Ringworm

[fsttrk]

Help, I have a dry circular spot on my neck that I thought was a pimple, but it grew and now I'm almost sure it's a ringworm. I took in a stray about three and a half months ago and she had three kittens two months later. Now they are almost two months old and being little monsters! In addition to these cats, I have a two year old girl, a two 1/2 year old boy, and a 16 pound boy. And a 1 1/2 beagle.(And 3 fish tanks and Mice)!? But anybody who's had a ringworm infestation, Please Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Anything, but I don't want to spend a million dollars at the vet.

 

[dragonlady]

First find out if it is ringworm. Does it itch? You can clear it up with any athletes foot ointment. This can also be applied to the lesions on the cats if there are any. You can get an inexpensive shampoo from your vet that will kill the spores in the cats fur.

 

[fsttrk]

YES it itches and I bought lotrimin(used to cure jock itch) and have been using it for two days. I was wondering if I could use the same stuff on the kittens. Do you know how long it takes for it to go away or does it vary?

 

[hissy]

Please don't use human medicine on your kittens. The vet will give you some stuff that is not very expensive at all to put on them. It will clear up over time, and it is very contagious so if the kittens have ringworm they should not be handled much. The vet will use a woods lamp on the kittens to determine if they have the fungus at all. It may not be ringworm after all, and something else, or perhaps if it is ringworm you didn't get it from your cats? Please let a vet make the proper diagnosis before you start treating your pets.

 

[dragonlady]

Gee, my vet said to get Lamicil and use it on my cats... I also used Malasab shampoo. That was from the vet. It only cost $8.00. Most ringworm will show with a black light, however, there are some types that won't show and a culture must be done.

Good luck! Keep us posted.

 

[hissy]

Teresa,

That is fine because you had a vet involved and you know what ringworm is and probably had a cat or two looked at? She doesn't know-

 

[fsttrk]

I will call the vet tomorrow and get an appointment. The kittens need their first round of shots anyway. Does anybody know how much it is to give three kittens their first round of shots?

 

[clarabelle]

Call the Humane Society in your area, the shots are alot cheaper plus you can have them fixed cheaper there also.
In North Mississippi at the HS a cat to be fixed is $30 and shots are $15.

 

[dragonlady]

Also see if your vet has a shot clinic. Sometimes feed stores have these too. It can be as cheap as $10.00.

As for how lonf it takes to cure the ringworm..as long as three weeks and as short as two. Keep using the ointment until the skin has completely returned to normal.