Ringworms

Have any of your cats ever had ringworm? Mine do. I was wondering how long it takes for it to go away. They are getting bathed regularly and I apply a medicated lotion. (the shampoo is also medicated.)

Thanks.

[aly]

My own cats have never had it, but I have caught it several times from shelter cats! I've also had fosters with it.

It does take a little while for it to disappear. I'd give it a few weeks and then see your vet again if its still there.

[jazzcat]

My poor little Jazz had it when we got her from the shelter. I had to keep her in a room quarantined for almost a month. She also had a URI but the ringworm was what lasted the longest. I had to put some kind of ointment on her and when that didn't improve my vet put her on medication that I had to give her orally once a day for four weeks. I found out later that the medicine has bad side effects and shouldn't have been given to her since she was a kitten.

Make sure you wash your hands good after touching each cat so you don't spread it to another or get it yourself. I kept hand santiizer in the room she was in plus Clorox wipes to open the door. I was also told to vacuum her room daily but I only did it weekly. I also disinfected the room she stayed in from top to bottom once she finally was allowed out in the house.

From things I've read about ringworm and multicat households, I think I was very lucky that no one else caugth it and it only lasted a month. Of course she probably had it for a while in the shelter.

Good luck.

[moosmom]

Ringworm is a contagious skin condition. I have posted a link that gives you all the facts and how to recognize it.

I had a cat, Marina Mar, who had ringworm for 3 months! If you have any other cats, please isolate the one with the ringworm, and also wear rubber gloves when treating it as it is contagious to both other pets and humans!!

http://www.astdhpphe.org/infect/ringworm.html

[sirrahbed]

YIKES! Thanks for the information site Moosmom. We just adopted a shelter cat and they had an outbreak of ringworm there in the kitten room and puppy room. They said there had not been any where our Dylan was but now I worry they could have spread it among rooms. I did notice they were earing rubber gloves and had sanitizer gels. I will keep watch for symptims and do plenty of handwashing myself!

[CatDad]

Thanks for the info Donna. I knew it was bad but OMG!

[smokey the elder]

Two of my New York City fosters had ringworm. I was able to keep it from spreading. My vet prescribed Program off label (there is strong evidence that high dose Program works for ringworm) and Trezaderm for the sores. Both of these have low toxicity (I asked about that since they were kittens at the time.) It took about 6 weeks for it to go away.

It's a royal pain in the tush, but not very dangerous.

[catmandu]

Thank God , Never!