Ringworm

[sandsarita]

So this is embarrassing, but I adopted a kitten for a barn cat, and it appears she is a ringworm carrier. I first noticed a few spots on my arms - doc said it didn’t look like classic ringworm, but still suspected fungus and I did OTC topicals (Lamisil spray) and mine have improved significantly, almost gone away completely. Couldn’t find any lesions on cat so wasn’t sure where it came from. Then about 2 weeks ago my broodmare had a few raised bumps come up, and I thought it was a fly bite, looked the same. Then last week she lost the hair on a couple, and had a preg check with the equine vet and she said it was either rainrot or ringworm. Told her about me and the new cat - said it was almost guaranteed that the cat was a carrier. Mare is on topical med (is in foal so only wanted to use topical) and hasn’t had any new spots come up, but they haven’t grown hair yet. Called small animal vet and they put cat on grisolven (sp??) pills. Has been on for a week. Yesterday, my dog came in and looked like she had her face scratched up, with sore one on side and one on tope of nose. But additional spots have come up and looking at pics, looks like she has ringworm too. Ugh. Calling vet tomorrow, I washed her in an antifungal shampoo and started on topical (same a horse, says it can be used on either).

Issue is keeping indoor cats from getting it (they are older, inside only, but I am sure that dog brought it into house). Neither has any direct contact with dog as they hate her. (dog plays with barn cat). I removed her bedding from crate and washed it and blankets and rugs downstairs in clorohexidine. Downstairs (where the dog is most of the time) is tile so floors cleaned with diluted bleach along with crate. Issue is how to disinfect the couch she always lays on, and the dog was at a horse show with me, sleeping in living quarter trailer with me. I am in process of washing all linens and pillows, question is how to clean leather couch she laid on and fake wood floors in trailer.

Any thing else you can think of to keep the other cats from getting it, me from getting it again, etc. I am open to ideas. I got this cat about 6 weeks ago, and while she is very sweet, and in this case unfortunately cuddly, she has caused hell. Ugh.

[Justmyluck]

You should do a DTM culture and see what grows. It is the easiest way to figure out exactly what your dealing with. Its super cheap and most vets can do it in house and if they can they can contact a colleague who can.

[hoopoe]

if the kitten is the carrier, you need to use systemic treatment for up to 45 days

the fungal element is in the follicle, not on the surface of the skin. 45 days is considered the turnover for follicle and hair

You are doing the right thing with your cleaning, but research shows that even in tightly controlled facility, it is impossible to eliminate the fungal spores completely. Be reasonable but dont go overboard, Ringworm fungus is ubiquitous

most mature animals ( including us) might break with a few lesions, but their immune systems should keep it under control. Topical treatment usually does the job.

[sandsarita]

My vet told me the basic things you guys did. Carrier cat is on systemic therapy for 2 months (when I can find her to give it, ugh) and horse and dog are on topical tx. Horse is doing great, dog looks horrible. She seems to have gotten the worst of it. If not improving will plan on taking her in to vet on Friday in case it is something else (doubt it, but horse stayed stable and started improving very quickly with same topical dog was on, dog is getting worse so it makes me wonder).

[BUSY]

Jingles you are able to get this under control quickly.
It sounds hideous - I’m sorry you are struggling through this.

[cayuse]

I had ringworm last fall, I “think” I got it from my new mini who had a suspicious itchy spot that cleared up with topical treatment ( it was not DX just treated as skin funk, it was tiny and who knew???) My doctors ( 2) told me it was eczema, I even had a biopsy that showed eczema. Finally after four months they did a scraping and bingo, ringworm. The frustrating thing is it LOOKED like ringworm!!!
I have no advice, but I sure feel your (itchy) pain. Jingles that it will all resolve soon.