Saturday, September 10, 2005

Cat's ringworm will take some aggressive treatment to eradicate

By Duane Kimmey

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Dear Dr. Kimmey: We have a healthy 2-year-old short-haired cat. About 8 months ago, he got two lesions on his ears which were diagnosed as ringworm and were successfully treated with a prescription topical cream.

The vet also cultured his fur and determined that he was a ringworm carrier. He recommended oral treatments because ringworm is so contagious. Since the oral meds pose health risks, are expensive and involve several trips to the vet for monitoring and follow-up, we hope to avoid them if possible.

The cat has not had any lesions since his diagnosis, and neither of us has gotten ringworm. Searches on the Internet don't clearly indicate whether cats can overcome ringworm carrier status without oral treatment. Can you clarify?

S.W. Birmingham

Dear S.W.: Because of the health risk of you contracting ringworm from your cat, topical and oral treatment is recommended. Though he is a carrier, to achieve complete eradication of the organism it is recommended that the cat and environment be addressed aggressively.

It is very expensive to treat ringworm. The cat should be shaved, bathed one to two times a week with chlorhexidine, ketoconazole, or miconazole shampoos, and treated with topical antifungal agents. Topical treatment will help in the prevention of environmental contamination and spread of local infection.

The environment should be treated. The fungal spores may remain viable on the hair in the environment up to 18 months. Vacuum at least once a week and discard the bag after each use. Steam clean the carpet. Furniture and ducts should be cleaned and vacuumed. Floors, litter boxes, toys, cages, etc. should be cleaned once a week with bleach diluted 1:10 with water. Treatment should last at least four to six weeks and then two weeks beyond clinical cure. You should have two to three negative fungal cultures at weekly intervals.

Try the topical and environmental treatment, but if there isn't any resolution, you will need to implement oral treatment with the topical.

Duane A. Kimmey, D.V.M., is owner of North Metro Veterinary Hospital LLC, 20021 Greenfield Road, Detroit. Questions can be sent to drkimmey@northmetrovet.com or PETS, Features Department, The Detroit News, 615 W. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit, MI 48226.