My vet told me my cat has stud tail. What does this mean?
Stud tail, or “tail gland hyperplasia”, is an enlargement of the oil glands near the base of your cat’s tail. These glands are located on the top side of the tail, a few centimeters from the top. When the glands enlarge, they compress the hair follicles, causing hair loss. They also produce oil, which plugs hair follicles, makes the fur greasy, and makes the skin scaly. Inflammation and secondary infection can then occur.
What causes stud tail?
The most common cause of stud tail is an excess of androgen sex hormones including testosterone.Intact males are most often affected; however, it can occur in any cat, even if they have been spayed or neutered.
Poor grooming is often implicated as a primary cause in cats. Poor grooming can be caused by obesity, orthopedic issues, stress, or other underlying illnesses in the cat. This condition can be more common in shelters or cat breeding facilities.
Seborrhea, a generalized skin disorder in which the skin produces too much sebum (oil), is a less common cause of stud tail in cats. Seborrhea can be a primary disorder with a genetic basis, or it can be secondary, due to allergic skin disease, skin parasites, hormonal imbalances, or chronic yeast or bacterial skin infections.
What are the clinical signs of stud tail?
Mildly affected cats can have an area of hair loss overlying the glands. The surrounding fur can be greasy. More severely affected cats can have scaly skin, crusts, comedones or “blackheads”, and a darker pigment to the skin. Over time, affected skin can look thickened and bumpy. Secondary infection can occur, causing redness, swelling, discharge, and draining tracts.The affected skin may be itchy, causing your cat to rub and chew at the area, causing self-trauma that can involve most of the tail.
How is stud tail diagnosed?
Your veterinarian will typically make the diagnosis based on the appearance of your cat’s tail. They will also check intact males for testicular tumors.
Additional testing, such as skin cytology, will often be performed to look for yeast and bacteria. If there are any crusts or draining tracts, your veterinarian may take a sample to identify the types of bacteria present. They may also recommend skin scraping to rule out skin mites, and a fungal culture to rule out ringworm. Confirmation of the diagnosis via biopsy is rarely necessary. Since poor grooming is often a cause, your cat will be evaluated for conditions that affect normal grooming behavior.
A thorough examination of the rest of the skin will determine if there is a generalized seborrheic disorder. If so, additional testing may be recommended. Bloodwork to assess blood cell counts, serum chemistry, thyroid and adrenal function can be performed to identify underlying conditions.
How is stud tail treated?
Mildly affected cats may not need any treatment, as it is primarily a cosmetic issue of a bald spot. You can manage most cases with shampoos and topical products that contain benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid, or other degreasing agents.
If infection is present, your cat will need antibiotics. Ideally, the selection of antibiotics is based on the results of a bacterial culture. An e-collar may be necessary to prevent self-trauma in cases of infection. Weight loss, pain medication if needed, and providing a stress-free environment can allow your cat to resume normal grooming behavior.
Castration can be helpful to stop progression but may not completely resolve the issue.
If the infection is severe, painful, and not responding to treatment, then amputation can be considered as a last resort.
What is the prognosis for stud tail?
The prognosis is generally good, especially if the underlying cause can be identified and grooming can be improved. If that is not possible, then regular shampooing and topical therapies will keep most cases under control, but recurring infection can be a complication. Your veterinarian will help determine the best treatment plan for long-term control.
