Contrary to popular belief, lichen is not a parasitic, but a fungal disease that is highly contagious. Not only stray pets, but also well-groomed domestic cats can get lichen. In this case, an infected cat can infect other animals - rabbits, dogs, nutria. There is also a threat to humans, because the fungus can parasitize on their nails, hair and skin. On average, the incubation period for lichen in humans from cats ranges from a week to one month, so when caring for sick animals, owners should exercise caution and observe good personal hygiene.
Without treatment, cats infected with lichen recover within five to six months. However, due to the highly contagious nature of the disease, its danger to humans and unpleasant symptoms, lichen should be treated as early as possible. Fortunately for owners, there are many treatments for the disease that do not require regular visits to the veterinary clinic and are available for use at home. Read about another disease “Upper respiratory tract virus rhinotracheitis in cats: symptoms and treatment.”
What does ringworm look like in cats?
The fungus that causes dermatophytosis lives quite a long time even without the necessary conditions. That is, fungi do not have to be on the animal’s skin. Perhaps an infected cat once ran around in this area, and fungal spores remained. They can live in normal housing for up to 2 years. Perhaps you moved to a new apartment, and your pet began to come into contact with similar areas where there are mushrooms. Thus, infection occurs.
Photo of lichen in a cat
Ringworm over the eye
Ringworm in a kitten
Ringworm in cats
Types of pathology
By the term “lichen,” veterinarians mean a group of skin diseases that are accompanied by itching and the appearance of scaly rashes on the skin. These diseases are extremely contagious. Not only a stray animal can become infected, but also a cat that never leaves the house.
The following types of lichen occur in cats:
- Ringworm (microsporia, trichophytosis). This is the most common fungal disease in animals. It occurs in 90% of cases. The pathology is caused by the microorganisms Trichophyton and Microsporum.
- Pityriasis versicolor. This disease is the second most common. Its causative agent is a yeast fungus that is found on the skin and in healthy animals. The microorganism becomes pathogenic only with a sharp decrease in immunity.
- Pityriasis rosea. This is a fairly rare infectious allergic disease of cats. Pityriasis rosea is non-fungal in nature. Its causative agent has not been precisely identified, but veterinarians suggest that the disease is provoked by the herpes virus.
The greatest danger is caused by fungal forms of lichen in cats. Treatment of such pathologies should be immediate. As for pityriasis rosea, its manifestations often disappear on their own with good care of the animal.
Signs of lichen in cats
The symptoms that appear in a cat during a lichen infection can be easily noticed by an attentive owner.
Signs of lichen in cats:
- At the very initial stage, infection on the animal’s body occurs in the neck, sides of the tail and muzzle, where bald spots appear. It was as if someone had shaved off the hair on them and it had become bald. At the initial stage there is no redness, damage, or blisters.
- The skin is absolutely clean, but the fungus continues to act. As the disease progresses, reddish spots appear and become covered with scales. From time to time, bubbles appear in these places, from which clear liquid may ooze.
- If the lichen is not treated and left untreated, then soon the cat will begin to have problems with its fur and claws. They crumble and break off into pieces. In addition, the coat becomes oily enough to moisturize dry areas covered with crusts and flaky patches. If you notice one of the symptoms, be sure to start treatment.
Infected pet
Where can I buy cat shampoo?
Pet Shop
The most common way to find a store specializing in pet products in your city. You will undoubtedly be able to purchase the shampoo you need there. Depending on whether the store is large or not, it also depends on whether you will find the right manufacturer or type of shampoo. If you haven’t found the shampoo you need, you will be offered to order it and it will be delivered a week later to that exact location.
Online stores
Shopping from online pet stores is the main method used when prices in brick-and-mortar stores are high, or when the product you need is out of stock. By making a purchase this way, you will be able to choose the lowest prices and will not have to run around the city looking for “the one.”
Ringworm in cats: is it transmitted to humans?
There is an opinion that cats suffer from some other lichen that people cannot catch.
Is lichen in cats transmitted to humans?
- This is actually a myth. After all, this is ringworm, which also affects people. Therefore, the main task during the treatment of a pet is to quarantine it and restrict it from all inhabitants of the house.
- This is very valuable advice, especially if there are children in the house, as they love to cuddle animals and kiss them. Therefore, they become infected with ringworm before everyone else. The fungus itself is very contagious and can cause a lot of discomfort and symptoms in cats.
- People also develop bald spots on the scalp, which soon become crusty and red blisters filled with yellow liquid. Therefore, in order to prevent children and household members from becoming infected with lichen from a cat, it is necessary to monitor its place and constantly treat it with antiseptics. Regular bleach works well against fungal spores. With its help it is necessary to wash the floor, as well as clean the surfaces where the cat lives.
Affected animal
What kind of disease is lichen?
Ringworm is a term that unites a whole group of dermatological diseases, which are often caused by a fungal or viral infection. Ringworm is accompanied by severe itching, inflammation of the skin and rash.
A weakened immune system makes a person susceptible to fungi and viruses; this is one of the common causes of illness. However, dermatological diseases are not always infectious in nature, but can be a consequence of stress or an allergic reaction.
Treatment methods depend on the symptoms and type of disease.
In order to answer the question “How to cure lichen in an adult?” it is necessary to understand which pathogen caused the disease.
Ringworm in cats - how to treat: traditional medicine
There are many ways to treat lichen in cats. At the initial stage, you can resort not to medications, but to traditional methods. Many of them are quite effective and help get rid of lichen in a short time. Remember, the sooner you start treatment, the faster your pet will recover.
Ringworm in cats, how to treat it, traditional medicine:
- Celandine. If your pet gets sick during the summer, consider yourself lucky. It is necessary in the forest, or in some planting, to pick celandine and chop it into small pieces. You can grind it in a blender, place it on cheesecloth and squeeze out the juice. It is this orange liquid that is healing and copes well with lichen. It is necessary to moisten a cotton swab in this liquid and treat the affected areas of the cat. Even if there are no red spots, flaking areas, blisters or rashes in these areas, continue to treat until the hair in these areas is completely restored.
- You can treat the affected areas not only with celandine, but also with iodine or brilliant green . These are drying antiseptics that need to be applied approximately 2-3 times a day. Remember that the application of these products may not be very pleasant for your pet, and this will cause pain. Therefore, before carrying out manipulations, ask someone from the household to hold the animal. Perform all manipulations with gloves so as not to come into contact with ringworm, and the spores do not get on your skin.
- You can get rid of lichen in cats using ordinary ash . To do this, you need to burn the newspaper and mix the resulting mass with vegetable oil. It is necessary to obtain a viscous ointment. You need to lubricate the ringworm 2-3 times a day.
Ringworm on the face
How to protect yourself and your household?
If your pet is sick with mycosis of the skin, you need to reduce contact with it to a minimum. During treatment, it is advisable to place him in a separate room. To prevent infection of family members, wet cleaning is carried out daily. The floor is washed with the addition of white.
Quartz lamp for home use
Cat litter, blankets and bedding must be washed and boiled. Upholstered furniture is treated with water with vinegar or hot steam. Furniture surfaces should be wiped with a cloth soaked in a chlorhexidine solution.
Reference. Quartzizing the room will help destroy fungal spores. The recommended frequency of the procedure is 1 time per day, duration of exposure is 25 minutes.
Ringworm in cats: drugs for treatment
Remember that it will take 2-3 months to treat lichen in a cat. This is provided that the lesions are not extensive, are local and are represented by one or two spots on the animal’s fur. If the lesion is severe enough, you will have to spend up to six months of treatment.
In this case, local drugs may be ineffective, and combination therapy is prescribed, which contains drugs administered orally via tablets or injections. It is best to consult a veterinarian at the very beginning and get vaccinated.
Ringworm in cats, drugs for treatment:
- Microderm
- Vakderm
- Polivac
These drugs are administered two or three times, 10-15 days apart. The result can be seen after the first injection two weeks later. You will see that the animal will begin to recover, and the spots will become smaller, itching, peeling and redness will stop.
Vaccine
Medicinal shampoos for cats.
Pet stores offer a huge number of medicated shampoos that help owners alleviate suffering and cure their pets. Shampoos for cats are sold everywhere - these include supermarkets with a limited assortment aimed at selling obscure products and online pet supply stores with a wide range of assortments.
Medicated shampoos have become a small savior for pets to avoid taking medications, as some mild forms of diseases can be treated with a bottle of medicated shampoo. This method of treatment is becoming increasingly popular with veterinarians, because shampoos can help with itchy skin, dermatitis, and fungal infections.
Ringworm ointment for cats
Also recommended are antifungal medications, which are most often applied as an ointment or gel. They are usually made from products that contain Clotrimazole, Mycozol.
Ringworm ointment for cats:
- Fungin . This is a drug that contains Clotrimazole. Propolis and isopropyl alcohol were also used in the manufacture of the product. These ingredients increase the effectiveness of clotrimazole and speed up wound healing. Apply once a day using a gauze pad. Please note that to apply the product it is necessary to cut off the hair on the affected areas and another 1 cm after the wound border. The product is applied within these limits and used until the scraping results are negative.
- YAM BC . The product is used in case of minor lesions on one or two areas of the skin. To carry out the manipulation, it is enough to lubricate the animal’s skin 2-3 times a day. Please note that it is applied an additional 4 cm beyond the lesion. There is no need to remove the hair, because the drug acts on the hair and is also absorbed through it into the skin. The composition contains salicylic acid, zinc and sulfur. Thanks to this combined composition, it is possible to quickly cope with the fungus.
- Sanoderm . This is a combination remedy that consists of the antifungal clotrimazole, as well as a broad-spectrum antibiotic. Thanks to this, it is possible not only to cope with the fungus, but also to prevent the connection of a bacterial infection, which often happens due to the fact that the animal scratches and chews the affected areas due to excessive itching. It is necessary to lubricate the affected area once a day with a very thin layer. Remember that the course of treatment is approximately 2-3 weeks. You should not use the drug for longer because it can negatively affect kidney health. Be sure to monitor the composition of your animal’s urine to avoid unpleasant situations and exacerbation of chronic diseases of the excretory system.
- Clotrimazole . Nowadays you can find products in the pharmacy, both in the form of ointments and in the form of gels and creams. The product is inexpensive, costs a penny, but is quite effective and is included in some more expensive drugs. Apply 2-3 times a day in a thin, rubbing layer. In this case, it is necessary to capture approximately another 1 cm of skin around the wound.
Yam BC
Quality above all! Elite - shampoo for cats.
The choice of shampoo itself is very important for your cat. Depending on the quality of a particular bottle, whether your little pet will suffer or not. There are cases that when using cheap shampoos, cats experience allergic reactions, and the coat itself can lose not only its shine, but also its silkiness. When choosing a shampoo for a cat, look at the Elite class, and also find out about the manufacturer in advance and be confident in the product you have chosen!
We recommend reading: Urinary Incontinence Drug for Dogs
Maybe,
How to avoid getting shingles from a cat?
Remember, to cure ringworm in a cat, it is necessary to disinfect it. Otherwise, treatment may not be effective.
How to avoid getting shingles from a cat:
- This is due to the fact that the fungi that cause lichen can live for more than 2 years on different surfaces, including a bed, walls and floor. Therefore, be sure to carry out processing and follow all sanitation rules.
- You can use a quartz lamp for this, if you have one on the farm, or treat it with bleach. Remember that at this time it is necessary to change the cat’s diet and introduce nutritional components into it, as well as vitamin preparations.
- Consult your veterinarian, perhaps he will prescribe some additional vitamins for your pet. Most often, drugs containing vitamin B are administered, which stimulates the restoration of the skin. Panthenol will also be useful.
- Some cat foods contain substances that promote hair growth. It is necessary to stop using such food for a while, because it will stimulate the hairs and make it difficult to treat and detect new foci of the disease.
Cats
Pet owners need to be careful to recognize the disease in the very first stages, because that’s when treatment can be quite effective.
The most popular medicated shampoos for cats.
1. The undisputed leader is flea and tick shampoo
, it becomes especially relevant in the summer, when cats are taken to the countryside. You should not use shampoos intended for dogs, as not all preparations are suitable for cats and can be dangerous for cats.
2. Shampoo for dermatitis and allergies
— these shampoos are very popular, they are included in the line of anti-allergenic and for sensitive skin.
It is these shampoos that save cats from itching, flaking and irritation on the skin. These shampoos are designed to soothe the skin and neutralize the causes of itching, which means they contain moisturizing ingredients and oils, vitamins and other ingredients to help your four-legged friend. Our choice: Espree natural hypoallergenic shampoo
, suitable for dogs and cats. This shampoo does not contain synthetic detergents, it is natural and 100% biodegradable. This shampoo can be used even after treating your pet with flea and tick drops. It is also safe for kittens and puppies. The shampoo is sold in a large bottle, which is especially beneficial for owners with allergic cats. Also, this shampoo should appeal to environmentalists for its naturalness and safety for the environment.
3. Antifungal shampoos for cats
, treat ringworm, they contain benzethonium and ketanazole, which treat skin bacterial and fungal infections without harming the pet.
Our choice: Veterinary Formula Antiseptic and Antifungal Shampoo for dogs and cats
. This shampoo will help your pet not only with fungal infections, but also with hypothyroidism, minor skin injuries and allergies. Contains ingredients such as lanolin and Aloe Vera.
Buying medicated shampoos for cats
, don’t be put off by the price alone, because a bottle of the product will be used for quite a long time. When looking at the composition of the product, do not fall for the bait of the manufacturer, who promises coconut oil, wheat germ and others in a cheap shampoo; there will be such a modest amount of them that it will not be of any use. Take care of your pet, as well as yourself, do not buy strange, cheap products that can only make things worse.
Don’t make diagnoses yourself; your veterinarian will recommend you an effective shampoo without any consequences for your cat’s health. We hope that our article helped you and your cats' health.
Buying medicated shampoos for cats
, don’t be put off by the price alone, because a bottle of the product will be used for quite a long time. When looking at the composition of the product, do not fall for the bait of the manufacturer, who promises coconut oil, wheat germ and others in a cheap shampoo; there will be such a modest amount of them that it will not be of any use. Take care of your pet, as well as yourself, do not buy strange, cheap products that can only make things worse.
