Prozac for Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome or Rolling Skin Disease?

My 10-mth old cat who has been nothing but laid back and perfect recently began having "fits" where the muscles on his back twitch and roll and he frantically licks himself all over. When this is happening he also runs around fast, like he's trying to get away from himself, and looks totally out of it.





I took him to the Vet last week and all of his blood work is fine. The Vet thinks he has an obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety and wants to put him on prozac.





I really don't want to have to do this - I'm scared it will change his personality and perhaps he'll become dependent on the meds. These “fits” aren’t happening all day long, but often enough. And it’s just hard for me to watch, and I don't want him to be uncomfortable or in pain.





Any experience or advice?

Prozac for Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome or Rolling Skin Disease?
When problems in the skin and on the surface of the cat's body are manifest it is because something serious is going on INSIDE the cat's body.





I would not hesitate to work with a homeopathic veterinarian on something like that because allopathic vets only have treatments which suppress symptoms and do not really deal with the CAUSE of the problem.





Check out www.homeovet.net and www.charlesloopsdvm.com. Both do consultations and prescribe treatments by telephone and it ends up being the same $$ as using the regular vets.





I am using a homeopathic veterinarian for treating two cats with cancer. Cancer is not "curable" and it can handle symptoms and give a cat the best possible quality of life until the cancer kills. For your cat there will be a "cure" and I strongly recommend you use that modality for his treatment.
Reply:I have never heard of Prozac being used for this disorder, however some human psychotropic drugs are used to treat animal obsessive or anxiety disorders.





The two that come to mind are Elavil, an ant-depressant and Buspirone, used for anxiety. Both of these are used with varied success to treat things like self-multilation, constant licking, crying, and nervous reactions ot their environment.





In most cases, a short course of 2-3 weeks, with the meds tapered off towards the end, will do the trick. Cats don't become dependent because they are not the psychologically oriented creatures that people are. Any dependency would be purely physical, and I've not heard of that happening either.





Discuss the drug options with your vet, and the possible side effects.