Ringworms

When Missy and Bashful came to live with me they had 10 to 20 ringworms each. Ringworms are a fungus much like the fungus that causes athlete's foot. It can be passed from pets to humans and vice versa. In pets the fungus cause areas of hair loss and balding. There are several methods of diagnosing the problems depending on your vet. My vet used the woods lamp which caused the areas to glow. This method is not fool proof, so many vets use cultures. In humans ringworms form circular patches that are red and itchy. If left untreated they can become very large with the center appearing to heal. Treatment for humans is to apply a fungal cream to the area twice a day for four weeks. In pets there are several options depending on your vet. Missy and Bashful received Fulvicin an oral medication for three weeks and had Cofition lotion applied twice daily for four weeks. They also received a bath in povidione shampoo once a week. The ringworms seem to clear up, but three weeks later resurfaced, so we continued with the povidione bath once a week for several more weeks.

They are seven weeks old in this picture. Missy is on the left and Bashful to the right. The bald spot on Bashful's head and toe, plus the spots their noses are ringworms. Bashful had a large spot on her tummy that was larger than the one on her head. Both had several numerous smaller spots on the rest of their bodies. If you look closely you can see a bright read spot on their dad's elbow which is one of his many ringworms.

In combating ringworms, I would suggest keeping the environment clean and free of cat fur to avoid reinfection. Wash all bedding and anything kitty frequently sleeps on in hot water. Mop and vacuum (including furniture) frequently. If you have a bad infection you may want to shampoo carpets, furniture, and change your air filters. Most importantly, follow the advice of your vet. Treating ringworms can be a long and painful process, but if you stop treatment you will likely have to start over again.

This is a list of links that I came across while doing research on the ringworm. I have tried to provide an explanation of what each link is about. If you have a link or a good ringworm story I would love to know about it. E-mail me with the link at the bottom of the page.

Health Handbook: The Naked Truth About Ringworms This is an article that goes into details about the signs and cures for ringworms.

Ringworm Can Cause Skin Problems for Pet, Owner This site is from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and gives a lot of useful information.

Ringworm: A Fungus You Don't Always Catch From Your Cat This articles contains some general information about what ringworms are and how they are transmitted.

Ringworm Infection in Cats A FAQ from the Governing Council of Cat Fancy in England. The article contains helpful information controlling infections.

The Case of The Contagious Cat An Internet court case . If you are feeling down about your problems, read this case.

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