Is it ringworm?

Question

We think my dog may have ringworm. What are the symptoms and can it spread to people?

Answer 1

Ringworm is contagious to people and other pets too.

Symptoms are generally circular patches of hair loss, although some animals will get it all over and not in patches.

Sarcoptic mange can also look ringworm and this is also contagious people and other dogs.

You need to have your dog diagnosed by your vet before trying to start treatment.

Make sure you are washing your hands after hanlding the dog. And its not a bad idea to wear something over your cloths that can be taken off and immediately put into the washer.

If it is ringworm you'll want to confine the dog if possible to a tiled room. This will make cleaning easier. Bleach everything possible, Lysol anything not bleachable.

To prevent spore spread have your dog wear a doggie shirt. You'll need two, one being bleached, and one he's wearing.

Do NOT shave him. This will only serve to spread spores everywhere.

Ringworm can be a bugger, but your vet can give you medication to treat it. I'd recommend oral meds from the vet over topical treatments whichour dog may lick off. There is a risk with the oral meds, just like any other meds. If your vet prescribes these you'll need to watch for yellowing of your dogs eyes, if you see that, back to vet right away. While there is a small risk, these meds are very effective.

It can take 6-8 weeks to treat rinworm.

If you develop red itchy patches, cover them with a bandaid to prevent possible spore spread, and see your doctor.

Answer 2

It can spread to people.
Ringworm is a fungus that shows up in almost perfectly round pink circles (coin size) on the body. The hair will fall out at the site. It is just a fungus, so any fungicide (athlete's foot creme) will kill it. Even rubbing alcohol will kill the fungus if it is applied with a cottonball 3-4 times a day.

Answer 3

Ringworm is highly contagious to people.

Sometimes ringworm will fluoresce under a black light bulb.

Take your pet to a veterinarain asap

Answer 4

Yes it can spread to people.
RIngworm is actually a fungul infection, and looks how it sounds.

Normally a red raised circle.
Trip to the vets would be best or you can try canisten cream

Answer 5

Here is a link that will tell you all about ringworm. And yes people can get it from animals.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=2&cat1557&articleid=471

Answer 6

Yes it can spread to people, my roomates cat gave it to me once, their fur will fall out in a circle, with the edges a little raised and red. Its just a fungus though, you can treat it with athletes foot cream applied 3 times a day.

Answer 7

my cat has ringworm and its not always perfectly round.... at least on her... its like a scabby spot and in the beginning its red but during treatment it just gets scabby......

be VERY careful! it spreads to you and to other pets as well as the fungus can survive in your carpet....

go to your vet!

Answer 8

Ringworm

Ringworm is a contagious fungus infection that can affect the scalp, the body, the feet (athlete's foot), or the nails.

People can get Ringworm from: 1) direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or pet, 2) indirect contact with an object or surface that an infected person or pet has touched, or 3) rarely, by contact with soil.
Ringworm can be treated with fungus-killing medicine.
To prevent Ringworm, 1) make sure all infected persons and pets get appropriate treatment, 2) avoid contact with infected persons and pets, 3) do not share personal items, and 4) keep common-use areas clean.


What is Ringworm?

Ringworm is a contagious fungus infection that can affect the scalp, the body (particularly the groin), the feet, and the nails. Despite its name, it has nothing to do with worms. The name comes from the characteristic red ring that can appear on an infected person's skin. Ringworm is also called Tinea.



What is the infectious agent that causes Ringworm?

Ringworm is caused by several different fungus organisms that all belong to a group called "Dermatophytes." Different Dermatophytes affect different parts of the body and cause the various types of Ringworm:

Ringworm of the scalp
Ringworm of the body
Ringworm of the foot (athlete's foot)
Ringworm of the nails


Where is Ringworm found?

Ringworm is widespread around the world and in the United States. The fungus that causes scalp Ringworm lives in humans and animals. The fungus that causes Ringworm of the body lives in humans, animals, and soil. The fungi that cause Ringworm of the foot and Ringworm of the nails live only in humans.



How do people get Ringworm?

Ringworm is spread by either direct or indirect contact. People can get Ringworm by direct skin-to-skin contact with an infected person or pet. People can also get Ringworm indirectly by contact with objects or surfaces that an infected person or pet has touched, such as hats, combs, brushes, bed linens, stuffed animals, telephones, gym mats, and shower stalls. In rare cases Ringworm can be spread by contact with soil.



What are the signs and symptoms of Ringworm?

Ringworm of the scalp usually begins as a small pimple that becomes larger, leaving scaly patches of temporary baldness. Infected hairs become brittle and break off easily. Yellowish crusty areas sometimes develop.

Ringworm of the body shows up as a flat, round patch anywhere on the skin except for the scalp and feet. The groin is a common area of infection (groin Ringworm). As the rash gradually expands, its center clears to produce a ring. More than one patch might appear, and the patches can overlap. The area is sometimes itchy.

Ringworm of the foot is also called athlete's foot. It appears as a scaling or cracking of the skin, especially between the toes.

Ringworm of the nails causes the affected nails to become thicker, discolored, and brittle, or to become chalky and disintegrate.



How soon after exposure do symptoms appear?

Scalp Ringworm usually appears 10 to 14 days after contact, and Ringworm of the skin 4 to 10 days after contact. The time between exposure and symptoms isnot known for the other types of Ringworm.



How is Ringworm diagnosed?

A health-care provider can diagnose Ringworm by examining the site of infection with special tests.



Who is at risk for Ringworm?

Anyone can get Ringworm. Scalp Ringworm often strikes young children; outbreaks have been recognized in schools, day-care centers, and infant nurseries. School athletes are at risk for scalp Ringworm, Ringworm of the body, and foot Ringworm; there have been outbreaks among high school wrestling teams. Children with young pets are at increased risk for Ringworm of the body.



What is the treatment for Ringworm?

Ringworm can be treated with fungus-killing medicine. The medicine can be in taken in tablet or liquid form by mouth or as a cream applied directly to the affected area.



What complications can result from Ringworm?

Lack of or inadequate treatment can result in an infection that will not clear up.



Is Ringworm an emerging infection?

Although Ringworm is not tracked by health authorities, infections appear to be increasing steadily, especially among pre-school and school-age children. Early recognition and treatment are needed to slow the spread of infection and to prevent re-infection.



How can Ringworm be prevented?

Ringworm is difficult to prevent. The fungus is very common, and it is contagious even before symptoms appear.

Steps to prevent infection include the following:

Educate the public, especially parents, about the risk of Ringworm from infected persons and pets.
Keep common-use areas clean, especially in schools, day-care centers, gyms, and locker rooms. Disinfect sleeping mats and gym mats after each use.
Do not share clothing, towels, hair brushes, or other personal items.


Infected persons should follow these steps to keep the infection from spreading:

Complete treatment as instructed, even after symptoms disappear.
Do not share towels, hats, clothing, or other personal items with others.
Minimize close contact with others until treated.
Make sure the person or animal that was the source of infection gets treated.


This fact sheet is for information only and is not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a health-care provider. If you have any questions about the disease described above or think that you might have a fungus infection, consult a health-care provider.