What is Ringworm and How Do You Get Rid of These Pests?
here’s what Dr Jones has to say, excerpted in part:
“It is difficult to treat, and of BIG concern to me are the toxicity
of the treatments…..
You need to be aware of the potential toxicity of “traditional”
medication and be aware of the alternatives.
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What is it?
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Ringworm is a contagious fungal infection of the skin, caused by
Microsporum canis.
It is not caused by a worm.
It is spread from person to person, from animal to person, or
indirectly from contaminated objects.
Ringworm infects three sites: scalp, body and nails.
Ringworm is typically seen in young dogs…..
Diseases or medications that suppress the immune system generally
make your pet more susceptible to ringworm.
Typical lesions are circular areas of hair loss (alopecia) on the
hair coat; however, any change in the hair coat and/or skin may be
consistent with ringworm.
The affected skin often appears scaly and inflamed.
Some pets suffer from severe skin disease while others have minor
lesions, or even none at all.
What to Watch For
Circular areas of hair loss (alopecia)
Scaly and inflamed skin
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Diagnosis
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Ringworm often looks similar to other skin diseases, so it is
difficult to diagnose based on skin appearance alone. Your
veterinarian will run diagnostic tests to confirm the presence of
the fungus. Some of these test may include:
Laboratory tests to include a complete blood count, biochemical
profile, and urinalysis if immune suppression is a suspected
underlying cause of the ringworm
A fungal culture to provide positive identification
Woods lamp examination. If the area fluoresces under the light,
ringworm is suspected. However, culture is still strongly
recommended. A negative fluorescence does not rule out ringworm, as
several species of the ringworm do not fluoresce.
Microscopic examination of hairs
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Treatment
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The treatment for ringworm can be both frustrating and expensive,
especially in a multi-pet household.
Treating both your pet and the environment are of equal importance.
Many pets will resolve an infection spontaneously over several
months, but treatment generally expedites cure and helps reduce
environmental contamination.
Nevertheless, some infections can persist.
TOPICAL ANTISEPTIC SCRUBS. Hibitane (chlorhexadine) is a very
effective topical antiseptic useful in cleaning the affected area.
Purchase it at any pharmacy. Wash the area twice daily.
NEEM. This is a herb called Azadirachta indica, with antifungal and
antiseptic qualities. The tincture of the herb can be applied
topically twice daily to speed up healing.
CALENDULA and ALOE VERA. These two herbs are both effective at
giving symptomatic relief to inflamed skin. Either the tincture or
a cream can be applied twice daily.
VINEGAR. Although it smells bad, it is an effective antifungal
treatment. Wipe the affected area twice daily.”
end Dr. Andrew Jones DVM
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I would keep a copy of these tips handy just in case so that if your
pal does come down with a case of ringworm you will have some options to
get him back to normal. By all means, if he is not responsive to these
treatment tips there may be something else going on so see your vet ASAP.
P.S. Learn how to take care of your dog at home and save money on
veterinary visits..
Get a free DVD covering dog health secrets at http://tinyurl.com/6z3ctbp
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