As we see an increase of pets with ringworm, we’ve decided to create a blog post to educate you on what symptoms to look for, how we diagnose ringworm, and how it’s treated. If you notice symptoms, please contact us immediately as it can be spread from pets to humans and to other pets in your household.
Contrary to belief, ringworm (dermatophytosis) is not actually caused by an actual worm, but a fungus. This disease occurs in cats, dogs, and other mammals, and can be spread between pets and from pets to humans! Today, we’ll tell you what to look for when diagnosing ringworm, how to handle the situation, and what treatment options would be best for your pet.
Pets most often develop ringworm after infections are caused from the fungi Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum, and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. This can occur if your pet is dealing with an illness or on a medication that decreases your pet’s immune functions and leaves them more susceptible to infections of the skin, hair, and nails.
Ringworm Symptoms To Look For
In some pets, there will be no physical signs of ringworm present. In most cases, you should be looking for dandruff, red or flaky skin that is raised, itchiness, hot spots, or hair loss. You may also notice redness or sores around the paws or nails. In most cases, the problem will be in one centralized location but if this disease is untreated is can spread to a larger area of your pet’s body.
What To Do If You Notice Symptoms
If you notice the symptoms of ringworm in your pet, please contact us immediately. This disease is contagious and can spread to other pets, humans, and a larger area of your pet’s body is not properly treated in a timely manner. We diagnose ringworm with a few different methods that depends on your pet’s condition. These methods include: skin clippings, microscopic examination of sample hair, and possibly a biopsy. If you notice some symptoms but nothing physically present on your pet, we may look at the suspected infected area under an ultraviolet light to diagnose.
Treatment of Ringworm
Depending on the severity of your pet’s infection, treatment can range from the use of medicated ointments and shampoos to oral medication, if necessary. It’s important to keep pets that do have ringworm quarantined from other pets in the household on common areas to avoid spreading to family other members.
Preventing The Spread Of Ringworm
Now that your pet had diagnosed, treated, and is back home – it’s time to disinfect! If you did receive special shampoo to fight ringworm, be sure to bathe all household pets with it to kill any of the infection that may have spread. Wash all pet bedding, toys, clothing, and anything they come into contact with often. Be sure to vacuum the house thoroughly as well to get rid of any infected hairs.
The Brodheadsville Veterinary Clinic team is here to help! If you recognize symptoms of ringworm or suspect that your pet is suffering, please contact us immediately to schedule an appointment.