Marcussen for that.)

I am most relieved to report that Julio has done a "now you see it, now you don't" trick. The thick black layer under the hair is suddenly gone. Was there one moment, gone the next. All that remains is the very outer edge around where the black eruption had been. The area now is nice, clean, normal, new looking skin, sans hair. I was concerned that when and if this area sloughed, it would be a real mess.

__________________
Sometimes on Earth, you can find something that resembles a little piece of Heaven. And sometimes on Earth, a little piece of Heaven can find you.

It sounds like a response to the Carc.

__________________
Shirley Reischman

Ramakrishnan's protocol is only to be used in cancer patients.

__________________
Shirley Reischman

Hi Shirley, I believe gpm had some kind of test done that indicated cancer although I'm not sure it was confirmed allpathically. Then again in some cases it can be difficult to diagnose when obvious symptoms are not present.