Effective Treatment for Cat Alopecia and Seborrhea - Qu

Psoriasis typically presents as grayish scales, and while ringworm is a common cause, it can also stem from bacterial infections, immune disorders, allergies, or malnutrition.

Understanding the Possibility of Ringworm:

Ringworm is a fungal skin condition caused by various fungi, including Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum, and Trichophyton verrucosum. Microsporum canis is the most prevalent, accounting for about 70% of clinical cases.

Contrary to its name, Microsporum canis affects not just dogs but also many other animals, including humans.

Cats with ringworm often exhibit symptoms like hair loss, skin itching, increased dandruff, and scab formation. The hairless areas may develop circular or elliptical ringworm patches with fragile hair that breaks easily. Puppies, cats with weakened immune systems, and longhaired cats are particularly susceptible to ringworm, which can be difficult to detect in longhaired cats.

If your cat's symptoms align with these descriptions, you can use a Wood's lamp to check at home. Most fungi causing ringworm will glow blue, yellowgreen, or orange under the special light of this lamp.

Caution: The accuracy of the Wood's lamp test for ringworm is not 100%, and false positives or negatives can occur. It's best to consult a veterinarian for a skin scraping test for a definitive diagnosis.

How to Treat Ringworm:

If your cat's hair loss and dry skin are confirmed to be due to ringworm, targeted antifungal treatments can be administered based on the severity of the condition.

1. Topical Treatment: For small areas of ringworm, consistent application of local antifungal medications can resolve the issue. Popular choices include Pifafin (terbinafine hydrochloride spray), Dactarin (ketоконазол cream), and clotrimazole cream.

2. Oral Treatment: If topical treatments are ineffective or the infection is widespread, oral antifungal medications may be considered, such as terbinafine tablets or itraconazole capsules. However, these can cause liver damage in cats, so they must be administered according to the prescribed dosage and duration.

● Recommended Dosage

Itraconazole: 510mg/kg, once daily;

Terbinafine: 10mg/kg, once daily.

3. Nutritional Support: Since ringworm often occurs due to weakened immunity, it's important to supplement your cat's diet with vitamins and essential fatty acids. During treatment, you can offer supplements like Adevit (a vitamin B complex solution) and fish oil.

4. Environmental Disinfection: Ringworm can be transmitted to humans and other animals through items a cat has come into contact with. Therefore, it's crucial to disinfect the environment to prevent recurrent infections.

If the hair loss, bald spots, and dry skin are not due to ringworm, treatment should be tailored to the specific cause. It's best not to selfmedicate without a proper diagnosis to avoid delaying proper treatment.