Homevet

Ringworm is a common skin infection in cats and the feline species seem much more susceptible to this type of skin infecton than dogs. It’s easily spread between cats and is more common to emerge in cats under some kind of mild stress such as moving house or in a multi-pet household.

The ringworm in cats condition, is infact also contageous and zoonotic which means that it can spread easily to other pets and even people. Mostly people would need to be immunocompromised to have any problem with teh condition, although its fairly easy for children to catch the skin disorder from pets.

What does it look like?

Typical skin lesions are discrete, roughly circular areas of hair loss, particularly on the head, ears or legs. The hairs surrounding affected areas may be missing or broken, and the skin can be red or scabby.

Whats the cause of Ringworm in cats?

Ringworm in cats is an infection caused by a particular type of fungus that has the ability to grow on the skin, and actually use the superficial layers of the skin, hair or nails as a food source. Collectively the fungi able to do this are termed ‘dermatophytes’. This fungus can last in the environment for months and flourishes in the humid environment in Hong Kong.

Testing for Ringworm in cats:

Fungal culture of hairs using a special fungal culture medium is the most reliable way of diagnosing infection. In addition, this’ Dermatophyte test’ enables the species of dermatophyte to be identified. Unforunately it’s not an instant test and takes 2-12 days normally to achieve a definitive result.

Treatment with Housecalls

Homevet Pet Housecall Services brings compassionate veterinary care to your home to alleviate the stress of traveling for you and your cat.  There are no barking dogs, and there’s no long wait in the lobby of a pet hospital.  Our veterinary team has many years of experience working with cats, and when cats are in their home, they usually are much better patients without the stress of a clinic. This means we can easily get the hair pluck samples we need without stress, and can perform diagnostics and treatment quickly for conditions like this.