Ringworm

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Sandy7272

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I live in CT and it has been hot and humid. 94 degrees today! Merlin must be enjoying his freedom again. The ears continue to be a mystery you say. Hopefully your vet will have some sort of answer to what it is? Oh my a vacation for me is a bit difficult with the amount of little pets I have. I’m a person who enjoys being home when I’m not working.I’m out in the country and I was able to put up an outdoor enclosure for my cats which they love. Spring, summer and fall that is. My yorkie had lesions that were visible and hair loss began around the lesion. I have cultured all the pets and will do so again next weekend. I am wishing you the best with your travel plans and having a pet sitter come in. I’m sure your Mom would be very happy to see you. Hiking in Scotland sounds amazing. I enjoy kayaking here in Ct. It is beautiful and relaxing to be on the water.
 

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I live in CT and it has been hot and humid. 94 degrees today! Merlin must be enjoying his freedom again. The ears continue to be a mystery you say. Hopefully your vet will have some sort of answer to what it is? Oh my a vacation for me is a bit difficult with the amount of little pets I have. I’m a person who enjoys being home when I’m not working.I’m out in the country and I was able to put up an outdoor enclosure for my cats which they love. Spring, summer and fall that is. My yorkie had lesions that were visible and hair loss began around the lesion. I have cultured all the pets and will do so again next weekend. I am wishing you the best with your travel plans and having a pet sitter come in. I’m sure your Mom would be very happy to see you. Hiking in Scotland sounds amazing. I enjoy kayaking here in Ct. It is beautiful and relaxing to be on the water.
I grew up in CT! Lived there until age 25. Then San Diego, the Philly. CT is a beautiful state. Your set-up sounds idyllic.
I love to travel but it’s sooo hard leaving a pet. 11 days! If it wasn’t financially ridiculous, I would have someone come in twice a day.
Kayaking is lovely. I rent one at a lake an hour away. Must do that soon!
Let us know how those cultures go …..
Best,
Jacquie
 

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S Sandy7272
Hi sandy, was wondering if you still disinfect the floor/etc or how often you vaccum since you let your pets out of the cage? Do you disinfect weekly now? Or none at all? Just vacuuming?

I will probably order some fungassy tests either today or tomorrow.


J JacquieM and S Sandy7272
I brought all three cats to the vet on 6/25 Saturday. The PCR test will be out soon and the culture will be out in 3 weeks. Hopefeully they are negative… all three cats are still in their separate cages.

I just disinfected their entire room/ and cage and disinfected the floors only of the rest of my apartment yesterday. I lime sulfured all three cats the day before yesterday

All three of my cats just finished their “loading dose”, the 10mg/kg everyday for 3 straight weeks on 6/25 Saturday. My cats Will now be getting their “pulse dosing”, one week on and one week off my 10mg/kg.
so they we begin theitrafungol again on 7/2 Saturday.
will continue giving them the on and off itrafungol until the culture comes back in three weeks.

my ragdoll is as poofy as ever.
My Siberian is growing a bit more fur. Not as poofy as my ragdoll though.

my Russian blue who has the most bald spot is growing back fur in MOST of his bald spots. There is one particular bald spot that is as bald as it has been since the start and it bothers me still….
makes me wonder if I have trypophobia Now……

hope you two have been doing well :)
I live in NYC. The weather has been too hot for me… I’m more of a autumn person.
 

vivibebean

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Merlin is doing good. You might have missed my news that the vet thinks it is not ringworm. So I’m waiting on the culture results. I’m confused, because it looks exactly like it did last time. She says there is a circular lesion missing that was present last time, and that last time she thought the rest of it, that is the widespread hair loss across the ears, was not ringworm. It would’ve been nice if she mentioned that to me. I mean hair loss occurs with ringworm! So I don’t know what is going on. We would have started the second week of the medication this past Wednesday, but she said not to.

she also said she had a cat who lost all the hair on his ears every spring and then it grew back. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Is it possible, then, that some of your Russian blue’s bald spots are not ringworm?

I know vets are very busy, but I think their communication skills are horrible.
My russian blue bald spots are definitely ringworm. As per my vet dermatologist, ringworm can manifest in different ways in cats depending on how their body react to it.

Some could just be dandruff, crusting only, asymptomatic with no hair loss or no lesions at all, just lesions, or just bald spots.
My Russian blue never had a visible circular lesions on him since the start of this ringworm nightmare months ago. For him, his ringworm
Was always manifested as bald spots or dandruff
 
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Sandy7272

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Hi
I have been just doing my regular cleaning with a lot of extra vacuuming. The cat who had a lesion and the other Maine coon who had hair loss are not showing any signs of ringworm but their culture began to turn red under the white colony. I took another culture around the face and ears today. I will pay closer attention to how it develops. The white colony grew and then the red began. The information on the internet says it will begin to grow a colony at the same time and will begin to turn red! I am now very concerned because all the others are not changing color at all. Just the white is growing If anything. I am trying to find a vet in my area who takes cultures if I see it develop this way. Glad to have purchased so many vials of the medium. I also read that long haired cats can act like a dust mop picking up spores without any hair loss or lesions. I cannot see any green spores on any of my pets. I keep checking. I did have the green spores before and during treatment. This has been so stressful. I will not return to my current vet if the new cultures show positive results for ringworm.
 

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Hi
I have been just doing my regular cleaning with a lot of extra vacuuming. The cat who had a lesion and the other Maine coon who had hair loss are not showing any signs of ringworm but their culture began to turn red under the white colony. I took another culture around the face and ears today. I will pay closer attention to how it develops. The white colony grew and then the red began. The information on the internet says it will begin to grow a colony at the same time and will begin to turn red! I am now very concerned because all the others are not changing color at all. Just the white is growing If anything. I am trying to find a vet in my area who takes cultures if I see it develop this way. Glad to have purchased so many vials of the medium. I also read that long haired cats can act like a dust mop picking up spores without any hair loss or lesions. I cannot see any green spores on any of my pets. I keep checking. I did have the green spores before and during treatment. This has been so stressful. I will not return to my current vet if the new cultures show positive results for ringworm.
awwww :( Im sorry to hear that the color changed.
what does the red and white colony mean though?
Could it be bacterial? Or another fungus that isn’t ringworm? I think for now you should separate those two cats from the rest for now.
If it comes back positive, I think you should see a vet dermatologist. Perhaps they can start your cats on the 10mg/kg itrafungol everyday for 3 weeks as well. It cuts the waiting period for the ringworm lesion to heal a lot faster. Since the dose is 2X stronger and is given everyday!

For me, I think I will still continue to keep my cats in their own kernels until I get two straight negative fungal cultures which is about 6 weeks from now. Will probably vaccum twice daily still and probably just disinfect once weekly if their first fungal culture comes back negative in three weeks. Since it’s, still pending now, I’ll disinfect twice weekly still.

I think im going to go back to lime sulfuring them maybe twice a week? Right now I’m only doing once a week, but my husband just recently left his 80 hours a week job so now he can help me with the cat chores now! So excited to get some help!
 
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Sandy7272

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Glad to hear you are going to have help! It is such a commitment to do a thorough job. The white colony grew before the red began. I’m watching very closely because if I’m reading and understanding correctly the colony starts and color change at the same time. I found pictures and information on pennvet.com. Took another culture from my yorkie who had two small lesions previously. No green spores that I can see on any of my pets. Called another vet who has a fairly new practice and was told she is not accepting any new clients. My cats last dose of intrafungal was the first week of May. Everyone there is scratching I’m concerned still!!! Take care 😊
 

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Hi
I have been just doing my regular cleaning with a lot of extra vacuuming. The cat who had a lesion and the other Maine coon who had hair loss are not showing any signs of ringworm but their culture began to turn red under the white colony. I took another culture around the face and ears today. I will pay closer attention to how it develops. The white colony grew and then the red began. The information on the internet says it will begin to grow a colony at the same time and will begin to turn red! I am now very concerned because all the others are not changing color at all. Just the white is growing If anything. I am trying to find a vet in my area who takes cultures if I see it develop this way. Glad to have purchased so many vials of the medium. I also read that long haired cats can act like a dust mop picking up spores without any hair loss or lesions. I cannot see any green spores on any of my pets. I keep checking. I did have the green spores before and during treatment. This has been so stressful. I will not return to my current vet if the new cultures show positive results for ringworm.
Oh so it might not actually mean that they have ringworm then? Let me know how the most recent culture that you retook turns out! good luck

All three of my cats PCR test came back negative!
This is not diagnostic that they are in the clear at all, but does let me know that the situation is in control now.
the negative PCR test either means that the cats have no ringworm on them at all OR the level of ringworm isn’t high enough to be detected. Both situation, I am okay with because it’s improvement from last month.

Their fungal culture will be out in two weeks. In the meantime, I will still be giving pulse dosing of itrafungol (they start again tomorrow) and will still do twice weekly like sulfur baths and disinfection just in case they end up growing a culture of ringworm in two weeks.

I do expect my russian’s blue culture to come back positive in two weeks though because he still has two small bald spots with no signs of hair growth, but at least his PCR is negative, which means his ringworm level isn’t high at the moment.
 

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Oh so it might not actually mean that they have ringworm then? Let me know how the most recent culture that you retook turns out! good luck

All three of my cats PCR test came back negative!
This is not diagnostic that they are in the clear at all, but does let me know that the situation is in control now.
the negative PCR test either means that the cats have no ringworm on them at all OR the level of ringworm isn’t high enough to be detected. Both situation, I am okay with because it’s improvement from last month.

Their fungal culture will be out in two weeks. In the meantime, I will still be giving pulse dosing of itrafungol (they start again tomorrow) and will still do twice weekly like sulfur baths and disinfection just in case they end up growing a culture of ringworm in two weeks.

I do expect my russian’s blue culture to come back positive in two weeks though because he still has two small bald spots with no signs of hair growth, but at least his PCR is negative, which means his ringworm level isn’t high at the moment.
VIv, all 3 negative PCR! That’s great! So glad for you, and them. I don’t know how to direct messages to people the way you do. Oh, I just figured it out. vivibebean vivibebean 😊
Yes, I’ve read that ringworm can manifest in different ways. I’m super surprised Merlin isn’t having a relapse. Gosh, I’d already stored so much away! Threw out pillows and a rug, plus a short scratching post. Oh well. Still, sooo relieved.

Unknown why he lost all the hair on his ears!

S Sandy7272 It is SO stressful. A neighbor a couple of blocks away was encouraging to me during the first round. She got a new kitten who had it and gave it to her dog. She said, “Our household got through it, and you can too.” Of course, it helps a lot that she was retired.

Well, my house is cleaner than it has ever been, LOL! I regularly think about you both and send positive energy that these difficult stages end soon.

i’m in Philadelphia, and it is hot hot hot. I agree, the fall is so nice. I also actually really like winter. Summers get hotter every year. ☹

S Sandy7272 Educate us what the two colors mean.
 

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vivibebean vivibebean Also, 80-hr per week job! Good thing he left, before he dropped dead. Put a vacuum in his hand. 😁
Your plan sounds great; that is what I was doing, mapping out a weekly cleaning plan. — “For me, I think I will still continue to keep my cats in their own kernels until I get two straight negative fungal cultures which is about 6 weeks from now. Will probably vaccum twice daily still and probably just disinfect once weekly if their first fungal culture comes back negative in three weeks. Since it’s, still pending now, I’ll disinfect twice weekly still.”
 

vivibebean

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VIv, all 3 negative PCR! That’s great! So glad for you, and them. I don’t know how to direct messages to people the way you do. Oh, I just figured it out. vivibebean vivibebean 😊
Yes, I’ve read that ringworm can manifest in different ways. I’m super surprised Merlin isn’t having a relapse. Gosh, I’d already stored so much away! Threw out pillows and a rug, plus a short scratching post. Oh well. Still, sooo relieved.

Unknown why he lost all the hair on his ears!

S Sandy7272 It is SO stressful. A neighbor a couple of blocks away was encouraging to me during the first round. She got a new kitten who had it and gave it to her dog. She said, “Our household got through it, and you can too.” Of course, it helps a lot that she was retired.

Well, my house is cleaner than it has ever been, LOL! I regularly think about you both and send positive energy that these difficult stages end soon.

i’m in Philadelphia, and it is hot hot hot. I agree, the fall is so nice. I also actually really like winter. Summers get hotter every year. ☹

S Sandy7272 Educate us what the two colors mean.
J JacquieM how long more until your culture comes back?
Hopefully all three of us will be offfically free from ringworm soon…
 

vivibebean

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It’s back: no ringworm! 🎉
That’s great to hear :)

My cats ringworm culture will be back this week. I hope it is negative. But even if it is negative, I have a feeling their next ringworm culture will come back positive. It’s just living with ringworm for the last 11 months makes me feel like I will never ever ever be able to escape from it. For example, even my poofy ragdoll seems like she a tiny loss of fur on her ear right now… probably just from scratching because her nails are long, but ringworm really did destroy my mentality.

My Russian blue fur is growing back on all his previous bald spots, but now has a new tiny loss of fur on his ears similar to my ragdoll.
Hope you guys will be ringworm free forever!
I’ll try to join you guys one dayyyy
 

JacquieM

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That’s great to hear :)

My cats ringworm culture will be back this week. I hope it is negative. But even if it is negative, I have a feeling their next ringworm culture will come back positive. It’s just living with ringworm for the last 11 months makes me feel like I will never ever ever be able to escape from it. For example, even my poofy ragdoll seems like she a tiny loss of fur on her ear right now… probably just from scratching because her nails are long, but ringworm really did destroy my mentality.

My Russian blue fur is growing back on all his previous bald spots, but now has a new tiny loss of fur on his ears similar to my ragdoll.
Hope you guys will be ringworm free forever!
I’ll try to join you guys one dayyyy
I really feel your distress. I was super distressed when I thought it was back for the second time, and I launched into a massive house cleaning and storage operation. Just keep in mind that not all hair loss is ringworm; I’m still so surprised that Merlin’s hairless ears are due to some other, benign skin condition. I’m not saying there isn’t ringworm present among your pets — You know there is from the cultures. Just that based on my recent experience, we anxiously think that every skin aberration is ringworm, and surprise! (to me anyway) it may not be. Does that help you feel better, and bring you some hope? I mean for me, every mark on his skin, every bump, every scratch — I anxiously thought, “Ringworm!“

I mean no wonder your mentality has been harmed! I am sending really strong wishes your way that this situation ceases for you. You’re doing everything right. Is your Derm vet positive and encouraging about good outcomes soon?

I am thinking of you! 💙💜💙
 

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Glad to hear you are going to have help! It is such a commitment to do a thorough job. The white colony grew before the red began. I’m watching very closely because if I’m reading and understanding correctly the colony starts and color change at the same time. I found pictures and information on pennvet.com. Took another culture from my yorkie who had two small lesions previously. No green spores that I can see on any of my pets. Called another vet who has a fairly new practice and was told she is not accepting any new clients. My cats last dose of intrafungal was the first week of May. Everyone there is scratching I’m concerned still!!! Take care 😊
Hi Sandy 👋🏼 Is all well with you?
 

vivibebean

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I really feel your distress. I was super distressed when I thought it was back for the second time, and I launched into a massive house cleaning and storage operation. Just keep in mind that not all hair loss is ringworm; I’m still so surprised that Merlin’s hairless ears are due to some other, benign skin condition. I’m not saying there isn’t ringworm present among your pets — You know there is from the cultures. Just that based on my recent experience, we anxiously think that every skin aberration is ringworm, and surprise! (to me anyway) it may not be. Does that help you feel better, and bring you some hope? I mean for me, every mark on his skin, every bump, every scratch — I anxiously thought, “Ringworm!“

I mean no wonder your mentality has been harmed! I am sending really strong wishes your way that this situation ceases for you. You’re doing everything right. Is your Derm vet positive and encouraging about good outcomes soon?

I am thinking of you! 💙💜💙
haven’t been talking to the dermatology vet as much just because theculture is still pending :) will follow up with the dermatologist more when it comes back.
Did the vet say what particular skin condition they think Merlin has?
how is his ear now? Sitll fur less or growing back?
thank you for the support!
I will try to keep the “living with ringworm is my destiny” thought out 😆
 
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Sandy7272

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So glad to hear it’s not ringworm👏👏👏
I also am watching my pets scratch and rub on something and all I can think is ringworm. I know they scratched before or rubbed and I wasn’t even aware of ringworm before on animals. I’m still vacuuming a lot and wiping down with disinfectant wipes more frequently on surfaces. I look for hair loss or any type of change or possible lesion constantly. I had taken new cultures and watched closely. No sign of ringworm developing. Yet, I know I am not a vet! Positive thoughts being sent with this message and an end to ringworm 🤞
 

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all three of my cats first culture was done on 6/25 and all three came back negative on 7/13!
shockingly... i expected at least one to come back positive.

On side note, my russian blue's old bald spots are all slowly growing back fur.
however, he did develop one small bald spot on the ear on 7/9- 7/10. approximately 2 weeks after the fungal culture was taken.

i would like to think that the new bald spot isn't ringworm since it does take a while for the symptoms to actually appear which means that his fungal culture done on 6/25 wouldve came back positive instead negative.
will be bringing the cats back in to the vet on 7/18 for second fungal culture. hoping his new bald spot is due to stress...


S Sandy7272 how long has it been since your pets have been released from quarantine?
i think you are in the clear!
congrats!

J JacquieM
Can you show me a picture of merlin's ear? and let me know if the vet suggested what his loss of fur on the ear could be since the culture came back negative. did his ear grow back fur?
 

JacquieM

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all three of my cats first culture was done on 6/25 and all three came back negative on 7/13!
shockingly... i expected at least one to come back positive.

On side note, my russian blue's old bald spots are all slowly growing back fur.
however, he did develop one small bald spot on the ear on 7/9- 7/10. approximately 2 weeks after the fungal culture was taken.

i would like to think that the new bald spot isn't ringworm since it does take a while for the symptoms to actually appear which means that his fungal culture done on 6/25 wouldve came back positive instead negative.
will be bringing the cats back in to the vet on 7/18 for second fungal culture. hoping his new bald spot is due to stress...


S Sandy7272 how long has it been since your pets have been released from quarantine?
i think you are in the clear!
congrats!

J JacquieM
Can you show me a picture of merlin's ear? and let me know if the vet suggested what his loss of fur on the ear could be since the culture came back negative. did his ear grow back fur?
All three cultures negative! Hooray!
Let me see if I have a picture of merlins ears. I think so much hair has grown back now that a current picture wouldn’t tell you much.
The vet doesn’t know what it is. She didn’t know what it was when her own cat experienced the same thing. Every spring!
 

JacquieM

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all three of my cats first culture was done on 6/25 and all three came back negative on 7/13!
shockingly... i expected at least one to come back positive.

On side note, my russian blue's old bald spots are all slowly growing back fur.
however, he did develop one small bald spot on the ear on 7/9- 7/10. approximately 2 weeks after the fungal culture was taken.

i would like to think that the new bald spot isn't ringworm since it does take a while for the symptoms to actually appear which means that his fungal culture done on 6/25 wouldve came back positive instead negative.
will be bringing the cats back in to the vet on 7/18 for second fungal culture. hoping his new bald spot is due to stress...


S Sandy7272 how long has it been since your pets have been released from quarantine?
i think you are in the clear!
congrats!

J JacquieM
Can you show me a picture of merlin's ear? and let me know if the vet suggested what his loss of fur on the ear could be since the culture came back negative. did his ear grow back fur?
Got one.
 

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