Red霉素 Ointment for Cat Ringworm: Fact or Myth?

Can erythromycin ointment be used to treat ringworm in cats? If someone tells you that erythromycin is incredibly effective for treating ringworm in cats, you should take that with a grain of salt! This statement might only be true in two scenarios: 1. It's a misleading statement intended to mislead; 2. The cat's condition is not actually ringworm but a bacterial skin disease.

What are the benefits and indications of erythromycin ointment?

Erythromycin ointment is a macrolide antibiotic that primarily targets Grampositive cocci on the skin surface, and it also has some effect on certain Gramnegative bacteria. It is commonly used in clinical settings to treat bacterial skin infections, such as boils and folliculitis, and may also be used for secondary bacterial infections in other skin conditions.

What is ringworm in cats?

Ringworm in cats is a skin disease caused by fungal infection, primarily by Microsporum canis, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and Trichophyton verrucosum. The most common, accounting for about 70% of cases, is Microsporum canis infection, followed by Trichophyton verrucosum.

● Microsporum canis infection often affects the face, trunk, limbs, and tail, causing itching, dandruff, and hair loss. It results in circular or elliptical ring spots covered with gray scales, with the hair in these spots falling out or breaking off in clumps.

● Trichophyton verrucosum infection can lead to acute dermatitis, severe itching, and skin damage, sometimes resulting in extensive skin lesions. It is also prone to secondary bacterial infections, which can cause localized abscesses. Chronic cases can last for several months or even years.

In summary, the bacteria that erythromycin ointment targets do not include the causative agents of ringworm.

Therefore, erythromycin ointment cannot treat ringworm.

What medications are effective for treating ringworm in cats?

Ringworm in cats is typically treated with antifungal medications, such as Daktarin (ketоконазол ointment), Pipette (terbinafine hydrochloride spray), or clotrimazole ointment. In severe cases, oral itraconazole may be necessary. However, itraconazole can cause liver damage, so it should not be taken longterm and should be used with caution in kittens!

In addition, treating ringworm often requires cleaning and disinfecting the pet's living environment to prevent the spread of fungal spores. In multicat households, the infected cat should be isolated to prevent crossinfection.

Lastly, ringworm is a zoonotic skin disease that can be transmitted to humans. Therefore, pet owners should wash their hands and disinfect after coming into contact with a cat infected with ringworm.

If you suspect your cat has ringworm, you can first use a Wood's lamp to examine the cat's lesions in a dimly lit area. If the skin at the lesion site shows fluorescence, it is likely ringworm.

If the Wood's lamp does not show fluorescence, you should visit a veterinary hospital for a skin scrape or hair pluck test to determine the specific type of bacteria, and then use targeted medication accordingly.