Pet Ringworm Causes, Treatments | Diagnose Ringworm Infection in Pets

Pet ringworm, as the name suggests, might cause most people to believe that it is caused due to worms. However, it is the result of a fungus. Ringworm is a common disease which is not restricted to human beings but even animals. It is most often seen in cats but also frequently seen in rabbits, dogs, chinchillas and hedgehogs. In fact all mammals are susceptible to it. In humans, it generally results in the reddening and inflammation of the affected area and is in the form of a ring. In case of pets, it may not always be the same. In fact some pets may be silent carriers of the disease without showing any symptoms and spreading it to others. Pet ringworm is caused as a result of 3 fungi. They are:

• Microsporum canis


• Microsporum gypseum


• Trichophyton mentagrophytes

Almost all the cases of ringworm in cats and dogs are caused by the fungus microsporum canis. Ringworm causes severe itching and can also result in the pet losing tremendous amount of hair. Pet ringworm results in baldness in patches especially on the paws, ears or the back. It may also be seen on your dog’s face and tail. Normally the symptoms are circular patches of broken hair in the form of circles which grow darker than normal hair. There is a high possibility that people interacting with the infected pets might get infected too. Hence, proper precautions and treatment is a must.

The easiest way to diagnose ringworm is through the Woods lamp also known as ultraviolet lamps. In this case, almost 50% of the microsporum canis species will become fluorescent under the light of the Woods lamp. Children are more prone to get infected with ringworm hence to prevent it from spreading it is advised that you trim your pets’ hair, especially around the bald spots. Also, it is essential to wear gloves while treating them or playing with them. The vacuum cleaner bag also needs to be changed every time after it is used. A regular visit to the veteran is a must where you can get more tips on pet health care. It is also important to keep yourself updated with the various pet health information and pet health issues. It is recommended that every time you get a new pet you take them to the vet in order to check if they are infected with ringworm.

Ringworm | Skin Yeast Infection

October 19, 2011

Posted by admin under Ringworm

Ringworm is a very common infection that is found amongst children and ringworm in itself has a very distinctive look; therefore, if you believe that you may have ringworm; it is not very hard to decipher it from something else. You will also be happy to know that ringworm treatments can be easily found over the counter in almost every pharmacy; however, if you realise that the treatment that you have been using has not helped to cure the infection, it is advised that you visit your doctor for prescription drugs that will do the job for you for

Ringworm

If you suspect that you may have ringworm, you need to keep in mind that they are very contagious and your friends, families, dogs, and cats can get it as well. Looking a little into what exactly is ringworm, the very first thing that you should keep in mind is that it has nothing to do with worms. It is an infection that appears on any area of the body such as: the groin, the scalp, skin, beard, and even your feet for

Ringworm

Ringworm is called tinea by the medical professions and they often use various different terms to refer to ringworm base on the area of the body that it is located such as tinea pedis, which means ringworm that is found on the feet, also referred to as athletes’ foot. If you think that you have ringworm, it is advised that you stay out of conditions where the infection can grow such as gyms because ringworm is known to live mostly in the warmth and moisture of places such as your local gym. Ringworm can also be easily caught in areas that are crowded and as was mentioned before, children are more at risk of catching this infection due to the areas that they tend to play and because they are always playing with their pets that are known to have this infection as well.

Ringworm gets its name from the ring that forms around the fungus that comes up as a reddish, itchy, and flaky spot on the skin. You will realise that ringworm will be drawn more to the folds of your skin because they are warm and very moist and this is what ringworms need to breed and grow. Therefore, it is crucial that you keep in between the toes, behind the ears, and your groin area dry to avoid ringworm from breeding and spreading.

In order for you to treat ringworm, no matter the area on the body that they appear, you will need to use some form of topical anti-fungal treatment that will kill the fungus. Know as much as possible about Ringworm