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What is Ringworm?
Despite it's name, ringworm is not actually a worm, it is a fungal infection. It is also zoonotic, which means it can be passed between animals and people, as well as the home environment.
Ringworm is not dangerous, painful or medically significant but can be difficult to fully eradicate unless intensive efforts are employed. Ringworm presents in different ways, in mild cases, it can just look like redness of the skin or even dandruff. In severe cases, it can spread all over the cat's body causing scaly bald patches and itchiness. Typical infections are usually limited to small lesions, usually on the cat's head, ears or legs. In humans it is easily treated with a topical antifungal cream. In animals, however, this treatment method is often unsuccessful.
Ringworm treatment, in both humans and animals, takes 3 - 4 weeks on average. Because ringworm is easily transmissible between animals, humans and the environment, it needs to be tackled from multiple sides.
The most effective way to combat ringworm is using a multi-pronged approach, and the key to ridding yourself, your pets, your home and environment from ringworm is commitment to undertaking regular cleaning and bathing. Our aim here is to treat the animal, as well as treating the environment to prevent re-infection.
How is Ringworm Transmitted?
Ringworm transmission occurs by direct contact with the spores, or by touching contaminated objects and surfaces. Infected animals are constantly shedding ringworm spores, which is why your home and clothes need to be disinfected multiple times.
We recommend quarantining the ringworm pet into a non-carpeted room, for the duration of the treatment period. A room such as a laundry or bathroom is best, due to limited and easy-to-clean furnishings. Keep in mind that ringworm spores are airborne, so confining a cat to a crate won't help.
Time is of the essence. Reducing the number of ringworm spores on your cats and in your household can stop them from invading new spaces.
The First Prong: Medical Treatment
Oral medication is to be given daily with a meal for the duration prescribed by your Veterinarian. If a dose is missed, do not double up on the next dose. Simply give the next dose when it is due. If you are pregnant or intending to fall pregnant, please wear gloves when giving medication.
The Second Prong: Antifungal Bath
Austrazole is an anti-fungal wash and is used to bathe the infected animal.
Prepare the Austrazole (antifungal wash) according to the label on the bottle (20ml Austrazole to 1L warm water). Best use is in a spray bottle, but you can also mix it into a bucket and sponge it over the body, while avoiding the head area. The antifungal bath is a very important part of ringworm treatment, so please do not skip this. You'll need to bathe your pet every three to four days.
Leave your pet to air dry in their cat carrier after the bath as the wash is meant to be left on without being rinsed off. While they are air-drying, you can clean the quarantine room. We recommend using an e-collar while they are drying to prevent them from trying to clean themselves after the bath.
The Third Prong: Cleaning the Environment
While the animal is air-drying, this is an ideal time to tackle the third prong, and clean the environment. If you are putting your animal back into the enviroment without cleaning, then they will just be getting reinfected.
If possible, all animal bedding can be washed in the washing machine, with both an anti-fungal detergent such as Canesten or Dettol (both found at the grocery store), as well as laundry detergent, on a hot wash. The UV rays from the sun are excellent spore killers, so hang the washing out to dry in the sun if able.
Your furniture, covering them with lightweight bed sheets which can easily be washed and dried to be cleaned.
All bowls, trays, and toys must be cleaned with disinfectant (bleach diluted 1:10 to 1:32 is great, but you can also use Glen-20 or any other disinfectant that’s designed to kill fungal spores).
The walls, doors etc of the quarantine area will also need to be disinfected regularly. Vacuum as needed, then wipe down the walls and any shelving and scrub the floors.
Disinfection is important, but the most important part of cleaning a ringworm quarantine room is the actual physical scrubbing action. It is not enough to spray disinfectant and leave it; you must also wipe it away. If you spray and leave, the spores stay where they are. If you spray and wipe, the spores are gone.
Do be mindful of the spores that you may be tracking out of the quarantine area and around the house. Ringworm spores can live 12-20 months in the environment. When entering the quarantine room, it is best to have a different set of clothes and shoes to wear (or a protective apron, booties etc). Discard heavily exposed items such as scratching posts that cannot be easily washed or disinfected.
Make sure your cats and other pets do not come in contact with your cleaning products, which might be toxic. Rinse floors and other surfaces with plain water to keep everyone safe.
This is a Kitten Lady video on ringworm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j0-11kPQHqA
Ringworm may seem like a lot of hard work to rid yourself from, but once you get in to the habit of it, the decontamination process won't take much time at all, and we are always here if you need advice!
Sources: https://thecatsite.com/c/ringworm-in-cats/
http://www.kittenlady.org/ringworm