5-Step Guide to Permanently Eradicate Cat Ringworm!
My cat, Molly, has a peculiar fondness for exploring the bathroom sink under our balcony. Unfortunately, she's had at least five episodes of ringworm in the past two years! Dealing with ringworm in the past meant frequent visits to the vet, each costing several hundred dollars, followed by a lengthy period of selfadministered medication. Now, with some experience under my belt, I feel like I've become quite the expert in treating ringworm, even more so than the folks at the pet store.
How to Diagnose Ringworm in Cats:
1. Observe the Symptoms: Ringworm in cats often presents with itchy skin, hair loss, and broken hair. You might notice clear, circular or elliptical patches with dandruff and crusts.
2. Wood's Light Examination: In a dimly lit area, use a Wood's light to inspect the areas of hair loss on your cat's skin. You should see a distinct fluorescence in a green color. Note that this is on the skin, not the fur.
How to Treat Ringworm in Cats:
For small areas of ringworm, you can typically resolve the issue in just five steps, with a full recovery in about six days!
① Fit your cat with an Elizabethan collar to prevent it from licking its fur.
② Trim the fur around the affected area by 23 cm, then disinfect the area with iodine. If there are scales or crusts, use saline solution to soften them, remove them, and then apply iodine. Scales and crusts can block the medication, affecting the treatment's effectiveness.
③ After disinfection, spray a little Piptop Skin Spray, followed by a layer of Dasatin (a ketoconazole cream), using a cotton swab. Be sure not to apply it with your hands, as ringworm can be transmitted to humans!
④ Feed your cat one vitamin B tablet daily to boost its immune system. If your cat refuses to take pills, you can purchase Apovit (a vitamin B complex solution), and simply add it to its food or treats for convenience.
⑤ Ensure environmental hygiene by mopping the floor with hypochlorous acid disinfectant and washing or sunbathing the cat's bed. If it can't be washed, consider discarding it or spraying it with alcohol and sunbathing it for several days before using it again, to prevent reinfection from fungi in the environment.
Important Notes:
✘ Choose an Elizabethan collar made of PVC, not cotton, despite cotton being more comfortable. Cats can easily escape from cotton collars. Ringworm can spread rapidly, and a cat can lose a significant amount of fur in just a few licks.
✘ For small areas of ringworm, avoid bathing your cat, as they generally dislike baths. Struggling during a bath can lead to incomplete cleaning, and if not dried properly, it can worsen the ringworm. From personal experience, bathing is not very effective and is generally used as a supplementary treatment.
✘ Crusts do not equal healing. Wait for the fur to grow back, and you can also use a Wood's light to check for fluorescence. If there is no fluorescence, it indicates that there are no fungi present.
By following these steps, small areas of ringworm can usually be cured quickly and effectively. In your daily routine, make sure to let your cat enjoy plenty of sunlight, which can also disinfect and kill bacteria, enhancing your cat's immunity!
