Ringworm

[vivibebean]

the lighter's battery that i got dies within a few minutes. it is cheap, so i ended up buying 3 XD
much easier to clean the cage. honestly, using the lighter to get rid of the fur stuck on the cage is very satisfying. just being able to burn fur with possible ringworm spores is very very very fullfiling. also, my cats are very entertained. they will once a while will try to touch it. i would lecture them not to (but of course they dont understand), but now i think they enjoy watching me use the lighter so its helping them with their stress. ive been trying to use the lighter daily to clean off the furs since all three are in one big cage and theres always fur stuck on it! to also help with their stress, i give a towel daily and a cardboard box for them to sleep in. they love it so much. of course i would change the towel and box daily. the amount of fur is crazy!

today is the second day of their itrafungol 10 mg/kg every day for 3 weeks. hoping to see some progress in a few days.
this thread has been very helpful for me as well! i ended up taking in some of your cleaning habits and for emotional support. thank you for sharing your ringworm situation with me! it is nice to relate with someone else going through this nightmare. i break once a while, but somehow end up pulling myself together because i wish to be free with my cats once more im still extremely glad that your ringworm situation improved! how is your yorkie doing? is she released from quarantine yet?

to be honest, a part of me feels like this 3 weeks treatment wont free me from ringworm. my siberian's ringworm lesions on his head and neck just looks so extensive that it is kind of demoralizing. plus at this rate, i kinda expect things not to work out for me because everytime i do try very hard to free them and think that i beat ringworm, it doesnt work out and ringworm ends up coming back...... im currently trying even harder to free them. i hope it does this time! but we'll see.

 

[Sandy7272]

Good morning
Remain positive because this time around you have a dermatologist!! I’m pretty sure your will notice improvement on your Siberian with the intrafungal, keeping them contained and cleaning the best you can. I dosed my cages, walls and floors of spare room with rescue while cats were in carriers. I am still carefully checking cats and dogs for any signs of fungus. Every time they scratch I get panicky! No change on the fungassy cultures but I am not a professional doing cultures. I’m thinking of releasing my dogs tomorrow because my yorkies culture is showing no signs of ringworm. Still this has been an experience I will never forget! Then the sudden loss of kitten and now diagnosis of other one. It is heartbreaking but will do my best to treat and monitor with the cardiologist. There is always fur here even though I vacuum as often as time allows with working and sleeping.
On a more positive thought I did find washable cat towers. They are KURANDA . Very cleanable. I sent a question to see if they are for large cats? Waiting to hear. They even sell replacement parts if ever needed.Very basic but I think my cats may enjoy since I removed everything else for them to hang out on I probably won’t be comfortable with this months from now. Always watching for recurring ringworm!!! It may appear again even though I am not seeing any signs right now.
talk soon.

 

[JacquieM]

i brought my siberian to the dermatologist yesterday and it was extremely helpful. i shouldve brought my cats to the dermatologist for ringworm treatment from the start instead of my primary vet actually... the dermatologist spent A LOT of time talking to me about my siberian and helped me plan treatment for my other two cats that i didnt bring. shockingly the dermatologist talked just as much or maybe even more than me. i feel like for my other vet visits, i only was able to talk to them for a few minutes only since they needed to rush to the next client... but did not feel rush with the dermatologist at all.

she pretty much told me that my siberian's lesions did not light up under woods lamp but that is prob false positive because he is undergoing treatment right now and suspects ringworm anyways. she also said that lime sulfur is very safe to use as long as it is properly diluted and i can continue using lime sulfur, but i should stop the miconazole topical. my siberian's skin isnt that bad she said. shockingly, she said that the dosing he was on for itrafungol, 1.8 ml based on The daily dosage is 5 mg/kg (0.5 ml/kg) on the bottle is actually very low (my siberian is 8 lbs).

she mentioned that the itrafungol dose can be given at 10 mg/kg every day for 3 weeks. i was pretty shock to hear this because my primary vet barely mentioned this possibility which she described to be the "loading period" (amount of time it takes bottom
layer of skin to get to top layer of skin), before then "pulse dosing" (one week on and one week off cycle).

also state: There is no precise limit on how long a cat can be on an antifungal, and I often don't recheck bloodwork unless a cat is having problems while on the med. It would be helpful to check liver bloodwork every 6 months. Side effects of itrafungol can include GI upset and rarely liver toxicity. also that pretty much all meds can cause liver toxicity.

she said my other two cats can start 10 mg/kg every day for 3 weeks as well but i should probably get their liver checked up first. im bringing my other cats in tomorrow to my primary vet to their lab drawn for liver function. when their lab results come back, i will start all three on the "loading period" of itrafungol at the same time! in the meantime, i will start their lime sulfur dip.

also stated that "true infection from the environment is a rare event and its more likely the cats passing it back to each other"
and that for Laundering, "Water temperature and bleach additive are not as helpful as agitation time, so use the
longest wash setting, and do not overfill the machine to allow the most agitation". i will prob still use the hottest temp and borax though. "machines and dryers are usually not contaminated, but the machines should be wiped
with a dilute bleach or accelerated hydrogen peroxide cleaner after use"

I will prob get my cats OTC antihistamine for the itchiness.
in regards to the woods lamp, she said that Microsporum does not always grow on woods lamp. M. canis - usually glows on Wood's lamp. my cats came back positive for microsporum and not M. canis.

how do you feel with all the cats out now? are you somewhat at ease now? a lot less cleaning to do now! i def did do some overreading as well XD, but i was pretty desperate to be free.. dont think the blue specks are ringworm spores. also i believe the woodlamp doesnt actually detect spores, but something else related to the fungus. i forgot exactly how it works.. but i absolutely cannot wait to spoil my cats one day. i will buy them everything thats not fabric/carpet LOL.

in regards to how often you should do fugassy cultures, my dermatologist suggested to continue all treatments until at least 2 negative cultures ~3-4 weeks apart. also to my surprise, she said quarantining my cats in the large outdoor dog kernel is a "very good idea because it is easy to clean". i kinda thought it wanst a good idea at some point XD

A veterinarian dermatologist?

 

[vivibebean]

A veterinarian dermatologist?

yes. Vet dermatologist. She was incredibly helpful. They know much more than the regular vets since they are specialist. Also don’t be too concern over the itrafungol’ effect on the liver because honestly a lot of medication causes liver problem when in high dose/repeatedly. For example, even Tylenol. Could do a lab work on your cats liver if you’re concerned about it. my cats were on the 5 weeks on and off itrafungol for about 2-3 times since September 2021 and when I did their liver labwork after the 3rd time june 2022, they all came back normal.

it is up to you if you want to Quarantine your cat or not. I thinI a few people did get pass ringworm without quarantining their cats, but that depends on their living situation (how many rooms and things the cat has access to), how often/well they disinfected, and how many pets.

all three of my cats culture came back negative for ringworm in February. They were are quQuarantining in a room since they started their treatment. I was disinfecting their room weekly but stopped disinfecting after 2-3 weeks when their culture came back negative in February. I kept all three cats in the same room still until April to monitor for reinfection.
none of my cats had any hair loss or lesions or apple green from the woodslamp. In april, I brought 2/3 of my cats in to my regular vet get cultured just in case the ringworm came back and isn’t showing symptoms.

one of my cat’s culture came back positive and he started losing hair afterwards. All three cats were isolating in the very same room that I tthought they would be safe in since I was disinfecting it. Yet they got it again in that room. Environmental Decontamination is super important to prevent reinfection. The more access your cat has to the rest of the apartment/house/ things, the more you have to clean in my opinion.

also if you’re gonna get a vacuum With a hepa filter, get the miele C3 cat and dog. It’s very good

 

[vivibebean]

and also so glad that your yorkie will be free tomorrow! Such a huge improvement from 1-2 months ago! Very unfortunate for your kitty’s health, but at least on the good side, your ringworm situation is very much in a good place now. Hopefully that lessen your stress a bit. since Ragdolls are predispose to heart condition at any age, I’m hoping my ragdoll doesn’t get any soon.

Also how often did you wipe the cages with Lysol wipes. Daily or weekly?

whenever I use the lighter to get rid of the fur stuck on the cage, more just keeps coming!

On good note, my Russian blue started growing some fur on his ears and he’s a lot less crusty. My ragdoll is also growing some fur on the ears, but her fur around the neck/ head is matted now
Meanwhile, my Siberian is still something else

How often have you been disinfecting and vacuuming ever since you let them out? Is once a week enough? I just searched up kuranda, I heard of it before. It is definitely good for post ringworm trauma (I have a lot of it), but aesthetic wise, not really my type XD
There’s also modern wood cat towers that you can go for btw^^ those just need easy wipes or spray to disinfect for ringworm.

I bought this for my cats. Unfortunately, I’m hiding it from them now. It’s all wood and the scratcher placement rug thing and the bed is detachable and machine washable. And the cat tower itself is wipeable; easy to clean for future possible ringworm.

 

[Sandy7272]

I have decided to keep dogs separate a little longer. I reread your post and I’m not comfortable yet in making the change. Still feel super cautious. I’m going to take another fungassy culture in a week or more of my yorkies lesion area was. Two negatives your vet said. I did take two from the one who had the lesion and my adult Maine coon who had hair loss around face and ears. So far fungassy has had no color change on either. No hair loss on any of the cats except for normal fur and of course they scratch a little and I get uncomfortable.
I used the Lysol wipes if I had the time twice weekly. On my day off I spent more time in cleaning the wire but each time I did cover in rescue and then cleaned the wires after. So much hair when the sun shone through.
I never was able to get it all. I did have matted cats that I used the clippers on and then had to clean with a toothbrush and then fungicide spray. Bought several and most do not list fungicide. Realized later.
Listening to you and what a struggle you and your cats have had. I only found a large lesion on my kitten and then the yorkie had two small ones. Hair loss on two others but did not develop any lesions. Hopefully your Siberian begins to clear up. It sounds awful The cat tower you chose is very cute I have more cats and I think I need to invest in one large for now. I’m not sure my cats would fit. LOL Ragdolls get pretty big themselves. I did not know they can have heart issues also. I have learned a lot the last several months.
Also, burning the spores is wonderful. I found myself on a mission to kill every spore I could in my house and on my cats. Not even sure how I’ve done but I know I gave it my best!
I would have to agree we are making progress from a couple of months ago. Hopefully you are feeling a little better yourself. The vet dermatologist sounds like he is your key to success.
I vacuumed very thoroughly today and then used the wet Swiffer on my wood floors. I don’t have any rugs. Used the Swiffer duster also. I am stocked up on a variety of cleaning products like never before in my life due to ringworm When I’m working I just do a quick vacuum and keep a sheet covering my bed for a quick refreshing with another. Still on the watch though for any recurrence I may notice.
take care

 

[JacquieM]

yes. Vet dermatologist. She was incredibly helpful. They know much more than the regular vets since they are specialist. Also don’t be too concern over the itrafungol’ effect on the liver because honestly a lot of medication causes liver problem when in high dose/repeatedly. For example, even Tylenol. Could do a lab work on your cats liver if you’re concerned about it. my cats were on the 5 weeks on and off itrafungol for about 2-3 times since September 2021 and when I did their liver labwork after the 3rd time june 2022, they all came back normal.

it is up to you if you want to Quarantine your cat or not. I thinI a few people did get pass ringworm without quarantining their cats, but that depends on their living situation (how many rooms and things the cat has access to), how often/well they disinfected, and how many pets.

all three of my cats culture came back negative for ringworm in February. They were are quQuarantining in a room since they started their treatment. I was disinfecting their room weekly but stopped disinfecting after 2-3 weeks when their culture came back negative in February. I kept all three cats in the same room still until April to monitor for reinfection.
none of my cats had any hair loss or lesions or apple green from the woodslamp. In april, I brought 2/3 of my cats in to my regular vet get cultured just in case the ringworm came back and isn’t showing symptoms.

one of my cat’s culture came back positive and he started losing hair afterwards. All three cats were isolating in the very same room that I tthought they would be safe in since I was disinfecting it. Yet they got it again in that room. Environmental Decontamination is super important to prevent reinfection. The more access your cat has to the rest of the apartment/house/ things, the more you have to clean in my opinion.

also if you’re gonna get a vacuum With a hepa filter, get the miele C3 cat and dog. It’s very good

Thank you, that is exactly the vacuum I was looking at today. I’m sure it is best to sequester, but I’m just not going to do that to him again. We’re just forming our relationship. He was already sequestered for six weeks. I’m so glad two of your cats are in the clear. I don’t know if we have a vet dermatologist around here; I will check.

 

[vivibebean]

I have decided to keep dogs separate a little longer. I reread your post and I’m not comfortable yet in making the change. Still feel super cautious. I’m going to take another fungassy culture in a week or more of my yorkies lesion area was. Two negatives your vet said. I did take two from the one who had the lesion and my adult Maine coon who had hair loss around face and ears. So far fungassy has had no color change on either. No hair loss on any of the cats except for normal fur and of course they scratch a little and I get uncomfortable.
I used the Lysol wipes if I had the time twice weekly. On my day off I spent more time in cleaning the wire but each time I did cover in rescue and then cleaned the wires after. So much hair when the sun shone through.
I never was able to get it all. I did have matted cats that I used the clippers on and then had to clean with a toothbrush and then fungicide spray. Bought several and most do not list fungicide. Realized later.
Listening to you and what a struggle you and your cats have had. I only found a large lesion on my kitten and then the yorkie had two small ones. Hair loss on two others but did not develop any lesions. Hopefully your Siberian begins to clear up. It sounds awful The cat tower you chose is very cute I have more cats and I think I need to invest in one large for now. I’m not sure my cats would fit. LOL Ragdolls get pretty big themselves. I did not know they can have heart issues also. I have learned a lot the last several months.
Also, burning the spores is wonderful. I found myself on a mission to kill every spore I could in my house and on my cats. Not even sure how I’ve done but I know I gave it my best!
I would have to agree we are making progress from a couple of months ago. Hopefully you are feeling a little better yourself. The vet dermatologist sounds like he is your key to success.
I vacuumed very thoroughly today and then used the wet Swiffer on my wood floors. I don’t have any rugs. Used the Swiffer duster also. I am stocked up on a variety of cleaning products like never before in my life due to ringworm When I’m working I just do a quick vacuum and keep a sheet covering my bed for a quick refreshing with another. Still on the watch though for any recurrence I may notice.
take care

when you do fungassy cultures, do you take fur from where their lesions were originally at? or do you take fur from various parts of their body? also i heard that for cultures, you shoudl take fur from the lesions last. when my vet did cultures they would only take fur from where the cat's lesion was at, but that doesnt help. what im worried about is moreee lesions popping up on their body; not their original lesions. i asked if they could take fur from various part of their body instead. my siberian loss even more fur on the head. he has a decent bald spot there now.. his neck is balding a bit too... i think i will only feel better if my gets looks like they are getting better. if im putting in hard work and they get worse, it is very questionable. if they are getting better with my hard work then that makes me very happy

 

[vivibebean]

Thank you, that is exactly the vacuum I was looking at today. I’m sure it is best to sequester, but I’m just not going to do that to him again. We’re just forming our relationship. He was already sequestered for six weeks. I’m so glad two of your cats are in the clear. I don’t know if we have a vet dermatologist around here; I will check.

good luck trying to find a dermatologist! maybe you can start itrafungol 10 mg/kg every day for 3 weeks as well. lime sulfuring dipping is also very helpful. those two treatment alone is usually enough to get rid of the ringworm as long as the environment is clean. actaully right now none of them are in the clear. one cat came back positive in april, but currently, all three has ringworm.

ragdoll and russian blue loss fur on neck and ear: but both are growing some fur back on ears. neck is still a work in progress.
my siberian has a bald spot on his head. and neck is slowly balding.

they are on day 3 of 21 daily dose of itrafungol 10 mg/kg. i shoudl be seeing some progress in a few days hopefuelly.

 

[JacquieM]

Yup, already did it

yes. Vet dermatologist. She was incredibly helpful. They know much more than the regular vets since they are specialist. Also don’t be too concern over the itrafungol’ effect on the liver because honestly a lot of medication causes liver problem when in high dose/repeatedly. For example, even Tylenol. Could do a lab work on your cats liver if you’re concerned about it. my cats were on the 5 weeks on and off itrafungol for about 2-3 times since September 2021 and when I did their liver labwork after the 3rd time june 2022, they all came back normal.

it is up to you if you want to Quarantine your cat or not. I thinI a few people did get pass ringworm without quarantining their cats, but that depends on their living situation (how many rooms and things the cat has access to), how often/well they disinfected, and how many pets.

all three of my cats culture came back negative for ringworm in February. They were are quQuarantining in a room since they started their treatment. I was disinfecting their room weekly but stopped disinfecting after 2-3 weeks when their culture came back negative in February. I kept all three cats in the same room still until April to monitor for reinfection.
none of my cats had any hair loss or lesions or apple green from the woodslamp. In april, I brought 2/3 of my cats in to my regular vet get cultured just in case the ringworm came back and isn’t showing symptoms.

one of my cat’s culture came back positive and he started losing hair afterwards. All three cats were isolating in the very same room that I tthought they would be safe in since I was disinfecting it. Yet they got it again in that room. Environmental Decontamination is super important to prevent reinfection. The more access your cat has to the rest of the apartment/house/ things, the more you have to clean in my opinion.

also if you’re gonna get a vacuum With a hepa filter, get the miele C3 cat and dog. It’s very good

I bought a Miele vacuum, yikes! Hope I live a long time to make it worth it, LOL. Which lime sulfur product did you did you say you were less allergic to? I can’t find your post. I am looking at Vet basics lime sulfur.
Also, I am going to have to sequester him again. So unhappy about that, but he is pretty much living under the living room sofa the past week, just because of the terbinafine cream I apply to his ears. I’m like, Dude you are being a wimp!

 

[JacquieM]

Also, thank you for your comment about the Itrafungol liver affect. Those are good points. Everything you read says the topical is not enough. But I’m hoping with turbinafine cream plus a lime sulfur ear application ….
I am so sorry about your struggles. I can’t believe one of your cats got it again when they’re all still in the same room and were clear.
The biggest problem is, how in the world am I going to get a pet sitter?! I’m visiting my mother at the end of this month for two nights, and I’ll be away for 10 days at the end of August. Trying to focus on one day at a time.

 

[vivibebean]

will one of your friends be able to help for those few days?

i use this lime sulfur from chewy. i dont recall saying that i use a lime sulfur that i am less allergic to though

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also just wondering, but when did the ringworm infection started in your cat? and i know you said you went through two gallon of the rescue, but what did your weekly or daily cleaning consist of?

lately, ive been forcing myself to keep it together. hopefully, the cats gets better soon...

 

[JacquieM]

Well, my friends all have pets. So it would be too risky. The only friend I have who doesn’t have a pet is allergic to cats and wouldn’t have the faintest idea how to care for him.
Yes, I agree: it is difficult not to be depressed about this. I keep saying to myself one day at a time, one day at a time.
Oh good, that vet basics sulfur is what I bought.
I went through 2 quarts of rescue spray, not 2 gallons. I sprayed the entire floor in the sanctuary room with it twice; I did the kitchen floor with it; I sprayed my phone and whatever book I was reading every single time I left the sanctuary room; I did all flat surfaces with it in the sanctuary room; I even sprayed the living room carpet with it. I cleaned a lot, but certainly not daily. More like weekly. It is a big damn job vacuuming an entire house. But I think that’s what I’m going to have to do this time , at least every three days. I bought a very expensive HEPA filtered sealed system vacuum which is arriving tomorrow.
I’m glad you wrote, because I am staring at the enormous 6 foot tall cat tree that has seven scratching posts and 2 little huts and a couple of platforms, and wondering if I’m really going to have to throw it out. Do you know that doctor that everyone reveres for her expertise on ringworm, Dr. Moriello, she says the risk is too great to keep the cat trees.

I just went through two years of cancer treatment for my beloved Allie cat; She died in November. It was exhausting and stressful and very very expensive. So I really can’t believe I’m in this situation immediately after that. It’s bizarre.

I also did not swiffer the walls, because that seemed excessive to me. But I suppose I will even do that, once or twice.

I adopted Merlin at the end of January; I noticed a couple of bald spots in mid February and he was diagnosed thereafter. That would not prescribe The oral medication until the culture results came back, so I spent two weeks keeping him in a sanctuary and applying to been a find cream to his ears. Which is far as I could tell did nothing. Then i started the liquid medication one week on one week off for six weeks. So he was sequestered for a total of five weeks, which is awful for both of us. I can tell he’s very unhappy now. He hides a lot and avoids me because he’s afraid I’m going to medicate him.
Well, I guess I’m feeling sorry for myself. I will snap out of it. Because we are there guardians and we must do what needs doing. Do you like your vet? Is your vet helpful with this? Just as everybody else seems to have commented, I find my vet to be very little help with this. Basically, they don’t know what to do. They just tell you medicate and clean.

 

[JacquieM]

That should have said terbinafine cream!
This time around I will definitely have him cultured at least twice more to definitively make sure the ringworm is gone. Last time I figured once the medication was done and his bald spots disappeared, we were good to go.
I am unsure when he can come out of the sanctuary. You read all different things: three weeks after medication starts? five weeks after medication starts? Not until two cultures come back negative? Good grief.

 

[JacquieM]

This time I’m also going to take down all of the curtains and machine wash them. I guess I won’t be leaving my house for the next month; I’ll just be cleaning, LOL. Also, I’ve been throwing everything out in the sunshine, but today I read from this doctor moriello that that is not reliable. You read all kinds of other things that say UV light kills ringworm! Arrggh! OK, I’ll stop now

 

[Sandy7272]

Oh my! I read so much about ringworm on the internet and you tube videos because my vet was so relaxed about the new kitten having it. I was panicking due to the fact I have several indoor cats and three yorkies. It spread and quickly. I thought I would never spend that amount on a vacuum but I purchased the Miele 3. I also purchased a gallon sprayer and would spray down walls, large dog crates and floors in my house. After bathing everyone with antifungal shampoos twice weekly my bathroom treated with rescue spray the same way. Threw away all of my cat trees. I could not think about the cost all I could think about were the microscopic spores floating around. I had a professional cleaning company come in and fog my house with everyone out. I myself fogged it again before releasing the cats out of quarantine. My vet does not do cultures so I am using the fungassy test at home. Still so cautious anytime a cat scratches anywhere. Vacuuming alost daily and watching for loss of hair or any lesion starting. This started in February and here I am not able to relax in my own home even now. I even threw out my living room furniture concerned about spores. My beautiful bedroom rug also gone. After reading how spores can live for 18 months I would not be at ease thinking every time a cat payed on the rug if there were spores reinfecting!!! Basement floor professionally cleaned. Everything was very costly but I became obsessed with ridding my house and pets of ringworm and the tiny spores. So try not to think about the costs because everyone shares how important environmental cleaning is. I wanted to run in the other direction but I do live alone and they are my responsibility. So no other option but clean, treat the pets and do it all over again.

 

[JacquieM]

Well, can I just say, you are awesome! It’s obvious you love your pets very much. Also you have quite a lot of them, so your situation could have been quite dire. Except you prevent that from happening. I applaud you! Especially because I know what is involved.
My vet two has been very relaxed about it, which probably led to my middle of the road approach. She even suggested I release my cat from quarantine after five days of the oral meds. I’ve yet to pin down exactly how long he should stay in quarantine, but it’s definitely a lot longer than that. Last time, he was in his sanctuary room for two weeks of topical med followed by three weeks of oral meds. I am unbelievably frustrated that he got it again. I am so glad you wrote, because I was actually awake quite a bit last night feeling pretty dark about this, and some other current difficulties. I remind myself that it is not cancer, nor is it a bad car accident (I drove by one of those yesterday; disturbing and helps keep things in perspective).

What did you spray your walls with?
I used a half gallon of rescue spray, but I think now that my big mistake was I didn’t clean surfaces before spraying with rescue. It clearly says on the bottle to do that. Everything I read says to do that as well. It’s just an awful lot, to clean thoroughly six rooms and then also spray them down, wait 10 minutes, and wipe all six rooms down. I mean, I have an actual paying job I have to tend to!

this time I am also taking down all of the curtains and machine washing and drying them. Then I will store them away. I am looking at a beautiful tapestry on the wall in Merlin’s sanctuary room; that is coming down too, and I will soak it in boiling water with woolite. I hope it doesn’t get ruined. It is from Costa Rica.

I splurged for the first time in my life and bought an $8000 sofa several years ago. I read that one woman was advised by her vet to cover her so far with antifungal powder, wait overnight, and then vacuum it off. That sounds pretty weird to me, but what do you think? So far I have just vacuumed it. Naturally it holds onto hair like you would not believe.

I sprayed the living room carpet with rescue last time. I’m going to vacuum it every day and spray it with rescue again. God, I do not want to get rid of it.

I have two 6-foot tall cat trees, each with a couple of huts and platforms, etc. They are spectacular. And expensive. But I look at them now, and I know they must be riddled with ringworm. I mean, really? I have to get rid of them?! For these reasons and so many others, it makes me really angry when vets and rescue people are so casual about ringworm. I think they are probably afraid that we might want to get rid of the cats. I would never ever do that. But I have read that that was the solution in the past.

The rescue organization from which I adopted my cat gave him to me with ringworm. I still can’t believe that. I’ve been holding off contacting them because I want to be calm and not angry. I understand what a rescue organization is up against.

So glad you wrote, thank you.

 

[JacquieM]

Glad we were both able to help each other
My vet didn’t recommend a certain schedule of when to go in and how many times.
but honestly the veTs I’ve seen so far seem to suggest that one negative fungal culture is enough.
But I disagree, because of the chance of reinfection.
when I did fungal test on my cats, I brought them one week after they finished their 3weekly dose of itrafungol. And then I brought them in for fungal culture to check for reinfection, 1- 1.5 months after the first fungal culture. Just togive the fungus some time to “grow back” if they are getting reinfected .

That schedule for cultures sounds good to me. I read yesterday, from a reputable source, that culturing during treatment is a good idea also, to make sure it is working. In another article, which may have been British, they said you can use a sterilized toothbrush to bring in a sample to your vet. I definitely do not want to be hauling my cat back-and-forth to the vet during an already stressful time. So I am going to see if she will let me do that.

 

[JacquieM]

The incubator was a thought to keep the fungal cultures a set temp. Right now they are room temp in a dark space. I used the blue light on my dogs fur to check and I only was able to see what looked like two spores.
I checked my cats and I think I see minimal green pores on the tips of fur a couple of them with longer hair and thick coats. Going to bathe again Saturday. I was thinking about lime sulphur dip that I already purchased in the beginning but never used. You have some long haired kitties!! I might try and give the longer haired cat a hair cut? You are determined also to be rid of ringworm and I know it is so much work.Thank you for sharing the information with me on testing!!! I did pluck hairs and used a sterile toothbrush to obtain samples. I think I’m going to brush my cats fur with another sterile toothbrush and try that way also. Right now no color change.
Ragdolls and Norwegian forest cats have such a long beautiful coat. Russian blues look like they have a thick coat also. Keep up the good work and again thank you

I have some lime sulfur arriving today, and I was going to apply it just to his ears where the bald spots are. But now I’ve read that spot treatment is not recommended, because there can be spores throughout the coat. I’ve also read in several places that dipping an adult cat is too stressful, and that should be done only for kittens. I can’t imagine covering my big two year old cat with lime sulfur. Have you two used spot application?

My expensive vacuum should arrive by 8 PM tonight, and then I’m going to spend the next two days cleaning like a maniac, LOL. If we don’t laugh, we’ll cry, right?

 

[JacquieM]

I’m hoping cleaning the cage won’t be too hard for me. Picking the hair off the sides sounds difficult my cats go crazy if one is not next to the other, so having them all together will help them cope thank you for the input on the cage. Wasn’t sure if it was too small.... but then again didn’t want a very big one because plucking fur off the top of the cage would’ve been very hard.

Only a few more weeks left for the dogs then! Congrats! At least the cats finished with their treatments! My cats just got started :’( it’s always the first two weeks of the ringworm infection that is very hard because I need to cope that the nightmare is starting again and need to develop a plan, But hopefully me moving to a new apartment helps. My cats are currently not in my new apartment yet. I’m hoping to shave them this weekend before bringing them over.

Are the dogs crates in a separate room from the cats?
You’ve been doing so well keeping up with the two jobs and cleaning I’m only working one job but already so tired. Don’t know how you keep up with it.

Oh, you’re moving into a new apartment! That is fantastic. That’s part of why I was so upset last night, because I love my house, and I only decided to stay and age in it (I’m 61) about a year ago, so I have been fixing it up exactly to my liking, even more than it already was. And now it is full of ringworm spores.
By the way, I read a great suggestion last time: I put a big fan on high in the middle of the sanctuary room and pointed it out the window. One more way to get rid of spores.