# Ringworm question



## SnowyOwl (Jul 21, 2015)

I am not entirely familiar with this disease, but what I believed was just a dry spot on my arm (I have dry skin) now appears more like some of the images of ringworm I see online.
I have heard that you can get it from your cat but can you also give it to your cat? I have to wait until the morning to go see if there's a spot at the health clinic for me to be seen to confirm if this is ringworm, but I am concerned.
Belle has a bare patch of skin on her throat and I hope this isn't from me ignoring that small bit of what I believed was just dry skin.


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## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

Hi, ugh hate ringworm, we had a bout of it just a few months after Kiki arrived. Yes, humans can give to cats and vice versa. A lot of cats carry it but don't show symptoms I believe. The bald patch could be ringworm although normally it red ringed and scabby. The treatment for you both is pretty straight forward. Now, if it is, you have a choice of doing like we did first time and going crazy with the cleaning from top to bottom washing down every surface throwing stuff out washing every thing that's possible as the spores hang around and using a quarantine room if Belle has it. Or as others have done and treating it on you and Belle and just washing bedding and toys. It's worth seeing the vet as then they can diagnose if it is ringworm under a black light so you can start treatment if needed. Good luck, hope it clears up soon


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

Yes, ringworm is infectious and you can spread it to a cat or dog or person.


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## catloverami (Jul 5, 2010)

I'm currently dealing with it too. My new kitty developed a ringworm lesion on his back two week after I bought him. That was just over a month ago, and I'm still doing a lot of cleaning with an antifungal antivirus hospital-grade cleaner, _Simple Green d Pro 3_, to mop floors and clean surface areas, as well as put on an antifungal clotrimazole cream (Clotrimaderm) twice a day. A couple of smaller spots popped up but the first spot is cleared, but a spot appeared on my other cat and also two spots on myself. It takes a lot of diligence to get rid of this fungal infection (related to Athlete's Foot and Jock Itch). The spores from the fungus are light and airborne, and can remain in an environment or on something for a year and then re-infect with the right warmth and humidity. Have vet appt. Mon. to check progress to see if an oral medication will be necessary. First time for me in 18 yrs. of breeding and 30+ yrs. of cat ownership, but I remember hearing horror stories of breeders who got ringworm in their cattery. Yep, ringworm's a nasty!


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I, my friend am now a ring worm expert! I took in 5 foster kittens over the past 6 weeks with ring worm and am taking in 2 more today. Ugh. I feel for you!

For the cat - get some sulfer lime dip from a pet store or vet or on line. Shampoo the cat (baby shampoo is fine) to get all the natural oils off the fur and then immediately dip them in the lime sulfer dip mixed with warm water. Be sure to pay extra attention to the extremities like ears, toes - between toes and tail areas. Ringworm likes cooler parts of the body. Use as directed and just submerge them in it. Use a sponge to get their entire body wet with the dip solution then just let them air dry. DO NOT towel dry. DO NOT blow dry - just let them gently air dry in a warm room. It will take hours. Dipping can be one once a week. They will look orange when they come out of the water but it dries clear. It's important to dip because the spores get all over their fur.

For you, get some ring worm fungal cream (or dab the lime sulfer solution on your spot(s).

Between dipping, I use the fungal cream (any antifungal cream will work but they make and prescribe stuff specifically for ringworm). Any pharmacy carries it and even Dollar Tree carries anti fungal cream. Just dab the anti fungal cream on the spots twice a day. 

Good luck. I used to get the heebee jeebees from this but i've been dealing with it so long it does not bother me anymore.


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## Arianwen (Jun 3, 2012)

Here the biggest problem with ringworm is with cattle (and after a lifetime I still hate it) _but it can spread cross species very easily. Hope you get it sorted - Marcia gives good advice.


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## SnowyOwl (Jul 21, 2015)

This is what the patch looks like, it doesn't seem to be ringworm at all. She is already going into the vet on Tuesday to remove stitches and the eCollar hopefully can come off. I thought in the beginning the eCollar was causing it but there are three straps for the eCollar and this is just one spot.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I had a kitten with this same thing and I used some Lotrimin which is for ringworm but was not convinced it WAS ringworm. It eventually cleared up. Did you check for fleas? Could be an allergic reaction to fleas. Have you TRIED removing the collar completely to see if it clears up? If nothing else it could be sore from the collar touching it.


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## SnowyOwl (Jul 21, 2015)

I have to keep the collar on for just one more day. Her stitches come out tomorrow and the vet says the collar stays on until then. I take it off when I can watch her to give her relief but when she persists in trying to lick around the stitches I put it back on.


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

I guess I didn't think you meant eCollar - even thought you SAID that! You could have sprayed some DermaPlast on the site and that would have kept her from licking. Now that the collar is off today, get some RW over the counter meds and treat the spot.


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