do dogs get ringworm?

[bernicesmama]

tank had a sore under his armpit about a week ago. I just attributed it to rough play. I cleaned it and put some ointment on it. I checked the next day and it was almost gone so i forgot about it.

then a couple nights ago i noticed he was licking his stomach so i went to look and there were about 5 or 6 small round sores. It looked just like human ringworm. all in a circle but clear in the middle. only a sore in the shape of a ring. I cleaned them up and put some ointment on them. they are looking better today and are almost gone.

Tank is going to the vet next week for his shots so i am going to ask him about it.

so, do dogs get ringworm? I always thought only cats got that, but it wouldn't be the first time i was wrong

[GSDNewbie]

Ringworm is caused from exposure to the dermatophytes from spores 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.appears as a lesion upon the skin 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 vet can usually diagnose ringworm by using an ultraviolet light. In some cases however, this isn't enough and a sample of hair or s******** 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. 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.

[bernicesmama]

thanks gs, i just found the same info in an online article! holy **** do i have a big job ahead......

my poor fat boy!

[SalemsMom]

Uhm,never seen it on a dog or a cat,but my horses got it before,and me to.Like to know as well if pets can get it.

[bernicesmama]

Originally Posted by SalemsMom

Uhm,never seen it on a dog or a cat,but my horses got it before,and me to.Like to know as well if pets can get it.

it looks just exactly like it does on us...only hairier!

[pung-yo]

Never saw it on a human, but one of my horses picked it up from another horse. My vet warned me to keep my distance and wear protective clothinf as I could catch it also. It must be the same with dogs, so be careful, wear rubber gloves and such.

[weezyNollie]

Yup dogs get it. Be careful, you can get it too.

[bernicesmama]

Originally Posted by weezyNollie

Yup dogs get it. Be careful, you can get it too.

can you use human over the counter medication on the dogs?

I tried to call and ask my vet's office but the girl wouldn't answer me. It kind of bothered me, she insisted they needed to do a scrape of it first. It seemed like they were just wanting more money. I know what ringworm looks like as I've seen and had it before and i tried to explain that to the girl.

I just can't be pulling hundred dollar bills out of the air right now.

[GSDNewbie]

i dont see what it would hurt as it is the same organism that attacks us not a canine version?

[weezyNollie]

Well from a vet clinic stand point.. they just are saying that because legally you can't prescribe medication without diagnosing the problem first. And you can't just necessarily eye-ball ringworm and then treat it, you need to make sure it is by pulling the hair and putting it on a DTM plate or doing a woodslamp test. (the neon light they do in the dark to see if the rings glow).

I'm not sure what they use to treat it in humans, but the dog type is anti-fungal that is a prescription only. You could look into any type of OTC antifungals to see what they say for dosings, etc.

You could look into finding Miconazole shampoo. That is an antifungal shampoo.

I've also read that some ringworm cases resolve themselves? But I'd be afraid in the mean time you'd catch it while waiting for it to go away.

But, it may need the prescription. Unfortuantely. Sorry!