photo credit: The White Wolves
Learning how to treat ringworm in dogs starts with realizing that it is not just humans who can get infected by ringworm. Even dogs, cats and other animals are susceptible to this disease. Ringworm is a fungal infection and is highly contagious. It is easily transmitted from humans to pets and vice versa. It is prudent to know the symptoms of ringworm, if you have pets at home. Below are a few tips that will show you how to treat ringworm in dogs the right way.
Characteristics of Ringworm in Dogs
In humans the ringworm infections manifest as a circular rash, like a ring, on the skin and are easily recognizable. In dogs and other animals, it is difficult to identify as it may not occur as a circular rash, like in humans. Usually if a dog has ringworm infection, you can find a small round lesion that has no hair in that area. The fungus normally resides in the hair follicles which make the hair brittle and break off exposing the skin. This fairly circular patch of hairless skin may also look reddened or inflamed and scaly. You will notice the dog itching persistently, in this area. Itching can spread the infection easily to other parts of the body. Even in humans itching spreads the infection. Blankets and bedding that are being used by the pet can also spread the infection.
Talk to Your Vet
It is best to consult your vet, if you think your dog has ringworm. Your vet may use the Wood’s Lamp method, by looking at the skin using a special ultraviolet light or by taking a scraping of the skin from the lesion to do a culture in a lab, to diagnose if the dog has ringworm. The lab test normally takes a week or two to make a correct diagnosis. Your vet can, then, recommend a treatment. Quite a few treatments are available to cure your dog of this infection. They are all fairly simple but you need to be patient.
Implement Some Serious Treatment
The normal gestation period for ringworm is ten days after being exposed to the fungus. Once diagnosed, you must seriously treat the infection to completely eliminate it; otherwise it may lead to re-infection. The vet may prescribe medication, creams or shampoos as part of the treatment. Follow the vet’s instructions faithfully. With creams you have to be careful as the dog may lick it off. Antifungal shampoos seem the most effective as they remove the fungal spores from the hair and are uniformly applied all over the body surface. Repeated shampoo bath helps to cure the infection.
Disinfect Everything…and We Mean Everything
To eliminate the fungus, it is not enough to treat just the dog. You need to disinfect the house and the articles that have come in contact with the dog, like the bedding and the kennel. The bedding must be washed daily with hot water and a bleach solution. Avoid close contact with the dog during the infection. It is also advisable to use antifungal shampoo on the other pets, if any, even if they do not show any symptoms. You cannot afford to be careless in treating the ringworm infection as the spores, if not eliminated will remain active to re-infect.