Easy Tips to Identify Feline Ringworm: Simple Technique

What does ringworm look like in cats? How can you determine if a cat has ringworm? What are effective treatments for ringworm?

Although ringworm is indeed quite common in cats, it's important to note that there are various types of skin diseases that cats can suffer from. These include, but are not limited to, folliculitis, bacterial dermatitis, allergic dermatitis, miterelated skin diseases, and autoimmune diseases. The treatment plans and specific medications for these different conditions can vary greatly, making it crucial to be able to distinguish ringworm from other skin issues.

1. Identifying Ringworm Symptoms

Ringworm is a fungal skin disease in cats, characterized by the following symptoms:

• Hair Loss: The fungus attacks the cat's skin and hair, leading to rough and brittle fur that falls out in clumps, forming circular or elliptical patches of alopecia.

• Dandruff: The affected areas may have an abundance of grayish dandruff or greasy scabs.

• Redness: The skin around the patches may appear red, and there may be red spots, scales, or crusts at the edges of the hair loss area.

• Itching: Some cats may experience itching, prompting them to scratch the affected areas frequently.

2. Methods of Inspection

1. Visual Examination: Ringworm can affect various parts of a cat's body, including the ears, tail, limbs, and trunk. If you notice symptoms similar to those described above on your cat, it's important to consider the possibility of ringworm.

Additionally, ringworm spreads quickly, so if not detected early, the cat may have multiple areas of hair loss. Therefore, if your cat shows multiple patches of hair loss, it's highly likely that they have been infected with ringworm.

2. Wood's Lamp Examination: This lamp emits a narrow spectrum of ultraviolet light between 320400nm. If you shine it on the cat's hairless areas or hair roots, a green fluorescence reaction indicates ringworm. The detection principle is that most ringworm is caused by Microsporum canis, a fungus that produces a compound called purine during its reproductive process. This compound emits a fluorescence reaction under narrowspectrum ultraviolet light.

However, it's important to note that ringworm can also be caused by other fungi such as Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Many fungi do not exhibit fluorescence under this light, and certain bacteria, mites, or even certain drug or detergent ingredients can also cause similar fluorescence reactions. Therefore, the Wood's lamp can only be used for preliminary or辅助 diagnosis of ringworm, and its accuracy is not 100%.

3. Laboratory Testing: For the most accurate diagnosis, it's best to take your cat to a veterinary clinic. A veterinarian can diagnose the cause using the following methods:

● Microscopic Examination: Collecting skin scales or hair samples from the affected area and examining them under a microscope for the presence of hyphae.

● Fungal Culture: Placing the skin sample in a culture medium and observing for the presence of fungal spores after a period of time. This is the most accurate method for checking for ringworm.

3. Treatment for Ringworm

Once ringworm is confirmed, it's important to start treatment promptly to prevent the spread of the infection or secondary bacterial infections.

For small areas of ringworm, after cleaning the affected area, you can apply a cream like Daktarin (ketоконазол cream) or Pipette (tincture of terbinafine), twice or three times a day.

For more severe cases, it's recommended to combine oral itraconazole treatment, taken once a day at a dose of 510mg/kg, for one week followed by a oneweek break.

During treatment, it's important to maintain a clean environment. If you have a multicat household, it's advisable to isolate the affected cat to prevent it from coming into contact with other animals or humans.