Ringworm, also known as dermatophytosis, is a common skin disease in cats. It is caused by a fungus called dermatophyte, which infects the cat's skin, hair, and nails, causing various discomforts. If you notice some unusual symptoms in your cat, such as itching, hair loss, and dandruff, it is likely that your cat has ringworm.

I. Symptoms of Ringworm

There are various symptoms of ringworm, but the most common ones are:

Itching: This is one of the most obvious symptoms of ringworm. The cat will constantly scratch the affected area, leading to redness, skin damage, and even secondary infection.
Circular and Irregular Hair Loss: The hair in the affected area will become sparse and even fall out in circular or irregular shapes.
Dandruff: Ringworm can cause a lot of dandruff, which looks like gray powder-like substance.
Crusts: Severe ringworm can lead to scabs, and even ulcers.
Green Fluorescence Under Wood's Lamp: This is one of the important diagnostic criteria for ringworm.

Ringworm often occurs in areas like the cat's face, limbs, and trunk, and cats with weak constitutions and malnutrition are more susceptible to infection.

II. Diagnosis of Ringworm

If you suspect your cat has ringworm, it is recommended that you take your cat to a veterinarian for diagnosis. The veterinarian will use the following methods to confirm ringworm:

Observe Symptoms: The veterinarian will carefully observe the cat's skin and hair to see if there are any typical symptoms of ringworm.
Wood's Lamp Irradiation: The veterinarian will use a Wood's lamp to irradiate the affected area of the cat and observe if there is green fluorescence.
Fungal Culture: The veterinarian will collect some skin scales or hair from the affected area and perform fungal culture to determine if it is a dermatophyte infection.

III. Treatment of Ringworm

The treatment methods for ringworm mainly include the following:

Medication: The veterinarian will choose appropriate medications based on the severity of the ringworm. Common medications include antifungal creams, antifungal tablets, and antifungal sprays.
Phototherapy: The veterinarian may use ultraviolet light irradiation to kill the fungus.
Immunotherapy: For cats with low immunity or recurrent ringworm infection, the veterinarian may use immune enhancers to improve the cat's immunity.

IV. Prevention of Ringworm

Measures to prevent ringworm mainly include the following aspects:

Keep the Cat Clean: Regularly bathe the cat, comb its fur, and keep the cat's skin clean.
Pay Attention to Environmental Hygiene: Regularly clean the cat's living environment, especially the cat bed, cat toys, etc., to prevent the growth of fungi.
Strengthen Nutrition: Supplement the cat with sufficient nutrition to improve its resistance.
Isolate Infected Cats: If there are multiple cats at home, infected cats should be isolated from other cats to avoid spreading the infection.
Disinfection: Disinfect the infected cat's living space, food bowls, toys, etc.

V. Ringworm Treatment Experience Summary

Ringworm is common, but if treated untimely or inappropriately, it can lead to worsening skin lesions and even affect the cat's health. Therefore, if you find that your cat has symptoms of ringworm, you should take it to the veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible. At the same time, pay attention to the cat's daily management, improve the cat's resistance, and prevent reinfection.

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