Cat Paw Disease / Infection

Hello, Recently we noticed our cat has an issue with one of her paws. She occasionally ventures outdoors, so we don't know how it happened. It doesn't seem to bother her and she allows us to touch it, but she does lick it more than normal, which I can assume only makes it worse. We took her to the local Vet and they suspect it is 'Feline plasma cell pododermatitis', although it appears to be a rare disease. The Vet has proscribed us a course of Steroids to hopefully treat the disease/infection etc, a cone to stop the licking and keeping indoors. Considering its a 'rare' condition, I was just hoping to get a second opinion? Has anyone seen this before, or do you have any other comments? Ana

Hello - your vet has an advantage over me, as they know the results of any examinations and tests that they may have done.  They have the context; they know their patient.  I simply have a picture of a foot.  It seems likely the lesion hurts or irritates the patient because they are licking excessively in one place.  Licking itself can damage a foot and make it sore.  What I cannot see from here is what your vet picked up on to lead them to come up with that rare diagnosis (I'm sure they will tell you, should you ask - a biopsy or Fine Needle Aspirate under the microscope might provide a crucial clue).   I know that the treatment can include a long course of antibiotics, but these have huge disadvantages too and a vet will usually want to have acquired some evidence to support a diagnosis and identify any bacteria, before embarking on this. From the information on the picture alone, I would list a huge range of possibilities from cancer to some endocrine diseases, dermatitis, a foreign body.  Your vet will be keen to rule things out in order to get to the bottom of the problem and when / if they have, will be able to recommend a treatment specific to the lesion.  As a vet, I would frequently speak to the lab pathologist in order to discuss the most efficient way in which to narrow down a diagnosis, particulary when the context is not helpful. Im not sure where in the process you and your vet are and cannot comment on another vets' case, but I hope that something here is useful in restoring your confidence in the diagnostic process and that it yields some useful results.