Canine Ringworm

Despite the name, canine ringworm does not involve any "worm". Ringworm is in fact a fungus that lives in the outer layers of the skin, nails, and hair.

Ringworm is a fungus that can infect dogs, cats and humans. It affects the hair and the hair follicles and is highly contagious, both to pets and humans, so care has to be taken when handling a pet with ringworms. Children are especially susceptible and should not be allowed to handle pets with ringworm. Also, due to the possibility of contagion, if you suspect that your dog has ringworm, be sure to consult a veterinarian for a proper diagnosis.

The ringworm fungus strives in hot and humid climates but, for some reason, most cases of ringworm occur not in the summer, but instead in the fall and winter.

Ringworm is transmitted by spores in the soil and air and by contact with the infected hair of dogs (and cats). Spores from an infected dog can be shed into the living environment (e.g. carpets, bedding, furniture; they can also attach to grooming tools (combs, brushes) and toys. The spores can live in the environment for over 18 months.

Fortunately, it is quite infrequent for dogs to be infected with ringworm. In one study of dogs who had active skin problems, less than 3 percent had ringworm.

Canine Ringworm Fungi

There are several species of the ringworm fungi which can infect either you or your pet. Most cases of canine ringworm infection are caused by either Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum, or Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

Canine Ringworm Symptoms

The dog has bald patches that are spreading.
His hair is breaking off close to the skin.
He has circular, dry, crusty or scaly skin lesions.

The most typical signs of ringworm are skin lesions and hair loss.

As the ringworm fungi live in hair follicles, they cause the hair shafts to break off at the skin line, resulting in patches of hair loss with skin lesions. These lesions often have scaly skin in the center.

The lesions, which may or may be itchy, usually start out small and round, but can continue to grow in size.

As you can see, dog ringworm symptoms mimick a number of other skin conditions, such as mange and other allergic conditions, that's why it is important to consult a vet for a proper diagnosis.

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Diagnosis of Canine Ringworm

A common diagnosis is to use a special black light called Wood's lamp to look for the fluorescence of infected hairs. However, not all species of the ringworm fungi fluoresce. Moreover, a healthy dog may have spores on his coat but may not have an active infection.

Another way and probably the most accurate diagnosis is to collect scales and crust from the skin and coat and perform a culture. The shortcoming of this method is that it may take up to 2-3 weeks for the culture to become positive.

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Conventional Treatment of Canine Ringworm

Ringworm may be either a local infection affecting small areas (usually the head, but can also occur on the legs, feet, or tail), or more severe or generalized infections - evidence of the dog's systemic weakness.

For local infections, the lesions are usually treated topically twice a day with an antifungal ointment. Alternatively, oral antifungal medications, such as Griseofulvin, or Fluconazole are prescribed.

For more severe or generalized infections, in addition to the topical treatment, antifungal shampoos or dips will also be used.

Side Effects of Griseofulvin

Griseofulvin is effective in treating ringworm in dogs; however, it can cause potential side effects, such as:

vomiting if given on an empty stomach;
diarrhea;
birth defects (therefore should not be used on pregnant animals);
bone marrow suppression (rare but potentially fatal).

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Natural Remedies for Ringworm in Dogs

Are there safer natural remedies for dog ringworm? You bet! Actually, a lot of alternative remedies are not only effective, but are easy to make or obtain (not to mention cheaper than the prescription drugs!). Visit our page on Natural Dog Ringworm Remedies for more information.

References

Natural Dog Ringworm Remedies
Dog Skin Irritations

References

S. Giguere and P. M. Dowling, Antimicrobial Therapy in Veterinary Medicine (Blackwell Publishing, 2007).
D. Hamilton, Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs (North Atlantic Books, 1999).
A.D. Shojai, New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs and Cats (Rodale Press, Inc., 1999).
PetEducation.com

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