Ringworm in Household Pets
By Betty Sleep
Someone in your family has a small lesion on their forearm. It’s maybe itchy and a bit scaley. Soon it turns red, and spreads. Then the center appears to be white. Do you have a new pet? Have you been in contact with an animal who is not part of your household? Because it’s entirely possible, that you have contracted Ringworm.
A great many conditions common to household pets, are not transmittable from your cat or dog, to the humans in your household. Unfortunately, Ringworm is not one of them. It is a highly contagious fungal disorder, of which there are some 35 species that affect the usual household pets, including your cats. The most common form is Microsporum Canis, which can account for 75-98% of the cases of Ringworm in catteries, and household environments.
So where did your household acquire this annoying, but curable problem? Cats must be exposed to the dermatophytes from spores in the environment, or animals with active cases. They may have got it outdoors, or it may have come into your home with a new pet. Particularly if that pet came from a densely populated environment such as a cattery.
This is not to say that all catteries have Ringworm. It is simply that dense populations, whether they are shelters, pet homes, or breeders, are at a higher risk factor for experiencing the stresses which can cause an outbreak, and also are an environment in which it is extremely difficult to get rid of the residual spores which can live in that environment for as long as 13 months, and result in reinfection of cats who appear to have been cured.
If your cat has a lesion which you suspect is Ringworm, it requires veterinary attention. Often times, parasitic infections such as cheylietella (also spreadable to humans) is mistaken for Ringworm. The vet will use a “black light” as we know it, to make the white spores/fungus phosphoresce in a dark room. Treatment can then take a variety of forms including systemic(something they ingest) and/or topical medications.
One of the difficulties in eliminating the condition from a home or cattery, is the spores that are shed by “cured” cats, and also by those who are asymptomatic carriers. Particularly when they are shed onto porous surfaces such as carpeting or materials in furniture. Heat and disinfectants will only go so far.
Precautions in handling affected animals, must be taken by children especially, as they appear to be more prone to acquiring the fungus from their pet. Once the visible infection is gone, it may be wise to use a periodic external treatment such as a dip to kill spores lingering on the coat. Another recent discovery, is that a flea hormone based treatment for flea prevention, is proving effective in preventing the development of the Ringworm fungus. The flea hormone, which acts by preventing the egg shell from hardening, also prevents the micropscopic structure of the fungus from forming. This makes it a suitable long term treatment, and is preferable to some of the more potentially harmful systemic drugs.
You may wish at some point after the animal appears to be cured, to test it to see if there are spores lingering on its fur. This may also be a good idea for other animals in the household, although with a multi-pet home, it can be very expensive. The most comprehensive test for asymptomatic carriers, is the Mackenzie Toothbrush test, in which a large sample of fur from all over the body can be gathered by the running of a brand new tooth brush through the coat, then growing a culture from the hairs that are harvested.
Ringworm is not the end of the earth for you or your pet. It is an annoying condition, and one that people who own animals with it, must take responsibility for, so that they do not spread it to unsuspecting homes and pets.
About the Author:
I am an obedience instructor, kennel owner, and ten year breeder/exhibitor of Golden Retriever dogs. Over the years I have experienced the best and worst of pet buying and selling, and responsibility/irresponsibility on the part of both breeders and buyers.
That, combined with my other hobby of breeding Birman cats, which I also show, and have placed in several countries, gives me a fairly comprehensive overview of pet care, ownership, training, feeding, and health issues.
I have worked with animals for 30 years, and been a freelance writer for 25 of those, contributing to the fields of fiction, non fiction, historical research, humour, statistal data, childrens works, in a number of medias including television, radio and the Internet.
Currently, I am a service provider on www.elance.com, having filled assignments in editing a health calendar, a 19 page website, creating an ad campaign, and designing logos/web pages. I am also a contributing author for Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Plunges Into History, release date: Sept.20, 2001.
For the last three years, I have been a contractor/host for Talk City Inc; where I was the forum Manager of Health and Wellness, and a topical conference host on a variety of subjects including pet care.
Writing is a hobby and a passion, and works well with my at home activities, here in Canada...when I get a chance between dog walks and litter scooping :-)
Article courtesy of Suite101.com.
