Ringworm in Kittens

[NewKittenMom]

Hi Everyone,

You were so helpful to me last time I posted and I'm hoping you can help again. My poor kittens have ringworm. We have them isolated in one room and they have been taking an oral medication (I think it's spelled Grifulvin) and we have been applying a topical spray for a week now. Does anyone have any information about how long they are contagious after starting the medication and spray? I know they have to be on the medication for six weeks, but I can't keep them isolated all that time.

Thanks!

[jazzcat]

I went through that when I adopted my cat Jazz as a kitten from the shelter. She also had a nasty URI but the ringworm took longer to cure. She was in isolation for about 5 weeks from the time she was diagnosed and started the meds. She also took an oral med given to me by a different vet but when my regular vet found out later he was upset. He said that medication was too dangerous to give a kitten because it could cause organ damage. I'm not sure if it's what you are using but it did start with a G and I had to have it made up special at a Medicne Shoppe. As far as we know she suffered no ill effects from it.

I think all her ringworm spots were dried up and she had no new breakouts for a few weeks before I could let her out.

Remember to clean everything well after visiting or medicating the kittens. I even used Clorox wipes to wipe down the door knobs and I kept a bottle of that disinfecting gel in the room. Also, once I let her out I cleaned the room she had been in from top to bottom, threw away the cat toys,washed the cat bed a couple of time in hot water, then kept the door shut a few weeks and cleaned it again before allowing any other pets access to it. I know that sounds over the top but I didn't want to risk going through that again. Better safe than sorry.

[jenluckenbach]

Keep them segregated absolutely NO LESS than 4 weeks. And then only reintroduce them to other parts of the house (people/pets) IF all lesions are gone.

It is highly contagious to EVERYONE! Do it right the first time, or you will be doing it all over again. :(

[smokey the elder]

I had an outbreak 3 years ago. My vet prescribed Program, the same stuff used for fleas, at a high dose. Also he gave me something called Trezaderm to put on the spots. This combination worked very well. Program has the advantage according to vets of being less toxic than Trifulvin. You won't have any flea trouble while the cats are on it.

I took the hygiene precautions and kept it from spreading to the rest of the house.

Ringworm is a pain but requires patience to deal with.