Ringworm.
That’s a scary word for rescues and people alike.
After assisting with a case of animal hoarding, it’s something we’ve been personally dealing with for a few months now. Affected cats are isolated, medicated, closely monitored and have the joy of getting twice weekly lime sulfur dips (the stinky stuff).
But what really is ringworm?
We promise it’s not as scary or daunting as it might seem! Let’s talk about it.
Contrary to its name, ringworm is not a worm at all: it’s a common fungal condition that affects the skin, hair and nails of an animal (or human). It can present as a red, raised “ring” on the skin, or as crusty, dry patches with hair loss. Sometimes it doesn’t even present symptoms at all! Some animals can even act as carriers for the fungal spores. This may sound frightening, but with the correct treatment and some patience, it can easily be beaten.
So, why is ringworm such a big issue right now?
Ringworm loves to thrive in wet, warm, and humid environments. Unfortunately, summertime in Florida offers the perfect conditions for it to cultivate. Since a lot of the cats, kittens and dogs in our program come from outside, there’s a higher chance for them to contact it, and ringworm can spread quickly. This is why it’s important for us to isolate and start treatment the second we spot a suspicious patch. We’re very thankful to have a dedicated vet and vet tech on our team that are great at diagnosing the condition for us, and advising us on the best course of treatment.
Ringworm is most often diagnosed through use of a woods lamp or a blacklight (certain strains glow!), as well as a fungal culture. A fungal culture involves plucking hairs from an animal suspected to have ringworm, placing the hairs in a petri dish filled with a nutrient gel, and checking the sample daily for fungal growth. Treatment can include topical creams, oral medications, and medicated baths or lime sulfur dips. Also, using veterinary-grade cleaners such as Rescue or a bleach dilution to disinfect everything that the animal touches ensures that the area remains spotless (or sporeless) and sparkly-clean.
But what does ringworm mean for us as a rescue?
To start off, we see ringworm more in cats than dogs. Unfortunately, ringworm means that we have less space to work with as we isolate cats in certain rooms of our building that could otherwise be used to house more incoming cats. Our intake program slows down due to lack of healthy space, and it can take weeks for the affected cats to be cleared. Some shelters will euthanize animals due to ringworm. LCHS does not euthanize for this treatable condition, but it does put us in a tricky spot as we wait for cats to recover while the requests for help continue to come in. Right now, we are constantly cleaning and have updated some of our protocols to help limit the spread and kill the spores. In fact, we just did another deep clean of our building–we love our volunteers who came out to help us!
So, how can you help? Fostering!
Being in a lower stress environment like a foster home can actually help speed up the recovery process: we’re talking a recovery period of 2-3 weeks compared to 6 weeks! A spare bathroom or an easy-to-clean kennel is the perfect place for cats to recover while in a home, and distance from other affected cats means odds of reinfection are much lower. With the proper cleaning and treatment, it clears up in no time! We love that our fosters were able to step up and help us take the healthy cats out of our building so they wouldn’t be affected. Thank you fosters!
What about people?
Ringworm is also known as “Athlete’s foot,” which can generally be easily treated with an over-the-counter antifungal ointment. While ringworm is contagious, using gloves and protective gear (that we’ll provide you with) while interacting with the animal can help limit the possibility of transmission. People with suppressed immune systems, children, and the elderly are at a higher risk for transmission, so limiting the contact of the affected animal with these individuals is important. But to be blunt: ringworm can be contacted by stepping in a warm puddle, wearing wet shoes, or using a public shower. With an animal, as long as you’re taking the proper precautions and keeping up with cleaning and laundry, there’s a chance you’ll never even get it.
So why are we talking about this now?
Well, we want to educate the general public over something that sounds scary, but really isn’t. We would describe ringworm more as annoying or frustrating at times, but never something we would shy away from when it comes to helping an animal in need; especially when we’re rewarded with purrs, wagging tails, or kisses.
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