When people decide to have a pet, a feline pet for example, We must not forget our responsibilities with the new inhabitant of the House. Apart from giving affection and good nutrition, they needed the sanitary controls.The veterinarian desparasitará our pet and confirm that it is free from any disease.
Even so, Although our cat live indoors and have all the necessary care for a good development and growth, cats can suffer from certain medical conditions, including dermatophytosis, considered as a zoonosis. The dermatophytosis, scientific name of the popularly-known as feline ringworm, It is a dermatological reaction that affects a large number of animals. However, is the cat which more risk It has become infected and transmit it more easily.
What is ringworm?
Dermatophytosis is a infection by fungi. This evil has been associated with three types of different fungi, but only one of them is responsible for producing this disease, Microsporum canis. This keratinized tissue fungal infestation affects nails, hair and skin. Dermatophytes can not live in areas swollen and where there is hair, Therefore it is common to observe areas without hair in the cats that suffer from this disease.
The environmental conditions in which the cat live, along with your State immune, help develop the disease. The lack of hygiene, heat, the lack of sunlight with malnutrition, the existence of parasites or the stress in the animal are factors that can cause the cat to suffer for dermatophytosis.
You know the symptoms
The symptoms the following are most common appreciated in the animal: biting and scratching the affected area, skin problems and scaling, focal alopecia or widespread and continuous licking of the cat on the parties concerned by the dermatophyte. These behaviours worsen the disease, Since extends it to other areas of the body that remained healthy.
The most common sections in which are located the injury they are the ears and extremities, Although it would not be strange that they should occur in any other part of the body. Sometimes, the infection affects also nails, symptom that is known by the name of Onychomycosis; We called this because we see them broken or brittle. Another type of manifestation is the so-called e.g., skin nodules which present severe pain in the area.
How is it diagnosed?
When the veterinarian inspect the cat shall be given, aside from injuries, If the feline could suffer another tort that it was causing ringworm or Tinea. Kittens may appear the problem due to poor nutrition and a little or no parasite control, While in adult cats the presence of fungi indicates something important and serious, Since diseases like leukemia or immunodeficiency should be considered.
Apart from observing the ailments, the veterinarian must use two methods to check the State in which the animal is. The most effective is the crop of hair and nails: is the most expensive, but it is definitive and reliable. It takes approximately ten days to get the results and issue a diagnostic. The problem presented is the slow crop, as in that interval of time, ringworm can be extended or even the animal may have infected another animal or person.
The other test, It is called 'Wood's lamp', is a type of lighting It uses ultraviolet light. When is an area of the scalp infected with tina under Wood's lamp, the fungus shines (fluorescent). This test is done to detect the presence of a infestation in the scalp or skin.
A lengthy treatment
To treat ringworm of the cat, aside from injuries, will take into account the age CAT, diseases you may have, your immune system and if there is risk of infection to humans or other animals.
The first procedure for the tub while we wait for the diagnostic is the topical. They are local cleaning of the affected area, with products such as povidone-iodine or gentian violet. It is antiseptic products, anti-infective and antifungal agents, used to disinfect and cure any skin condition.
You can also use ointments or emulsions to stop ringworm, avoiding having to resort to more aggressive treatments.
Oral treatments are much more toxic and aggressive for the organism of our cat. They consist of several medications that, in any case, they must be prescribed by a veterinary specialist. We must remember that we should not give our pets drugs that have not been prescribed because the consequences can be very serious. Respecting Veterinary indications, We'll see how after a period of post clinical cure, our cat is responding to treatment.
Beware zoonosis
The tub is one of the few feline diseases transmitted to the man. Individuals of higher risk are people with a depressed immune or immature immune system, for this reason, that old people and children are the most conducive to the spread of dermatophytosis.
In order to avoid this dangerous situation, We present some Tips practical:
The first.- Suspected of a sick cat by fungi, is essential to bring it to the Veterinary to make him a medical study.
Second.- We will have to caution at the time of manipulate the animal and will have to exercise this caution in the case of elderly people or children, In addition to having good hygiene.
Third party.- Once diagnosed our cat with ringworm, shielding the cat from the rest of the animals in the House.
Room.- The person performing the priests must have a strict hygiene: use gloves for cures and wash hands with povidone-iodine to handle the sick animal. Also, the remains of hairs or scales skin should be burned and all utensils should be disinfected.
Fifth.- Is not necessary to remove the cat's House if there are no susceptible persons to the contagion. Only we have to avoid touching the animal too until it begins to respond to treatment.
Sixth.- As we have before, hygiene is essential. Will be passed the vacuum cleaner daily to remove any hairs that may have traces of infected mushroom spores.
Seventh.- To finish, Remember that, though the cat seems cured, We should not delete the treatment up to two weeks after, Since the problem could recur.