Ringworm...success Stories?

[Aemberger]

Ok. Let me start by saying I’ve been reading all about all kinds of cat topics on this site for the last few years. I appreciate everyone here for the advice they’re willing to share.

And now I’m here on my way to a mental breakdown because of the dreaded ringworm.

It started off with fosters. I had them a few weeks. Nothing. Introduced my one cat. Nothing. Then I Went away for a few days and they went to another foster. Got them back. Bam. A day later after leaving them in a playpen where my other cats were, it showed up. So I sat. Waited and obsessed over my cats and it’s finally reared it’s ugly head.

My older cat has it (she’s 9 now) And my new adopted kitten so far. (I think he has that hyper syndrome and since he’s been locked out of my bedroom the stress is real for him) and I have two others that I’m just waiting. I’ve been treating the wounds and I’ve got the lime sulfur ready to go. (I just can’t bring myself to do it. They’ve never gotten baths before and I’ve only bathed kittens and I’m scared for my own life LOL)

I’ve been cleaning like a mad woman and plan on vacuuming everyday until the clouds come home.

That being said... any advice is appreciated.

But mostly I need some success stories because I am not handling this mentally very well. I know the one rule is don’t obsess. But I can’t seem to help it.

I also picked it up. But it’s almost gone now. Thank god. But I was the only one directly handling those kittens.

 

[tabbytom]

Aemberger, welcome to TCS!

Here are some articles on Ringworm in cat-health.46 under the ams section of our forum :-

ringworm-infestation-in-cats-the-housecleaning-regime.32417
6-things-i-learned-from-our-ringworm-plague-book-length.210789 (which is a thread started by one of our members which is mentioned in this article)

ringworm-in-cats-how-to-win-the-fight.32416

 

[Aemberger]

Thank you! I’ve read majority of those and skipped through the pages and didn’t see many follow ups as for success. But I’ll continue to look though. I just wanted some open discussion on how people beat the crap out of this cause I can feel the stress killing me slowly

 

[tabbytom]

Just on in there for awhile, I'm sure members with such experiences will share their success in conquering ringworm in cats and in the home.

 

[neely]

It seems like many moons ago that we adopted a cat who had ringworm. Since he was our very first cat I didn't know exactly what it was until I got it too. Honestly it happened so long ago that I can't remember how I treated it except to say I followed the vet's instructions to a T. Although I can't recall the specific treatment I wanted to let you know I was successful and never saw another sign of ringworm again. I hope that helps just a little. Best of luck.

 

[jcat]

I've been working at an animal shelter for a little over 4 years and have dealt with ringworm in new cats/kittens and guinea pigs multiple times. At a guess, it's probably been around 25 - 30 animals that had ringworm on intake. We use a combination of oral as well as topical meds and dips. The first time was rough psychologically (the "ick factor"), but the old hands told me it wasn't a big deal and to just look at it like athlete's foot and clean like a madwoman (much easier in a shelter setting than in a home because we can put them in quarantine). We buy Swiffers and disposable mops in bulk, use vet-recommended disinfectants, and steamclean!

Some cases cleared up very quickly, while one took months (a longhaired, senior cat that was FIV+), but they all cleared up, and none of the staff became infected.

 

[kommunity kats]

I just so happen to have been reading up on ringworm recently. Taking notes on natural remedies to try when necessary, and found . . . that I already have several such remedies in my home! Apple Cider Vinegar (will try mixing it in their food, as it gives a burning sensation); GrapeFruit Seed Extract (can be ingested &/or used externally); MSM is another thing I'd like to try out on ringworm, taken internally & applied externally.

 

[Aemberger]

It’s been a week and since I started using Bandixx (I think that’s what it’s called) it seems to be looking better. (Only been two days so far) and I can’t confine them unfortunately but I’ve got a small house and only the bedrooms have carpet so they’re in the main living area, couches covered, and vacuuming and lysoling daily. I’m just so paranoid and I feel so bad. All they want to do is sleep in bed like they used too.

 

[Jem]

We recently adopted a few kitties. The day we went to the shelter to choose our new companions one of them we noticed had a small scaly patch over his eye. The girl at the shelter said it was probably the start of ringworm (they were currently dealing with a small outbreak). So we took two of our little ones home and left the third there to be treated. They told us that they would watch him for a few days to see if it was ringworm then start the appropriate treatment if needed. Well...it was ringworm.
So my understanding is the treatment was a three week process.
Week one, he got oral and topical anti-fungal medications, then week two only topical spot treatment. It's now week three and he's getting another round of oral anti-fungal medication. And they are continuing to spot treat his skin, but that he has not developed any new spots and whats left is just waiting for the no longer infected skin to heal.
To my knowledge, that is the protocol they always use to treat ringworm. (it's three weeks, with week one and week three having orals and topical spot treatment of the skin throughout)
We got an update just yesterday and he seems to be doing great. Still has a spot on his nose but they believe it's simply "cleared skin" that needs to heal. We are scheduled to pick him up Saturday (the end of the three week treatment) and so far it looks like we won't have to postpone. I also believe they will give him a bath right before we pick him up, just to make sure no new spores are present.
This is the only experience I've ever encountered with ringworm (even thought I'm not the one having to physically deal with it) but I felt I should share what my local shelter does for their outbreaks, that seems to work for them, even in a shelter containing over 100 cats!

 

[Kellyjb27]

Hi! I’m right there with you in the ringworm battle! We adopted the neighborhood stray last week, and he’s got it. We’ve got him quarantined in the basement. Poor guy. “Welcome to your new home! We’re goung to lock you in the basement!”
He had his first lime sulfur dip last night. I wasn’t sure how that would go. I shut him in the shower with me and used a spray bottle set on the mist setting and sprayed him down. I thought that might be less traumatic than trying to immerse him in a tub of it. It worked! He stayed calm through the whole process!
Let me know how your case is coming. I’ll be praying for a quick cure for you!

 

[Aemberger]

The price we pay for saving sweet babies! It’s been about 4 weeks or so for me now. I haven’t done the sulfer dip but that’s such a good idea. Even though I don’t have shower doors I could probably get away with spraying them down. Two of the floor have been on quarantine in the mail living space. I have sheets on my couch that I change every other day and I vacuum almost everyday. 1 of the babies is all cleared up and his hair is growing back and my older girl who got it bad on her ears is just starting to grow her hair back. I’m hoping she’s no longer contagious. So far me, my fiancé, and his son haven’t picked it up again. I stressed way too much about it. Once I settled down things seemed to be much easier to handle. I used Bandixx twice a day because my boy kept licking the cream off him and the girl. I’m hoping in another two or three weeks I’ll be home free. -fingers crossed-

I wish the best for your journey. The number one thing I would suggest is don’t stress! I had to learn that quick but not quick enough.

 

[Kellyjb27]

I will try to take your advice on that! It’s just so gross. And not being able to see it makes it very easy to get paranoid. It’s easy to feel like those spores are covering everything when they really probably aren’t. ...I hope lol

 

[Aemberger]

Yeah, that’s the scariest part. Thinking you didn’t get everything. I Lysol every couple days as well just for good measure. And dry Swift the walls. But every weekend after I mop (which I’ve been doing once a week) I let the other two out of the bedroom and they haven’t picked it up. *knock on wood* Per obsessively online reading the spores only reproduce when active on the cat. So As long as they’re getting treated and you’re cleaning the area daily, I think that’s the key to winning the battle.

 

[Kellyjb27]

Did you have your guys tested? I haven’t done that yet. The vet said it’s $170 to do a fungal test. Ouch!

 

[Elphaba09]

When we found our baby Silas, he had a bunch of issues. One of those was ringworm. We have eight other cats. Three of them got horrible cases of ringworm, two had small patches, and the others did not get it. We used the Bandixx mentioned by Aemberger , sulfur dip, and topical cream. It took us months to be rid of it. I was the only human in my house to get it. Blah! I have read that ozone kills it, so an air purifier may be helpful.

 

[Kellyjb27]

Oh that’s good to know! Is Bandixx an oral med or topical?

With that many cats, do you have a mix of FIV positive and negative?

 

[Aemberger]

Bandixx is topical. My aunt recommended it to me because she uses it on her horses. But it seems to have worked much faster then the regular cream was.

As for the vet, I avoided going. The rescue confirmed the kittens that gave my cats it so I knew what it was and I want to avoid the anti fungal meds because it’s really bad for the cats. If my older girl doesn’t grow her hair back in another couple weeks I’ll take her but it just doesn’t seem worth the money when all the information you need is available online and all topical things you can get yourself. If she absolutely needs the meds then I plan on going.