cat bald patch (ringworm)

IMPORTANT: If your cat is in any distress or discomfort, please consult your own vet as your first priority.
Post Reply
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

My cat nans , developed a bald patch devoid of hair on the side of the neck , the vet examined her and said it was a ringworm infection at an early stage and limited to one place .

he prescribed a local antifungal cream called terbinafine , and he will examine her again after 10 days .

i made her a diy sock sweater to stop her from licking the patch or scratching her neck .

so what to expect here ?! how long will it take to treat her ?! any advices ?! i only disinfect my hand after applying the cream .

also i noticed that the cat started to scratch her neck excessively after wearing the diy sock , i also applied a russian antiflea med the same day , so what do you think about the cause of the neck pruritis ?!

i also don't know where did she get the fungal ringworm infection from ?! she is an indoor cat ??!!! the last visit to the vet was like 2 months ago , was it the vet's visit is the one where she acquired the infection ?! i made a bleach spray and disinfected the places were she like to sleep too

but still i have a hunch that this might be an allergic reaction to fleas , but i didn't see her scratching at all prior to the patch discovery ??!!

note : my cat is over 16 years old , diabetic , thyrotoxic and has a breast cancer
User avatar
Mollycat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2705
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: UK

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by Mollycat »

Hello again Mustafa, Nans certainly has a whole little medical book doesn't she!

I don't know about a russian flea treatment, can you find out from google what the active ingredient is?

I'm reading that ringworm in cats usually self-resolves after 2-4 months, but on the other hand it can be serious. Did the vet take a culture or check for fluorescence? Because hyperthyroidism can cause skin irritation, and together with an uncertain flea treatment who knows!

As for fleas, you won't see fleas unless they have just landed or there is a huge infestation. What's called a flea allergy is often simple overload. To check, put Nans on a white surface, paper is ideal. Comb through some of her fur or ruffle her fur or something until you get black specks on the paper. Then put a small drop of water on some of the black bits and stir, flea poop will give off a little bit of red, dust and dirt won't.
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

yup she does molly :D , she is getting pretty old my sweet nans , but thanks god she is not in pain or suffering from much more severe diseases .

i will try to figure the anti flea med name , the pet store only delivered a small ampoule with only russian written over it .

the vet used an UV lamp , he asked if we wanted to take a sample for labs but that will cost a hefty much more sum and in the end treatment will be the same and most probably it will be ringworm too so we refused .

as to the fleas issue , we usually used the anti-flea revolution med every 1-3 months or even 6 months , she doesn't have an infestation but sometimes we can spot one every while or his traces (black specs) , she did had previous itching episodes on an annual basis that was thought to be due to fleas or allergy , and resolved on anti allergic injection and revolution topical application , but i didn't figure yet the specific cause this time since it could be the diy sock or allergy or the ringworm or the fleas or the russian anti flea med , ( i don't like the russian flea med but it was the only one available , i tried it before and i didn't like the results ) .

i will wait for 10 days and re-evaluate the situation after the sock removal
IMG_20210115_212112_compress84.jpg
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

the russian anti-flea agent is called bars .

i tried it before and i didn't like it , i don't remember why exactly but i guess it didn't work efficiently as the revolution one .


Screenshot_20210115_221649_compress74.jpg
User avatar
fjm
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1675
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2017 6:11 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: North West England

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by fjm »

Was the bald spot in the same area as the flea drops were applied? If so, I would suspect a reaction to some ingredient in the spot-on; if not it is possibly simply coincidence. Pippin-cat reacts very badly to spot-on treatments and to surgical spirit - it starts with redness and hair loss and develops into a sore, red, weeping wound that can take months to heal. I have learned to avoid spot-on drops (he gets an injection to resolve flea issues when necessary), and to ask the vets to flush with a copious warm water rinse if the skin is wiped with surgical spirit for blood tests.
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

fjm wrote: Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:37 pm Was the bald spot in the same area as the flea drops were applied? If so, I would suspect a reaction to some ingredient in the spot-on; if not it is possibly simply coincidence. Pippin-cat reacts very badly to spot-on treatments and to surgical spirit - it starts with redness and hair loss and develops into a sore, red, weeping wound that can take months to heal. I have learned to avoid spot-on drops (he gets an injection to resolve flea issues when necessary), and to ask the vets to flush with a copious warm water rinse if the skin is wiped with surgical spirit for blood tests.
no the spot appeared before the anti flea appication and in different place , they are not related , the bald spot happened over her left shoulder joint , while the flea med applied later inbetween shoulder blades

what i meant that the itching started after application of the flea med , and i cannot figure the cause exactly , might be the ringworm or allergic reaction to flea or the diy sock material ??!!

that itching is troubling me more than the ringworm infection itself because it always end in a more severe situation were she will injury herself causing more itching and a entering a vicious cycle

i lost a cat before due to allergic itching that caused a neck wound and the cat didn't stop licking the wound till she became severely anemic and her heart couldn't withstand extra iv fluids with vitamins and she died at the vet clinic .
User avatar
Mollycat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2705
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: UK

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by Mollycat »

Nans is so beautiful, and so funny with her sock! Do you give her some time every day with the sock off? I ask because keeping a bandage on all the time can make damp conditions in which bacteria, fungi and infection thrive. Obviously we don't want that.

So the bald patch appeared first but was not itching, then after the flea treatment then the itching started? It's very understandable that you are so worried about the itching after what happened before. Also it's difficult to think what could soothe the itching because anything you put on it could also react. Could you look into whether antihistamine could be given? I have no idea on which ones or what dosage though.

16 is a good age, especially to be as healthy as Nans is when vets don't see to be high priority. But she has the very best care with you, I love the way you talk about her, she is obviously so special.
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

Mollycat wrote: Sat Jan 16, 2021 7:24 am Nans is so beautiful, and so funny with her sock! Do you give her some time every day with the sock off? I ask because keeping a bandage on all the time can make damp conditions in which bacteria, fungi and infection thrive. Obviously we don't want that.

So the bald patch appeared first but was not itching, then after the flea treatment then the itching started? It's very understandable that you are so worried about the itching after what happened before. Also it's difficult to think what could soothe the itching because anything you put on it could also react. Could you look into whether antihistamine could be given? I have no idea on which ones or what dosage though.

16 is a good age, especially to be as healthy as Nans is when vets don't see to be high priority. But she has the very best care with you, I love the way you talk about her, she is obviously so special.
thanks molly , you have always been of tremendous help to nans and i appreciate it 🥰 .

i agree with you , i just infromed the the vet and he prescribed an oral antihistaminic , and i will replace the sock by a a recovery collar after 2 days from starting the allergy treatment .

he also adviced against the "bars" flea treatment and that it might be the cause behind the allergy .
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

removed the diy sock yesterday to replace it with a recovery collar , but too bad i found a 2nd bald patch beneath it and it is waaaay bigger .

apparently it caught the infection before applying the sock , i have no doubt it now it is a ringworm fungal infection not just allergy .

the 1st patch also is getting bigger despite the 4-5 days of topical lamisil .

also with no sock sweater the risk of spreading the fungal spores is much more , specially she likes to sleep on our beds on the coozy warm blankets , i can't lock her in a room too as she likes to roam the whole house and she doesn't like locked doors lol .

i will talk to the vet later today to inform him about the 2nd patch and the possibility of adding an oral antifungal if it is gonna help , but don't know whether a geriatric cat can endure the oral antifungal for a long period without consequences .
User avatar
fjm
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1675
Joined: Sat Dec 23, 2017 6:11 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: North West England

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by fjm »

Many years ago I was given an iodine spray to treat ringworm on a pony, and I believe it is also prescribed for cats. It cleared the pony's trouble quickly and effectively - might be worth asking your vet about.
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

fjm wrote: Mon Jan 18, 2021 3:44 pm Many years ago I was given an iodine spray to treat ringworm on a pony, and I believe it is also prescribed for cats. It cleared the pony's trouble quickly and effectively - might be worth asking your vet about.
thanks fjm , i will .

Do anyone know of another disinfectant than bleach for the ringworm , as bleach affects fabrics colors as you know ?! i just fill the spray bottle and use it to spray wherever she sleeps or sits .
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

i called the vet fjm and he recommended a wash called cyteal before the antifungal cream application .

the itching improved alot after replacing the sock with a collar , so apparently the diy sock wasn't a good idea after all for my cat .

vacuuming fabrics and furniture seems to be not working either as i can see the cat's hair still tangled within the fabrics after all , so i covered the places where she sits with sheets and i will wash it frequently .


the way i see it this world gonna end by a microorganism :D .
User avatar
Mollycat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2705
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: UK

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by Mollycat »

mustafa811 wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:37 pm the way i see it this world gonna end by a microorganism :D .
You and a whole lot of virologists and microbiologists and epidemiologists! Things that don't even have a cell wall can bring down empires.
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

Mollycat wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:43 pm
mustafa811 wrote: Tue Jan 19, 2021 5:37 pm the way i see it this world gonna end by a microorganism :D .
You and a whole lot of virologists and microbiologists and epidemiologists! Things that don't even have a cell wall can bring down empires.
totally .

i was ordering lamisil antifungal cream and i did find a spray version with same concentration , isn't the spray supposedly better in application to cats specifically ?! it is much easier i think .

i won't call the vet again lol .
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

2 weeks passed since using terbinafine topical cream , and the patch worsened and enlarged to almost 5x the size .

so my mum decided to visit another vet , and he told her to replace the terbinafine with clotrimazole corticosteroid combination called quadriderm .

anyway i am a physician after all and i didn't agree , since terbinafine is more potent , and these corticosteroid combinations known that they could worsen fungal infections .

so do you agree with me ?! or it is pretty different in pets than humans and they will respond to the clotrimazole combination .

btw the 2nd vet my mum visited is the worst vet i have ever seen and always failed to treat any of our pets diseases and he is the reason i started to be involved in my cat treatment .
User avatar
Mollycat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2705
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: UK

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by Mollycat »

Mustafa you are way more advanced in your medical and biochemical knowledge than 99% of us here. I certainly would have no way of knowing what to do for the best, I'm sorry.
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

and i just appreciate your replies very much , you made me feel like we are one family here and thanks for that .

i will stick to topical applications for the time being , i can't risk her liver/kidneys to be injured from the systemic meds .

eventually this fungal infection is a self limited one after all even if it took months .
Last edited by mustafa811 on Fri Jan 29, 2021 7:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Mollycat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 2705
Joined: Mon Feb 25, 2019 10:58 am
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: UK

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by Mollycat »

Yes it is a lovely friendly supportive place to share thoughts and experiences. It has a good culture, some forums can be very different.

I read that ringworm is self limiting too but do you know, when the infection is gone, will it come back or does the host have any immunity to it?
User avatar
Kay
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1961
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:50 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Wales

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by Kay »

I don't know if you have a cat flap, but for the benefit of anyone who does reading this thread, years ago I had a cat who had recurring bouts of ringworm, until I twigged that I needed to give the cat flap a thorough cleaning
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

well i wish that this ringworm infection could give her a long lasting immunity molly .

as for the cleaning part kay my cat wasn't confined , the house is full of fabrics and the house inhabitants are not on the same page with me so praying that my cleaning regime is a bit effective .
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

apparently the topical cream is not limiting the infection at all , and the infection is flaring all over , now the neck is infected in a circlular manner beneath the recovery collar , both front limbs affected , chest area , and neck region .

despite her blood sugar is controlled and thyroid function is within normal but i think her immunity is compromised , this might explain also the cancerous lesion in her breast .

so i guess i will start an oral antifungal regimen "itraconazole" for 5 weeks , 5mg/kg daily every alternate week , i guess it is the best effective and safest regimen out there .

i wanted to shave all the hair but my family won't help me on the matter , also they are against bathing the cat twice weekly for 2 reasons : 1. the cold weather 2. this cat hates bathing like hell , we tried to bath her 15 years ago 😀 we failed miserably and the whole family were injuried .

so i will try to hold a warm wet towel with an antifungal shampoo and rinse her body instead of giving her an actual bath .

i will keep you updated .
User avatar
papa cat
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 198
Joined: Tue Nov 24, 2015 7:48 pm
No. of cats in household: 0
Location: Elham, Kent

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by papa cat »

I've never dealt with ringworm but if you are looking for a steam cleaner, type "best steam cleaner for upholstery and carpet" into Google or any search engine ignore the advertisements and read the reviews.
Have a look at this site
https://search.which.co.uk/search?w=steam+cleaners (you may have to register)
I can't tell by what you have written whereabouts you are but that is a UK site

They are not cheap to buy so make sure you are looking at a machine that can do all the surfaces including and carpets and upholstery.
Enquire about renting one as you might not ever need one again that way you might get to use a very expensive machine for just a one-off rental fee
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

i gave it a thought a couple of days ago , if boiling water and heat can kill the fungi then a steam cleaning device might help .

in theory it should work but practically it needs a bit of research 1st .

what i learned ringworm infections must be taken seriously from day one , they are not life threatening and they will eventually cure on their own but it is about the spread and contagiosity of the infection , specially when you own multiple pets and have children too , as i said it is not life threatening to animals or humans but bothersome to control the spread , specially that the fungal spores can linger to 18 months on a small kitten hair .

i think the best treatment is the oral systemic one but since they are kittens vets might try the topical treatment 1st .

from what i saw googling and youtubing the best measures other than oral ttt is to isolate the kittens , separate them and give them an antifungal bath followed by a lime sulphur dip twice weekly and they will start to heal in a month . (the bath insure eliminating the fungal spores , infected hair and limiting the spread)

i only tried topical antifungal cream called lamisil for a month and still i am not getting any good results with the ttt , may be because it makes their skin moist ?! i don't know for sure .

also recovery collars do help alot but take care that the edge near the neck could transfer the ringworm to the whole circumference of the neck , so it may be wise to disinfect it regularly and apply some antifungal cream as a protective measure .

you might need to cover upholstery and furniture with white sheets that can be disinfected easily with a bleach and wash them weekly .

i apply the topical treatment with my hand , i know this is not very wise nor recommended but i properly disinfect my hand later with soap and alcohol and still i didn't get any lesions , i am only saying this to give you a sense if assurance , it is not easily transmittable if you took your precautions , anyway better to wear gloves for sure .
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

despite adding oral treatment 10 days ago with topical cream application still the ringworm is spreading and it is invading the back now .

the old areas that appeared more than a month ago started to heal and hair is regrowing , but that's even before the oral meds were administered .

i don't feel the medications are working at all , i think she is healing on its own and the area affected take a month to heal spontaneously , i thought that the oral regimen was gonna to limit the spread but apparently it isn't .

also i noticed that usually the areas easily affected is the one that got injuried from the collar edge or from the excessive grooming and itching .

if any one noticed a ringworm infection in the beginning you must attack it aggressively with oral , local medications with weekly baths and lockdown in a confined place to limit the spread of the ringworm spores in the house .

other than that i think it will take about 4-6 months to heal .
simba86
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Feb 03, 2021 2:03 pm

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by simba86 »

i am sorry to hear the treatment is not working for you, i have started my cats oral and topical treatment. it is quite intense to give her the oral medication- not a pleasant expereince for either- even with two people try to assist. she is really not into it.

my vet said if the other cat is not showing symptons to avoid separating them as it may be more stressful for them to be apart for the durartion, so i am scared about it comining back or recurring- would not wish this on any owner.

is there an easier way to give the itrofungol to my cat, other than trying ot pin her down. the instructions say to avoid giving near mealtime as may weaken its absorption so cannot get away with slipping it in the food. i dont know how good this is for her longtime to have these antobiotics in her body.
mustafa811
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 26, 2019 9:24 am

Re: cat bald patch (ringworm)

Post by mustafa811 »

well i don't have itraconazole syrup so i am forced to use the capsules , the capsule is 100 mg , i split it open , take roughly quarter of the pellets and spread it over a food with strong odor and flavour to cheat her taste buds lol (mackerel fish will do) , and give it a mild stir to hide the pellets and it is quite working 😂 .

she is about 3 kg , i calculated the dose and it was 15 mg daily but since this is not taken directly as a pill and some pellets could be stuck in the food bowl so i decided to give her 25 mg daily just in case , anyway the local vet wanted to give her half the capsule but i kind of refused when i read that 5 mg/kg regimen on alternate weeks have very good results , so no need for that large dose specially in a senior cat that have a hefty medical history .

wish you best of luck specially you are dealing with multiple kittens that are prone for infection , that is a heavy load and i am praying for you , i cant even manage a single cat , my advise be aggressive in your treatment , and check the lime sulphur dip idea by the way .

but if you are gonna change your meds or try a new thing better to double check with your vet first even if it is only on phone , kittens are pretty delicate .
Post Reply