Feline Ringworm

Our feline friends are very sensitive animals and fall prey to a number of infections. Of these infections, dermatophytosis or ringworm caused by a fungal agent, leads to skin infections in cats. The causative fungal agent is microsporum canis. For many years, people thought that a worm curled up in the skin tissue as the lesions were circular in shape. It was later proven, that it was not any worm, but microsporum canis that caused these lesions. Let us go into the medical details of feline ringworm.

Feline Ringworm Symptoms
Ringworm is an infection of the dead layer of the skin, hair and nails. The fungus uses these dead tissues in the skin for its survival, that is, nutrition. A cat can be infected with feline ringworm due to genetic and environmental factors. In case of catteries, a cat is more susceptible to ringworm infection as the fungal can easily spread through the environment. Persian cats are more likely to be infected with ringworm, due to their genetics.

It is seen that many healthy cats are resistant to ringworm and microsporum canis is so well adapted to cats that 20% of the animals become asymptomatic carriers. Cats that are under one year of age, old cats, free-roaming cats and malnourished cats infected with other viral or parasitic disease and cats under stress are more susceptible to diseases. The feline ringworm symptoms are as follows:

• Patchy hair loss
• Itchy skin
• Small, round, scaly lesion that is clearly visible as no hair grows around it
• Scratching especially behind the ear
• If the infection occurs in the nails, it will lead to malformed claws

Feline Ringworm Treatment
A healthy cat infected with ringworm will overcome the infection itself in two to four months. If you feel the infections is very serious, you should visit the vet. There are many treatments available for keeping the underlying conditions in check. The various ringworm treatments include use of antifungal shampoos, lime sulfur dips, topical medications and trimming or shaving the fur.

The lime sulfur dips have a terrible smell and make the cat's fur yellow. This is one of the most effective treatments for feline ringworm. If the fungus seems to be resistant, oral feline ringworm medication may be prescribed.

The feline ringworm medication like griseofulvin may be prescribed, as it gets concentrated deep in the hair follicles. This helps it reach the site of infection and helps get rid of it. You should give this tablet everyday for about 30 days. Griseofulvin is a very important feline ringworm treatment and if you are not able to make the cat eat the tablet, call the vet for help. Itraconazole is another feline ringworm medication that can help in treatment of feline ringworm. If the cat cannot tolerate griseofulvin or the fungal seems to be resistant to it, itraconazole may be prescribed.

Anti fungal shampoos should be used to give your cat a bath, every alternate day, 3 times in a day. These baths help in getting the spores off the hair, so you need to leave the lather on for 5 to 10 minutes. You can even ask your doctor for a ringworm vaccine that will help provide immunity from the fungus. This is very important if you have other pets or children at home. You may also try topical therapy like antifungal creams to be applied on the infection area. Clipping of the hair in some cases is recommended to get rid of the spore infected hair.

Treating ringworm in cats may take some time. You may observe the hair loss getting more prominent even after the treatment. After about 1 - 2 weeks, the hair loss may stop and the crusty skin area will diminish. This cat disease is contagious for 3 weeks, if you give an aggressive treatment. If you don't take any care or show leniency in your care, the cat may remain contagious for a longer time. Feline ringworm in humans can cause red, ring shaped lesions or patches on the skin. You should therefore take precautions and wear gloves when handling the animal. If any part of your skin comes in contact with the infected animal, wash it thoroughly.

You need to clean your house after you spot a ringworm infection in your cat. You should vacuum the house and mop the floors. Discard the vacuum bags and try to vacuum the heating and cooling ducts if possible. When mopping, use a bleach solution of 1 part bleach and 10 parts water. You should apply direct bleach on any surface that can be bleached and leave it for about 10 minutes.

Many times, the itchy skin is due to a flea infestation, cat allergy or psychogenic alopecia. Therefore, visit the vet for a correct diagnosis. You need to limit the cat's movement outside the house, if possible, to prevent an infection. Give you cat healthy cat food to eat as strong immunity means less susceptibility to infections. I hope this article on feline ringworm was able to provide some useful information on pet care.