Compiled these ringworm tips from a discussion off a persian rescue group & thought I'd share. As always, be sure to check with your vet.
rita
Ringworm Tips From Persian Rescue Group:
From Judy:
I use a product called Health Guard Laundry Additive that keeps cross contamination
happening on the clothes. I put 1tbs in a downy ball & add to my laundry. I also make some up in a spray bottle to spray on furniture & carpeting., & spray the cats with it, I use in litter boxes. Use bleach to clean hard surfaces. This Health Guard when placed on a surface lasts 14days of protection.
You can treat the feral with Program in canned food. Its 40-50mg per lb. For my kitten I use 1/2 the 400mg tablet crunched up. For kittens under 8weeks its not advised to use it but studies show it doesn't hurt them. I get my program at California Vet supply. Anyone can order there & they sell 6 tabs for $29.99. Which is the cheapest I can find Program.
From Dr Linda (treating ringworm on persians)
1. full body shave down
2. weekly wash with Nizoral shampoo and then lymdip - then must be returned to a totally cleaned (preferably with bleach) cage
3. Oral Sporonox daily - dose depends on size of cat - for a minimum of 6-8 weeks. Ringworm toothbrush culture at 4-5 weeks and every two weeks after that until a negative culture is obtained.
4. Program 400mg dog size once a month
(On dipping/drying) The trick is to keep it warm in a deep container large enough for the cat and DIP the cat, not pour it over the cat. Then only dab with a towel and allow the cat to air dry in a warmed carrier with a DISTANT hair drying blowing in UNDER SUPERVISION. Never had a problem.
If the cat has been running a room, fogging the whole room with diluted nolvascan weekly for 8 weeks (which is not a quick kill but does kill ringworm when left on) is needed if there are items in the room that cannot be bleached. Steam cleaning any carpets with diluted nolvascan solution is indicated if there are carpets, as well.
A good solution to use for hand washing (and can be used for cat washing) is made of 12 ounces blue, unscented Dawn + 12 ounces of unscented clorox bleach + 12 ounces of povodine iodine all combined in a gallon jug and the water slowly added to make a full gallon. Keep this capped tightly when not in use.
You need a prescription for Sporonox. This is the best price I've found in the USA. 100 X 100 mg sporonox capsules for $106 - (1/4-1/3 of a capsule is the daily dose range depending on the size of the cat if I remember correctly)
Have your vet call in the prescription first, then call to arrange payment and shipping address:
Road Runner Pharmacy
19401 N. Cave Creek Rd
Suite 32-A
Phoenix
AZ 85024
Toll free: (877) 518-4589
Fax: (602) 765-1340
From Cathy:
Also in regards to Roadrunner they can make the (Sporonox) liquid compounded in different strengths.(and flavors) The human suspension is 10 ml/mg per dose. If a one pound kitty received .5 ml of the 10mg/ml per dose then you could get the 50mg/ml per dose made and only give .1 ml of the dose. It is nice if you have a large cat and with the lower dose (strength) could be two big syringes and with the higher strength you cut the amount of liquid. BTW-get the doses from your vet. I just quoted from mine for this suspension and a one lb weight. My vets always recommend don't give to a kitty less than a pound.
From Laura:
Sporanox is a prescription capsule for human use, but if you have a compounding pharmacist in your area, you can have them make up a suspension. A company called FLAVORx makes a grilled tuna flavoring that all four of my cats took willingly. They licked it right from the measuring syringe. You will need to have your vet give you a prescription.
From Kirsten:
My PRIMARY medication, hands down, is Itraconazole. (Sporanox) Nothing else works as well or as safely. I've cleared up cats so infected with ringworm that their hair was LONG gone and all that was left was thickened, infected "elephant skin". This is an oral medication that is (unfortunately) not recommended by all vets because they may not be aware of how effective it is. They may also be reluctant to prescribe it because it can be expensive
From Gloria
My grandmother used Gentian Violet. Very messy, very cheap, very purple, but always worked.
From Laura: (info from recent feline symposium at Univ of FL)
Topical AND Internal treatments are necessary!
Topical they are using Lym Sulfer Dip, which while messy and smelly, is time proven again and again. They are mixing it 8 oz. to a gallon of warm water and you need to fully saturate the cat. This needs to be done weekly to get full control of the spores, but if you have other cats that have been exposed, you need to do all of the exposed animals in order to eliminate the spores!!!!!!!!!!!!
Internal: Itraconazole AKA Sporonox, is to be given 5-10mg/kg orally for 3-4 weeks. You can generally get this from Revival Animal Products or a RX from your vet. Kittens can be treated with it starting at 10 weeks, but they did not give the dose for kittens. Sporonox is a relatively new treatment that breeders have been using in recent years and is EXTREMELY effective without the liver implications that Fulvicin will give you over long term.
Environment: This is very important, pay attention here! You have to eliminate anything that is going to continue to carry spores. Get bedding out and wash with bleach and use bleach to clean cage or floor areas where the infected cat is being kept. If vaccuuming, do the area for at least 10 minutes at a time (YES FOR REAL!) and get rid of the bag, otherwise all you are doing is putting spores back in the air! Bleach solution is the best for killing ringworm spores BUT IT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USING ON THE CAT! Time tested results have shown that no solution of bleach will kill the spores over a long term permanently other than on a non-organic surface.
NOTE: PROGRAM has been found not to be effective long term at all and the vaccines, which Ft. Dodge and U of FL originally participated in the original studies, are not effective at all
From Rita:
Cover furniture in isolated room with sheets. No carpet/drapes if possible. Wash linens with bleach, rinse with vinegar. (Vinegar is antifungal & will also soften clothes--no smell). Hang dry on line if possible as sunshine kills spores. Try to keep cats stress-free. Use Comfort Zone with Feliway to calm. Give cats 250mg L-lysine 2X/day. Lysine not only fights feline herpes but also builds cats immune system. Lysine can be crushed & put in wet food. I buy Walgreens brand 500mg & put in blender to powder & sprinkle top of wet food.
From Susan:
The Vet told me to wipe their feet with Listerine it is an antibacterial and it seems to work on not bringing it into the house. He told me it is tough to do it all the time but if they have been out playing in the dirt it is highly suggested.
From Laura: (On Lymdip)
Wear heavy gloves when you're dipping. The smell is annoying - you might want to consider doing this on an outdoor patio or screened porch. Once it dries on the cats, you can hardly smell it.
What I used the last time, instead of towels, was disposable puppy pads to dry them a little so the cats aren't soaking wet, and for inside their carriers when they're drying off.
