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RINGWORM is not caused by a worm. It is a contagious fungal infection of the skin, caused by Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum or Trichophyton mentagrophytes.
It is spread from person to person, from animal to person, or indirectly from contaminated objects or the soil.
The associated spores can live for years in some conditions. Ringworm infects three sites: scalp, body and nails.
Ringworm is typically seen in young cats, long-haired cats and cats with pre-existing skin disease or trauma are more likely to become infected. Predisposing factors may include high stress situations, diseases that cause immunodeficiency (such as feline leukemia virus or feline immunodeficiency virus), stress, poor nutrition, cancer, immunosuppressive drug therapies and other diseases or medications that suppress the immune system. Young animals appear to be predisposed. Some pets may be resistant to infection and others may be carriers with no clinical signs.
Typical lesions are circular areas of hair loss (alopecia) on the hair coat; however, any change in the hair coat and/or skin may be consistent with ringworm. The affected skin often appears scaly and inflamed. Some cats suffer from severe skin disease while others have minor lesions or even none at all.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Circular areas of hair loss (alopecia) Scaly and inflamed skin
Itching in some cases.
DIAGNOSIS
Ringworm often looks similar to other skin diseases, so it is difficult to diagnose based on skin appearance alone. Your veterinarian will run diagnostic tests to confirm the presence of the fungus. Some of these tests may include:
Laboratory tests to include a complete blood count, biochemical profile and urinalysis, if immune suppression is a suspected underlying cause of the ringworm.
A fungal culture to provide positive identification.
Woods lamp examination. If the area fluoresces under the light, ringworm is suspected. However, culture is still strongly recommended. A negative fluorescence does not rule out ringworm, as several species of the ringworm do not fluoresce.
Microscopic examination of hairs.
TREATMENT
Treating both the cat and the environment are of equal importance. Many cats will resolve an infection spontaneously over several months, but treatment generally expedites cure and helps reduce environmental contamination. Nevertheless, some infections can persist. Vaccines for ringworm are available, but are only used in addition to treatment.
● Systemic treatment: There are several different oral medications available of which griseofulvin is the most commonly prescribed, and it needs to be given with food. Alert your veterinarian if there is a possibility of pregnancy, as certain medications may be contraindicated.
● Topical treatment: Anti-fungal creams and shampoos are important in reducing environmental contamination. These may be prescribed by a veterinarian.
● Home cleaning: It is recommended that the pet’s environment be thoroughly cleaned. Spores can live for years in some situations. Unnecessary items should be destroyed or disposed of. The environment can be cleaned with a 05 per cent sodium hypochlorite solution (Bleach diluted to 1:20 solution) which can be used to clean washable items. HOME CARE AND PREVENTION
Give your cat prescribed medication as directed by your veterinarian. Return for follow-up appointments as directed. Due to the contagious nature of ringworm to humans, care should be taken to wash hands thoroughly after handling the cat. Immunocompromised individuals should exercise caution and may want to consider not handling the cat until fully recovered.
Taking commonsense precautions can prevent ringworm.