Home
>
Pet
>
Dealing With Canine Ringworm

Dealing With Canine Ringworm

Ringworm is an annoying, highly contagious fungal disorder that is curable. The problem with this disorder is that there are 35 different species of ringworm that can affect cats, dogs and be transmitted to humans as well. The most common form is Mircosporum Canis which accounts for the majority of ringworm cases.

What Causes Ringworm in Canines?

Ringworm is caused from exposure to the dermatophytes from spores present in the environment, mainly from other animals that are infected with it. Your dog could pick it up from anywhere...boarding kennels, breeding kennels, someone else's home. The spores can live in the environment for up to 13 months and are very hard to get rid of, so reinfection of animals is also a common problem. As well, children are highly susceptible to these infections, so it is very important to rid the household of this fungus as soon as possible.

This disorder usually appears as a lesion upon the skin of an animal or human and requires medical attention. It looks like a rapidly growing circular patch of broken hair in most cases. The patch may look somewhat inflamed and appear to have "dandruff" like flakes on it. However, sometimes it is very hard to spot ringworm, especially in dogs.

A veterinarian can usually diagnose ringworm by using an ultraviolet light. In some cases however, this isn't enough and a sample of hair or scrapping of the skin is needed for further diagnosis. Treatment is basically in the form of antifungal pills and/or topical medications such as creams or medicated shampoos.

Curing Ringworm In Dogs

The major problem is getting rid of the spores in your home so they don't reinfect your pets. Most spores are shed through the fur into the carpet, so occasional "dip" baths may be required to kill the spores that may linger on the fur of your dog. As well, it is recommended that you destroy all pet bedding, blankets, brushes/combs, and other items used by the canine.

Any items that cannot be thrown out need to be soaked thoroughly in a solution of hot water and Betadine or Iodophor for one hour. They should then be rinsed in a mixture of water and .5% chlorine bleach. Drying the items outdoors in sunlight will also help. Vacuum your house thoroughly and be sure to immediately dispose of the vacuum bag. Then have all carpets and upholstery steam-cleaned and wash all walls with a mixture of water and chlorine bleach. If you have an air filter in your home, you must also dispose of the filter.

Although ringworm is a mild disorder, it can cause a tremendous amount of problems to a household. If you continue to have problems with canine ringworm reinfection, please consult your veterinarian for additional solutions or information that he/she may be able to provide.

Rose Smith is the author and owner of Caring For Canines, a web site that provides information on natural dog health care. To learn more about dog skin problems, care and grooming, please visit us at: http://www.caringforcanines.com/grooming-aids.shtml

efficient cleaning crew Northbrook ..

In The News:

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.

New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.

FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.

New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.

OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Fake AI apps disguised as "ChatGPT" and "DALL·E" are flooding app stores with dangerous malware that steals data and monitors users without detection.

Fake buyers demand specific vehicle reports from unknown sites to steal credit card information from car sellers, but warning signs can help identify these scams before paying.

Android users can now manage apps across multiple devices more easily with Google Play Store's updated remote uninstall button in the latest update.

NASA's Perseverance rover discovers shiny metallic rock on Mars that could be a meteorite from an ancient asteroid, containing high levels of iron and nickel.

Holiday scams spike during Black Friday and Cyber Monday as criminals exploit your leaked personal data. Learn how to protect yourself from fake stores and phishing.

Commerce Department proposes TP-Link router ban over Chinese security risks. Learn how this potential prohibition could affect your home network and devices.

Dealing With Canine Ringworm

Pet