Ringworm Treatment Plan

Your cat has been diagnosed with/is suspected of having ringworm. Ringworm is a fungal disease affecting the skin, hair and nails. Its name can be confusing-it is not a worm at all, but is actually related to the fungal organisms that cause athletes foot. It is contagious to and transmissible between people, cats, dogs, and horses. Diagnosis is made by obtaining a characteristic yellow-green glow under a special ultraviolet light, and/or obtaining a positive growth on a fungal culture. Successful treatment of this disease takes time and commitment on the parts of everyone involved with the infected cat. Rubber gloves should be worn when handling/treating the cat. If you or any family members suspect that you have contracted ringworm, please contact your doctor immediately. Lesions in humans are typically small patches of skin thickening and reddening, usually with raised, scaly edges. Ringworm in humans is much easier to treat than in our pets.

Topical Treatment

Shampoo twice weekly with miconazole___ ketaconazole___ other___ thoroughly wet the cat, apply & lather the shampoo and let stand for 10 minutes. Rinse thoroughly. Rubber gloves should be worn during this process.

Apply Resizole (a medicated conditioner) to the cat while it is still damp twice weekly following the bath.

Apply the following topical medications to the affected areas ___ times daily.
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In the case of long haired cats, shaving them may be necessary. We do/do not recommend shaving at this time. Asymptomatic cats and dogs in the same household should be bathed weekly as they can carry the fungus and reinfect the susceptible cat.

Oral Medications

Program (80mg/kg). Mix ___ ml of program with a small amount of canned hills a/d diet and feed in a bowl or via a syringe. Repeat at 30 days intervals.

Itraconazole (10mg/kg). Give ___ml of itraconazle by mouth once daily for 30 days to start. Treatment may continue for several months. Medication will be called into Wyoming Park Pharmacy or Keystone Pharmacy. They can compound the medication into the right strength and flavor for your cat.

Environmental Cleanup

Ringworm spores can remain contagious in the environment for up to 2 years. Keep all infected cats confined to one easily cleanable room.

Only adult members of the immediate family who are not immunosuppressed in any way should handle the cats. Children are very susceptible to catching ringworm and should not handle infected cats.

The environment in which the cats are living should be vacuumed and bleached daily with a 1:30 solution of chlorox bleach. Dispose of vacuum bags weekly.

Any parts of the house that the cats have been living in should be thoroughly cleaned.

Any toys, scratching posts, etc. that cannot be thoroughly cleaned should be thrown away.

Follow Up Treatment

__________ will need a recheck exam done in 14 days. We will adjust the treatment protocol according to how well he/she is doing.

After being on itraconazole for 30 days we will need to recheck a liver enzyme (ALT) to be sure the medication is not causing any side effects.

Medical treatment will be continued for 14 days past obtaining a negative growth on a fungal culture. Cultures may be retested as soon as 14 days into treatment, or delayed by several more weeks, depending on the response of the patient to treatment.

If you have any questions or concerns about this treatment protocol or what kind of progress your pet is making, please do not hesitate to call!

Dr. Tammy Sadek
Dr. Maria Berger
Dr. Kathleen Cannady
Dr. Joe Simon

Disclosure

I understand that ringworm is highly contagious to animals & people and that even with treatment results cannot be guaranteed for the pet. Human exposure may still occur in the household.

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