I have a 5 week old kitten with SEVERE case of ring worm needs treatment ASAP!?

Question

I have a five week old kitten who was rescued from a very young boy who was going to keep her in his care. We commandeered the kitten. So now we have her and she has ringworm from her little nose to her little toes. Her belly hair has fallen out and she has bald spots on her back and sides. I am not posting this to get people to react in a sick way and tell me to put her to sleep etc, I am however posting this to ask those of you who are sane and have a good mind and heart about you to aid me in this journey to cure this little beauty of her ails. I have taken her to the vet and they have given her lime sulphur dip, medication shampoo, and glucofluvin(spelling). They did not however provide any answers as to how often I can bathe and how long to leave the shampoo on etc. I went to look up these products and most are toxic to kittens that young. I'm not asking for ideas from people I am asking for your experience and facts only please. All good people are welcome to answer. Tiahui !

Answer 1

Well, no more sulpher and greisofulvin- both are toxic and oral treatments for ringworm are really harsh- my vet just helped me get a persian kitten healthy and forbid both things.

She had me using Conofite, which smells as though it may have a bit of a sting to it, but it worked.

I used it in conjunction with Lotrimin AF, you can use anti-fungals as long as they contain miconazole, clotrimazole,
or thiabendazole as active ingredient. You can get them at rite-aid or anyplace in the foot care section.

Also a huge help was bathing the kitten every other day with a clorahexidine shampoo- which all vets sell. I blo-dryed my kitten, as damp warm wet breeds ringworm.

If the kitten is long haired, shave beyond the edges of the ringworm. Ringworm spreads from the edges out, so always treat the margin around the patch as well.

The above antifungals won't hurt the kit if licked.

If the ringworm has gotten infected anywhere, neosporin triple antibiotic ointment is the best- I always have it on hand.
The ointment stays on better than the cream.

Don't give up- I swear I thought the kit I had would never get better- she had all kinds of things from having compromised immunity.

Wash your hands, and it's not like a little ringworm'll hurt you.

I've dealt with it many times, and the only time I ever got it was one little spot on my jawline, this last time.

I didn't leave the shampoo on very long- nobody likes a bath- but I did work it in very well, into the paw pads, and massaged the tail, legs, little body.

Also- don't read too much about all the horrors of ringworm on the internet, where it says it'll never go away once it's in your house, etc. It's so depressing & makes you feel like you have to deep clean and all that but you don't.
I've treated cats & never seen it again- the secret is to keep the cat's immune system healthy. Good diet, vaccines, you know.

I have six cats and none of them got it except the kitten that played with the new kitten all the time.

Good Luck! It'll be okay- it just takes awhile.

Answer 2

I got the best advice from a ferret list (ferrets are so high contact they get it all over too!). This is safe for ferrets, and also for kittens, it's the same ingredient as the cream the vets sell you for $20 a tube.

Generic name is Miconazole, the brand name is Monistat 3. it's a 4% solution of miconazole, which will clear up ringworm on a cat in one month (the point where the fur is growing in by 1/4" or more), and on a human in 2 months. Our cat Fred got ringworm last summer, conveniently gave ME a spot of it on my leg, and we both were using this (I'd also checked with the pharmacist, he said it was the only thing that worked strong enough on humans). If it was just him, we could have only used one tube, but with me being treated too, we took a tube and a half before it was all gone on us. At $8 a tube, it was a better deal than the vet's prices.

Ringworm is a fungus under the surface of the skin. Three applications of cream a day are needed (the cat can lick it, it won't be toxic). Rub in enough to cover but not coat up in a crust. New fur will grow in within 2 weeks, as the fungus starts dying. DON'T scrub at the spots, that spreads the fungus. I didn't know that at first and enlarged Fred's bare spot the first week. Dab carefully and work it into the outer edge of the hair line. It doesn't bother the cat, and mine sat still for every application which was good since he's normally a pain to medicate.

We didn't have it spread to any of our other cats, but be cautious because ringworm CAN be very contatious.

Answer 3

Well, that makes two of us, except my kitten is about 8 weeks old! He is a rescue kitten and is also malnourished so that really cuts down on what I can do for now.

Having been thru ringworm several times before none of this is new to me. I am susrprised that your vet gave you Fulvicin (Grisolfulcvin). It is a toxic drug and, in my opinion, is not safe for such a small kitten. Usually blood tests have to be done to monitor liver function while the cat is on Fulvicin. Sporonox or Ketaconizole (sp?) is safer.

Lym Sulfur is very safe and is a dip that is done every 5-7days. It is mixed 4 ozs to one gallon of water. Since you have a kitten, mix up the solution in a gallon bucket or pitcher. Gently dip the kitten into the solution and hold her there for 2-3 minutes, or as long as possible. Make sure the water is warm, not hot or cold. Blot the kitten dry with a towel. Keep her wrapped until she is dry. Immediately get the towel into the washer and bleach it.

Keep your kitten away from all other pets. Do not handle her much. Clean all hard, non-porous surfaces with a 1:10 bleach solution. Bleach is the only product that kills ringworm. Do not use it on your kitten! Bleach does not work well on organic substances...meaning that it will not kill rw on a living being like your self or a kitten. Keep her living quarters cleaned with the bleach solution.

I have never used the Malisab (sp) shampoo but I do know that Lym Sulfur is safe for kittens. My gf is a breeder of Himmies and she uses it on her small kittens with no ill effects. You can buy the lym sulfur so you are not paying your vet to treat every 5 days. Go to Revival pet supplies on line and go to their ringworm section. Get the smaller bottle as the large one is very pricey and you won't need that much.

Good luck. If you get it on your skin use Tinactin for jock itch (yes, jock itch is a form of ringworm!). It will clear it in about 10 days.

Your kitten will get better.

All the best!

Answer 4

Ringworm can be transmitted between cats and people. Persons should wear gloves when handling affected animals and wash hands well afterwards.

Because the ringworm fungus can survive for such long periods in the environment, it is critical that an effective cleaning plan be used in all infections. The spores are very resistant to most cleaners, however, bleach diluted to 1:10 with water or chlorhexidine will kill most of the organisms. All grooming tools, bedding, and kennels should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Carpets should be steam cleaned and disinfected. Heating and cooling ducts and furnaces should be professionally vacuumed and filters replaced. Housing units that contain wood or rusty metal should be re-painted.

The lesions can then be treated topically twice a day with a topical antifungal medication. Popular topical treatments include miconazole cream, Lotrimin cream, or 1% chlorhexidine ointment. Because of the risk of a cat becoming an asymptomatic carrier, a cat should also be shampooed or dipped with an antifungal product. A 0.5% chlorhexidine shampoo, 2% miconazole shampoo, ketoconazole shampoo, lime sulfur dip, or a 2% chlorhexidine solution that is applied every 2 to 4 days have been used effectively, however, the lime sulfur dip is the most highly recommended. Topical treatment must be continued for 6-10 weeks, or for at least 2 weeks after the lesions have resolved.

Answer 5

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RE:
I have a 5 week old kitten with SEVERE case of ring worm needs treatment ASAP!?
I have a five week old kitten who was rescued from a very young boy who was going to keep her in his care. We commandeered the kitten. So now we have her and she has ringworm from her little nose to her little toes. Her belly hair has fallen out and she has bald spots on her back and sides. I am...

Answer 6

I worked at a cat shelter for over 3 years and saw ringworm on a daily basis! Don't freak out and don't listen to people who are freaked out. Yes, it is contagious, but if you are careful and keep her in a contained area will only items and objects that you can bleached down then you should be okay. Ringworm just takes time to heel, hang in there!!! Technically you can bath your kitten everyday and I would ask your vet for conifite spray to put on the ringworm spots everyday and also, get lyme dip to take home. It stinks so bad but it will eventually work.

Answer 7

Severe Ringworm

Answer 8

Call your vet and ask your questions. That's what they are there for :) . You can also ask a groomer. I used to work for one and she knew an amazing amount. But your best bet is to call the vet....he should have told you to begin with! Shame on him! Also, like the one person said, it is highly contagious so be careful and practice extreme hygiene until this is over. Also if you have other pets, keep them away from kitty, or you will end up with a house full and high vet bills. Hope kitty gets better quick! Good luck and best wishes!

Answer 9

Fast Ringworm Cure?

Answer 10

Miconazole Shampoo