Black specks under mouth

Question
Today while grooming my cat I reconized that under his chin are these black specks that are right beneath the mouth. I also notice that some of these specks seem to be tangled in the little bit of fur that he has under his mouth. I've also noticed that the hair is thining in that area and thats the only place I see him scratching and I dont think he has fleas because I use Revolution and bath him in Hartz Flea and Tick Shampoo and I use Hartz Flea and Tick Powder. Whenever I try to comb them out from under his mouth he moves as if it is hurting him and some of the black speckles are actually stuck to his hair and I'm afraid to continue picking them out because I fear he might scratch or bite ? Is this dried up food or something ? What is wrong with him ?  

Answer
The odds are that what you are dealing with is feline acne (and you thought that was just for teenagers, right?) Just as in adolescents, this is caused by overactive sebaceous glands. A mild case can be treated at home. I personally have had some success with benzoyl peroxide shampoo (OxyDex and DermaPet are two good ones, both are widely available online, just do a search) and a very soft toothbrush. Wet the chin, work up a lather with the shampoo, let it sit on the skin for 2 minutes (ideally a little longer if you can but usually trying to keep your cat still for 2 minutes is more of an eternity than the average person can managed!) and then very gently scrub at the skin with the toothbrush to try to work away the blackheads, which is basically what they are. Rinse thoroughly.  

Assuming this doesn't make things worse (some cats are sensitive to benzoyl peroxide) you can probably keep the condition under control by repeating this every 2-3 days for a couple of weeks and then going back to once a week or as needed. But if it DOES get worse and/or you see signs of pimples/swelling/redness, then get to the vet. Stubborn cases of acne can require antibiotic treatment or prescription topicals that your vet will prescribe. Other conditions that require treatment may also initially look like acne and it takes a vet to tell the difference.

If you can't get hold of the shampoo, another thing you could try is Stridex medicated pads or cleanser, followed by a bit of baby shampoo with the toothbrush. If you use the pads, wipe down again with another pad after the toothbrush.

It is widely thought that plastic dishes can contribute to the development of acne and that metal, glass or china should be used instead. However, I've been using plastic dishes for years and none of my cats have had acne for a very, very long time so I offer this up as anecdotal info rather than something I hold to be true.

Hope this helps!!

iris