Cat owners are usually afraid that their pet will not catch lichen somewhere. And although there are many varieties of this disease, cats most often have ringworm - a very unpleasant infectious disease that can be transmitted not only to another animal living in the house, but also to humans. Now, of course, you can buy any ointment for lichen, but treating this disease is still quite difficult.
Ringworm - what is it?
This is an infectious disease caused by dermatomycetes. Ringworm is dangerous because it does not appear immediately. From the moment of infection to the appearance of the first signs of the disease, up to three months can pass. The disease manifests itself in the form of small round spots, on which wool is practically absent. Then they grow, and if you do not start applying ointment from lichen in time, they occupy a very large surface.
The first spots may appear on the ears or paws, on the tail, or may on the face. The superficial form of the disease passes and is treated more easily, just an ointment for lichen that a veterinarian will prescribe will do. The most dangerous is the deep form. It is she who is more common in older animals and small kittens. There is another form - atypical. With it, rare hairs can remain on the affected areas, so it is easy to confuse it with the usual abrasion or scuff.
So the animal must be examined by a qualified veterinarian: ringworm is not so easy to diagnose.
Where does ringworm come from?
Even a kitten who has never gone outside can become infected with this unpleasant disease. We bring all kinds of microorganisms into the house with shoes. If the kitten is weak, then it may well not cope with the attack of mushrooms. But most often, of course, the infection comes from stray animals in close contact, so if the pet walks freely, then the likelihood of illness is quite high. In this case, you need to take care of the appropriate vaccinations against fungal infections and visit the veterinarian more often. After all, it’s easier to do prevention than to rub ointment from lichen every day.
How to recognize ringworm?
As already mentioned, lichen ointment in cats is easy to obtain, but ringworm is much more difficult to recognize “by eye”. Only in veterinary clinics there are special devices. When the affected areas are illuminated with a Wood lamp (a special ultraviolet lamp), they begin to glow slightly with a characteristic emerald green light. But this does not guarantee an accurate result. One hundred percent diagnosis is possible only after a laboratory study of scraping from the affected area. Only then can the doctor prescribe the right treatment.
How to treat ringworm?
Now it is difficult to imagine that once sick with world sporia (ringworm), animals had to be euthanized (by law). Today, there are such drugs that quite successfully cope with this disease. For prophylaxis, animals are vaccinated, treated with new-generation antibiotics, outwardly sore spots are treated with antifungal ointments, powders, etc. There is a special ointment for ringworm (for example, sulfuric or zinc, ointment "Yam", cream "Sanoderm", etc.) The veterinarian will prescribe a comprehensive course, after which the animal will become completely healthy.
What should the owner do?
It is necessary to cut the hair around the affected area. Appearing crusts soften, for example, with a soap solution, and then grease the spots with iodine or brilliant green. All crusts and everything that came into contact with the sore spot should be burned and the premises should be sanitized regularly.
It is desirable that the sick animal be isolated. At least, it is necessary to somehow limit the area of its habitat. After all, everything that affected a sick animal for many years will remain a source of infection if it is not properly processed. Is it possible to be sure that every centimeter is disinfected? When processing infected surfaces and during procedures, gloves must be on hand.