Oh no..... ringworm!!!!

[sirrahbed]

I did a search and found this thread from Lut - I see that I posted to it....now it is MY turn

Several weeks ago, I took Emily to the vet because of some hairloss patches on her belly. The vet said he was pretty sure they were from excessive grooming, but did the usual diagnostics "just to be safe". So I thought we were ok and I have been trying to keep her happier and watching the other cats who may be stressing her.....last night my vet called to tell me that Emily's fur culture came back POSITIVE for RINGWORM

So, I am off to the pharmacy to get her medicine and to the vet for the special shampoo. I don't think he wants me to shampoo all the cats but just to watch them. I have read that all cats should be treated. Anyway - Emily's spots do not look like anything I read about and even the vet was pretty sure they were not ringworm. So it is rather hard to really monitor the progress. Her spots are simply areas where the hair is very short - no redness, scabbing or anything.

I think she will be pretty easy to bathe because she is docile but I know it will stress her.
The medicine will need to be given after a fatty meal. The fungus medicine needs fat in order to be absorbed properly. (Griseofulvin I think it is) I read that canned food is what is recommended but with the food recalls _ I worry about even buying anything wet. I am thinking that I will offer her some cream or put some fish oil over her dry food. I am not sure if she would lick butter.

OK, I will welcome any suggestions and maybe get some pictures of my Emily as we go through this ringworm thing....Oh I hope nobody else gets it and that we can get it cured!!!

edit: just back from the pharmacy and vet and am pretty frustrated. First off...sticker shock at the Kroger pharmacy as the bottle with 300cc of Griseofulvin cost $109

I am frustrated with the vets also because I am still unclear about what I am supposed to be doing. They sold me a bottle of the shampoo ($12 - not bad) but the instructions on the bottle say "bathe every 3 days". Fine - for how long? I ask and the tech goes blank and leaves to ask someone else and returns to tell me use the shampoo as long as she is on the medication and to return for a recheck in a month......so off I go to get the medication at the pharmacy and in addition to the sticker shock, the directions say "1 teaspoon twice daily". OK, for how long????

another call to the vet where they tell me use the whole bottle. 300cc will last a month, so I medicate and bathe for a month? TEN baths? yes

OK, now I start reading on the internet and see several articles that say some shampoos need to be left on the coat for a few minutes, so check the bottle: ok, there is a label over the directions and nobody said to leave it on so I call AGAIN...oh yes, the tech tells me it is a good idea to leave it on for ten minutes - oh and what shampoo do you have?? ARGH - I have what you sold me and I can't even read the label so I scrape and scrape until I read part of the directions which DO say leave it on for 5 minutes. I never would have known this if I had not seen it on the internet.

I have yet another phone call into the vet's office - asking that the DOCTOR call me. I am not real good about complaining, but this seems like pretty fragmented care to me. I like my vet and he always seems very careful and thorough. I sure hope he cares to know that I don't feel his staff is being very careful in my opinion.

I am supposed to be watching the other cats of course. What Emily had looked like broken fur and was barely noticeable. I have never seen ringworm before and what she has looks nothing like any picture I can find. The other cats are ALL starting to look like they have thin places - I look closer and no, nothing there...oh I hope nobody else gets it. I read that WE can get it too - also the grandbabies - not really sure what to watch for on us either.

Well I am off to warm the bathroom for Emily's first bath. Guess I will give her the first dose of medicine, too. I hope I can get most of the medication down her - a whole teaspoon is alot of liquid. Poor baby. I hope the bath itself goes well. I sure don't look forward to leaving shampoo on her for so long....no way I can get her to sit still.