Ringworm In Cats; Treatment And Prevention
October 25, 2009 by lucky
Filed under Cat Diseases, Cat Health
Treatment
Feline ringworm can clear up naturally in time in otherwise healthy cats, but treatment is advised to cure it earlier due to infection risks to humans and other animals. A popular treatment is to wash the cat’s whole body using a lime sulfur shampoo. Cats should ideally be bathed every four to six days for four to six weeks. The lime sulfur may cause yellowing to your cat’s fur, which will fade in time. Long haired cats may need to be clipped before treatment, and if you have a multi cat household then your other cats will need treating as well. Your cat can remain contagious for up to three weeks following treatment.
Your vet may decide to treat any existing flea and mite infections, as these could cause skin damage which would make your cat more susceptible to feline ringworm.
Anti-fungal drugs can also be used, such as Itrafungol, Griseofulvin or Terbinafine. Your vet will give you directions on how to administer these. Cats should be treated until they test negative for fungal infection; the skin will look much improved, but the ringworm may not be eliminated and can reoccur. In general, courses of treatment should be given for a minimum of six weeks.
You will also need to treat the cat’s home environment, as the fungus can live in bedding, carpets etc and could re-infect your cat.
Thoroughly clean all rooms your cat has access to; vacuum carpets and dispose of the vacuum bag, and disinfect bedding, brushes and toys. It is best to replace anything which can’t be disinfected. If you have a multi cat household, you may need to segregate infected cats until they are clear of the infection.
A bleach solution may be useful to disinfect surfaces, and commercial disinfectants are also available.
Ringworm can be passed onto humans very easily, so you should minimise manually handling your cat until she is clear. You should also discourage children from handling her.
Prevention
A vaccination to prevent feline ringworm is available, and should be given to cats over four months of age. This vaccination only protects against Microsporum Canis, as this is by far the most common form.
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To keep a long long story short… I got a kitten with ringworm. My boyfriend plus myself got it and I had dogs living downstairs I had to worry about plus another cat upstairs with us. The other cat got ringworm but the dogs did not. We were careful not to touch the dogs too much and to wash before going to care for them.
Since I am a nurse and am in close contact with patients and peers, I needed to make sure this was under control! I notified my manager, wore long sleeves and turtlenecks to work, or used gauze to cover lesions.I was put on fluconazole for myself (oral once a week). My boyfriend could not take the oral medication due to kidney disease and had to go to a dermatologist to get strong topical medication because his ignorant family doctor did not believe it was ringworm (even though she was told my diagnosis and the other cat’s diagnosis).
The first vet had us do a lime sulfur dip which was caustic to the cat and would not prescribe oral medication to the cat for fear of liver problems. I went to a second vet who prescribed the same med I was on FOR THE CATS, fluconazole. I asked if I could mix the dosage myself for the cat by crushing pills with a hammer and mixing with tuna juice ( I am a nurse and know how to do dosages). Therefore I could get cheap approximately ten dollar medication through Giant Eagle plus a bunch of tuna cans for the juice. I mixed dosages weekly in seperate 1 ml syringes and shot the medication into both cats mouths daily. My kitten liked the taste of the tuna juice and it became part of the daily routine but the other cat hated it.
Anyway, the ringworm epidemic lasted from May through September or October. Towards the end of the problem, I decided to rip up all the carpet in my home (hardwood floors underneath). But I developed a severe allergic reaction to my ringworm medication Fluconazole. However right when these two things happened, the ringworm magically disappeared from our home! I think it was the combination of the medication plus getting rid of the carpet. It was a terrible experience as our house was virtually quarantined from visitors for 5 months.
I will never trust a cat breeder again. I love my cat however and would not have traded the bad experience for a different cat! Hope this helps anyone who has a ringworm outbreak.