eHow launches Android app: Get the best of eHow on the go.

Fact Sheet

Ringworm Medicine for Cats

Contributor
By Judy Wolfe
eHow Contributing Writer
(0 Ratings)
Ringworm Medicine for Cats
Ringworm Medicine for Cats
This cat has typical ringworm lesions. Caroldermoid/wikimedia.org

Ringworm, or dermatophytosis, is the most common fungus infecting cats. Kittens, older cats and long-haired breeds, says the ASPCA, are most at risk of getting ringworm. If not treated, ringworm can cause severe hair loss and leave a cat vulnerable to secondary bacterial skin infections.

    Types of Medication

  1. Feline ringworm is treatable with topical and oral medications, shampoos and dips. The choice of treatments depends on the seriousness of a cat's infection.
  2. Mild Ringworm

  3. Small ringworm lesions on otherwise healthy short-haired breeds can be treated directly with an antifungal-based topical cream. Common choices are miconazole and thiabendazole creams.
  4. Moderate Infections

  5. Micozanole shampoos and rinses and lime sulfur dips treat more serious ringworm infections. Many vets recommend clipping long-haired cats before treatment to fully expose their lesions.
  6. Severe Infections

  7. Heavy ringworm infestations require both topical and oral medication. Itraconazole capsules are the oral medication of choice, but Gresofulvin is also effective.
  8. Considerations

  9. Continue ringworm medication treatment until your cat's skin cultures test negative for ringworm spores for two consecutive weeks. Don't stop his medication simply because his lesions heal.
Who Can Help
Subscribe

Post a Comment

Post a Comment Post this comment to my Facebook Profile

eHow Article: Ringworm Medicine for Cats

Related Ads

Get Free Pets Newsletters

Copyright © 1999-2009 eHow, Inc. Use of this web site constitutes acceptance of the eHow Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.   en-US Portions of this page are modifications based on work created and shared by Google and used according to terms described in the Creative Commons 3.0 Attribution License.

eHow Pets
eHow_eHow Pets