RingwormQuestion:Hi there. My wife and I adopted a cat from a Petfinders ad about two and a half weeks ago. We had noticed that when we went to pick up the cat, it had a scab healing on its nose. We had been assured by the person placing the ad that all shots were current and that it had been dewormed. Since its also been sneezing (and was initially found on the streets), we figured it had a bit of kennel cough, too. So last Monday we took it in to our vet to have him processed into their system and get a good check-up. The vet took a culture of the scab on the nose and stated that it could be ringworm... but that it wasn't likely. Well, results are back and it IS ringworm. From what I have read, this is going to be a nightmare for us! We are both on disability and have some severe mobility issues. We also have another cat in the house. We've also heard it will be quite expensive to get this condition treated both on the cat and the condo at large. Can anyone give me a rundown of just what we're in for? From what I've read, we have to sanitize the entire house with bleach, which makes no sense, since we have rugs, art, curtains that would all be ruined. I'm very, very angry with the person who gave us this cat as well and am wondering if there is a way to get them to stop posting these ads for strays in petfinders until they can guarantee a full check-up for the animal in question. Thanks for any info. Answer: First of all, don't panic. ringworm is not a worm. it is a virus.it can easily be treated.if you get it, which is highly unlikley,all you have to use is tinactin cream sold in all drug stores for athletics foot. In order to get ringworm, you must be in direct contact with it.sheets,towels etc. I hope this helps you. Answer: Ringworm is common in children's daycares. It is a virus that can be easily treated by applying the cream mentioned in the above post or one that is prescribed by your doctor. It can affect humans and animals so be sure to wash everything in hot water to kill any virus that might be lurking around. I used to work at a daycare for kids. My daughter and I both got it. It is more of an inconvenience than anything else. Answer: Thanks doggies6 (gee, wonder where THAT screen name came from!! LOL) for the support. I was aware that it's a fungal type infection and that it would be very rare for a human to get it (at least an adult). But I've also read that curing the problem and getting rid of the spores in the house can be a very, very espensive proposition AND very time consuming. Is that not true? Or, more probably... only partially true? Thanks! Answer: Ringworm isn't a virus, it's a fungus. There are actually several different types of fungi that cause ringworm. My understanding is that how hard it is to clear up depends on which type of fungi causes it. I wouldn't panic. Although I've heard some nightmare stories, my personal experience with it has been as MomJess3 said--more of an inconvenience than anything. If you clean to totally remove all the ringworm spores (which can survive for about 18 months on untreated surfaces), then yes, it could be very expensive. That would involve cleaning everything in your condo with a 1:10 bleach solution (which as you've mentioned is pretty impossible in a home environment), and having the ductwork, carpet and upholstered furniture professionally cleaned and disinfected. I sure don't think most people do that. My last experience with ringworm was very similar to what you're going through--adopted a cat and discovered a week or so later that he had ringworm. My vet recommended treating him with Program (an oral med that's normally used as a once-a-month flea preventative). I think it cost around $40. I didn't do any special cleaning, although I was extra vigilant about keeping all the countertops wiped down with Clorox wipes and I washed all our bedding in hot water (after which I tried to keep him out of the kids' rooms and off the beds). There are four humans in our house and four other pets, and I was the only one who got ringworm. That was just a very tiny patch which I treated with an OTC antifungal cream. Answer: Program has been debunked as a cure for Ringworm, sadly. It was a nice cheap alternative. Unfortunately, the cats cleared up at the same pace with or without, and it does not address the possible systemic issues. We attended a seminar from a vet who did a really great study on it. I am no longer fearful as I was. I have come into contact with it a lot and never had it, but my friend gets it just from saying the words. It depends on your auto-immune system to a point...same as the cat. This is the vet and the info: http://giveshelter.org/resources/dermatophyte.php We have had wonderful results with this and no re-occurances (like we did before when we just treated with dips or with Program). There has been a LOT of ringworm this year, the climate is perfect for it being damp and warm. Some common places for it are daycares, senior centers and some athletics - like wrestling. We dip every cat on intake with LymeSulfur to eliminate any spores that might be present. Keeping them OUT of your house is most effective, nothing much kills them once they are spread around. Answer: I'm kind of suprised to see everyone making a big deal out of ringworm. I've had it before, working on a dairy farm we tend to have it come through from time to time. What we've found works best is an over the counter athlete's foot creme, like Tinactin or Micatin. It's just a fungus that clears up very well with the cream. Now, you'll want to put it on religiously and make sure it's completely cleared up before you stop medicating because it WILL come back. But we've never had to sanitize the whole house because of it. You'll want to check all over everyone, it can grow anywhere. The last time I had it was smack in the middle of my forehead. Answer: I'm kind of suprised to see everyone making a big deal out of ringworm. I've had it before, working on a dairy farm we tend to have it come through from time to time. What we've found works best is an over the counter athlete's foot creme, like Tinactin or Micatin. It's just a fungus that clears up very well with the cream. Now, you'll want to put it on religiously and make sure it's completely cleared up before you stop medicating because it WILL come back. But we've never had to sanitize the whole house because of it. You'll want to check all over everyone, it can grow anywhere. The last time I had it was smack in the middle of my forehead. Because in cats there is often a systemic element. Cats can be carriers and never show a sign, but can pass it to other cats. Cats can be "cured" only to have the problem reoccur in 6-8 weeks. Sunlight is a big enemy of ringworm, that is why it clears up more readily on animals that live outdoors like cows, horses and such. It is a bit unlike a normal fungus and over the counter stuff just does not make it go away any faster than letting it go on its own. Unfortunately, during that time, you risk infecting other critters. Answer: We adopted a puppy with ringworm on her ear. It was not a problem to get rid of at all. I bathed her in medicated shampoo each night. I can't, for the life of me, remember the name of the shampoo but I do remember that it cost around $65 from the vet. No one else in our house 'caught' it....human or animal. Answer: When i volunteered at the spca the cats always had it. they were treated with topical cream untill it cleared and that was about it. I got it once on my shoulder and just put anti fungal cream on it and it cleared. Thats about it. I would though, keep the cat confined away from the other cat(s) until it is completely gone Answer: When i volunteered at the spca the cats always had it. they were treated with topical cream untill it cleared and that was about it. I got it once on my shoulder and just put anti fungal cream on it and it cleared. Thats about it. I would though, keep the cat confined away from the other cat(s) until it is completely gone The "Completely gone" part is the tricky one. The spores for this fungus are only seen under a microscope and there are bazillions of them on a cat that has them. They may have zero bald spots or indicators and can be a complete dust mop of spores. Shelters have few options, agreed, but that does not mean that their methods should be a cornerstone for an owner or a rescue. That is in part what motivated the doctor who ran this extensive study into the problem - the crisis in shelters and the problems owners face once they have them home. It is a great read and she is good about answering questions, even tours and does seminars if you are interested. I have to say it has been an incentive for us to work with cats that had this and before we would not. |
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