In cats, feline miliary dermatitis is a skin condition that is often caused by an allergic reaction. It is characterized by a red, crusty rash on the back, head, or neck, along with intense itching.

1. Causes of
Feline Miliary
Dermatitis

2. The owner of Canal Animal Hospital in Florida, Jay Butan
received his doctor of veterinary medicine (DVM) from Tufts
University School of Veterinary Medicine. For more than three
decades, Jay Butan, DVM, has been providing
compassionate care to pets in the Palm Beach County and
Lake Worth communities. One of the most common problems
that veterinarians see in pets is dermatitis.
In cats, feline miliary dermatitis is a skin condition that is often
caused by an allergic reaction. It is characterized by a red,
crusty rash on the back, head, or neck, along with intense
itching. Feline miliary dermatitis is not a disease on its own, but
rather a disease complex that refers to the resulting symptom
of several different conditions.
Most commonly, feline miliary dermatitis results from
hypersensitivity to flea bites or flea allergies. In some cats, the

3. reaction to flea bites is so severe that a single bite is capable
of causing a severe skin reaction.
However, this is far from the only cause of feline miliary
dermatitis. Food allergies are another common cause, as is a
response to an inhaled allergen. Contact dermatitis may also
be the culprit, though this is rare in cats. There are also several
fungi, insect, and bacterial infections linked to the condition.
These include ringworm and cheyletiellosis mites.
Once owners bring in their cats for feline miliary dermatitis, the
vet performs a variety of diagnostic tests to determine what is
causing the reaction. Determining the cause of the condition
allows vets to properly treat the issue.