Ringworm in a cat: signs and treatment

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

Ringworm in a cat is a disease of a fungal nature. It is caused by spores - dermatophytes. The main affected area is most often the skin, but the coat and claws of the animal may be affected. Street pets have specific immunity, and the disease often resolves on its own. However, domestic cats need to be treated. The danger of ringworm lies in the possible transmission of spores to dogs and humans. In order to provide assistance in time, you should familiarize yourself with the main symptoms, forms of manifestation and methods of treating the disease.

A variety of lichen

The problem can be caused by different types of fungus. If the skin is affected by spores of the species Microsporum canis, then microsporia develops. If fungi of the Trichophyton species attack, then trichophytosis is diagnosed.

For a cat owner, there is no need to understand the types of spores, because the clinical manifestations in both cases are almost similar. It is important to understand that pathogenic fungi can beon the animal itself and on the territory where the cat constantly walks. Spores are very tenacious, even outside the body, they remain viable for more than a year.

Note that spores can be found on any object that has been in contact with an infected cat. The most popular sources of reinfection are untreated:

• litters;
• combing combs;
• feeding bowls;
• carpets, with the remnants of fallen wool.

Often, the fungus that causes ringworm in a cat does not manifest itself in any way. He can live on her covers for many years and, when immunity is weakened, attack the animal. In this case, special tests conducted by a veterinarian in the clinic will help determine its existence.

How the disease spreads

Ringworm in a cat occurs by direct contact with pathogenic spores. They can be found anywhere an infected animal lives. The problem is that the fungus remains viable for up to two years, so a pet can become infected almost anywhere. However, most he althy cats with strong immune systems have a natural resistance to this disease, however, they can be carriers of spores without showing any symptoms themselves.

At risk are:

• weakened cats;
• pets with a recent illness;
• kittens;
• animals that get irrationalor malnutrition;
• stressed cats;
• individuals receiving steroid treatment;
• helminth-infected cats;
• sick with viral infections;
• cats that have access to the street.

Some breeds are also affected. Thus, Persians are the most vulnerable due to genetic reasons.

Ringworm in a cat - signs

Manifestations of the disease depend on the location of the fungal focus and duration. What ringworm looks like in cats can be seen in the photo below. The classic appearance is patches on the animal's skin where there is no hair. In this case, the center of the spot may be covered with scales, which the cat scratches and thereby contributes to the spread of spores.

Gradually combed places become covered with pustules, bubbles with liquid appear. At the beginning of the disease, the spots are small and not conspicuous. But over time, the area of infection increases as the fungus spreads on the skin. At the same time, itching that bothers the cat does not always appear.

Signs of ringworm in cats:

1. Bare spots on the head, neck, ears or tail.
2. Spots are round or elongated. In advanced cases, they completely cross the muzzle of the animal, affecting the nose, mouth, eyes, forehead and ears.
3. Shedding intensifies, lumps form on the coat.
4. The skin begins to peel off, the coat becomes greasy.
5. The cat often itches.

The fungus that causes ringworm in the domestic cat can infect the claws. In doing so, they are deformed, take on an irregular shape and become brittle.

Diagnosis of disease

Ringworm can have a clinical picture similar to other diseases. Therefore, it is not always possible to diagnose it only by external signs. For an accurate diagnosis, the veterinarian must conduct special tests.

Most often, specialists use the Woods lamp. Falling under its rays, some fungi begin to glow (fluoresce). However, the test is inaccurate, because some spores do not respond to such radiation, while others simply do not have the ability to glow. In addition, not only fungi that cause lichen, but also other microorganisms can emit fluorescent light. There are animals that carry spores on their fur, but are not infected. Therefore, for accurate diagnosis, it is necessary to use other methods.

1. Examination of wool taken from the border of the affected area under a microscope.
2. Sowing fungal cultures. In this case, crusts and scales from pet spots are used. The veterinarian uses a scraper to collect the required sample. Next, the scales are placed in a special compound that identifies ringworm spores. The procedure is simple and can be performed at any veterinary clinic.

When ringworm is diagnosed, a cat should be checked for other he alth problems. This is due to the fact that normally he althy animals actively resist spores and their bodysuccessfully fights them.

Caution - ringworm

A rather common and dangerous disease for humans is shorn lichen in cats. A photo of the affected areas clearly shows the problem, but pet owners do not always treat it with due attention. The disease has a fungal character, the probability of transmission from a cat to a person is high. That is why, at the first signs of damage, it is necessary to show the pet to the doctor and start processing the home.

Key actions you can take:

1. Completely isolate the sick cat from other animals and children. Keep them away from sofas, beds and carpets. Minimize contacts, carry out all actions with gloves.
2. Inspect all pets in the house, carry out a set of preventive measures on the advice of a veterinarian.
3. Treatment to the end, without leaving it with visible improvements.
4. It is forbidden to bathe the animal to avoid the spread of the fungus throughout the body. However, a doctor may recommend medicated shampoos that may be appropriate.
5. Take a closer look at the conditions of the cat and the conditions of its nutrition in order to increase the immunity of the animal.

Treatment of a pet should be started as soon as possible and under the supervision of a specialist.

Medicated treatment

A wide variety of spores can cause ringworm in cats. Treatment depends on their type, course of the disease, sizeaffected skin lesions and the state of the pet's immune system. Therefore, the veterinarian in each case selects an individual treatment regimen, even for cats living in the same house.

Quite often, with an inattentive attitude to the problem, shorn lichen in cats can become chronic. Treatment must be comprehensive. A specialist will never prescribe any one drug, but will recommend a certain system.

Vaccination

An antifungal vaccine is used to prevent fungal skin lesions and treat the initial stage of lichen. If large foci of inflammation are already diagnosed in a pet, then antifungal ointments, tablets and shampoos are needed. With the widespread spread of spores, immunomodulators are used, which increase the body's defenses.

Caution needed

Antifungal drugs use only one form to eliminate the effect of intoxication. Follow your veterinarian's instructions exactly to avoid overdosing.

To most quickly and effectively defeat ringworm in cats, treatment should be started immediately after the first signs appear. If an ointment is used, the affected area is cut off before use, crusts are removed from the skin. This is done for the best contact of the drug with the skin.

Often, cats comb the diseased areas. In this case, there is a high probability of attaching a secondary purulent infection. How to treat ringworm in cats in this case depends on the severity of the general condition of the pet. But in any case, the doctor will prescribeantibiotic therapy.

It should be remembered that the course of treatment is quite long. Full recovery occurs after a month and a half. It is important that the cat is considered he althy only after two tests and a negative result. You can not stop treatment, even if the visible signs of the disease have disappeared.

Anti-lichen drugs

Ringworm remedies come in four forms. Only their complex use will help to completely heal the animal:

1. Vaccine for injection.
2. Antifungal ointments.
3. Antifungal shampoos.
4. Anti-fungal pills.

List of funds used

Among the most popular vaccines are Microderm and Polivak TM. They are administered intramuscularly. Ointments should be used to treat infected skin areas. Among the most famous are "Fungin" and "Sanoderm". Antifungal shampoos are used to wash the skin and coat. The most popular and effective are Veterinary Formula ANTISEPTIC & ANTIFUNGAL and DOCTOR. Depending on the severity of the disease, tablets may be prescribed. The most famous are Itraconazole, Griseofulvin and Terbinafine.

Folk remedies

A rather formidable and contagious disease - ringworm in cats. Home treatment will help to cope with the problem, but should not completely replace the drugs recommended by a specialist. The most famous andthe following methods are effective:

1. Bath with lime sulfide. You will need a teaspoon of the product and a bowl of warm water. The animal is washed with the resulting solution, carefully treating the affected areas.
2. Wood ash ointment, butter and lard. The resulting product is used to treat areas of the skin where there is itching and redness. Bandages must be used to prevent licking.
3. To painlessly remove crusts, use soapy water. To do this, 15 g of grated laundry soap is diluted in one liter of warm water. Crusts and scales are removed with a cotton swab dipped in the solution.
4. Carbolic soap is considered a good remedy in the initial stages of the disease. However, it should be carefully rinsed out of the skin. Otherwise, there is a risk of poisoning due to the toxicity of the drug. For the treatment of kittens is not used.
5. The use of iodine is not recommended. The animal may get burned or give out an individual allergic reaction.

It is believed that folk remedies are less dangerous. However, some of them are quite toxic and it is better to consult a specialist before using them.

In closing

What sheared lichen looks like in cats is good to know for any breeder. In addition to the inconvenience for the animal itself and its long-term treatment, the danger of becoming ill lies in the possible transmission to humans. Therefore, at the first sign, the cat is isolated and all further activities are carried out with protective gloves.

It should be understood that the disease is quite serious. Ringworm, if started, can develop into a chronic form and even cause death. The disease turns into a generalized form, it will be quite difficult to save the cat. Kittens need to be vaccinated on time. Adults should be periodically soldered with tablets aimed at eliminating worms. Optimal living conditions and rational nutrition will help protect the animal and give strength to the natural fight against the disease.