Spotting Cat Ringworm Symptoms

The most common infectious skin disease in cats, cat ringworm is not a worm, but a fungal infection. It is highly contagious and can be spread to all the animals and people in the house.

In many cases this disease resolves itself, without treatment, within 6 to 8 weeks. Since it's very common for cats to pass this disease on, your veterinarian may prescribe treatment anyway. Cats with compromised immune systems may take longer to heal and may not heal at all without treatment.

Ringworm, or dermatophytosis, is a fungus which feeds on keratin. Keratin is a protein found in skin, hair and nails.

The disease gets its name from the round ring-like appearance seen on the skin. The classic ringworm symptom presents as patches of hair loss which appear as circular scaly areas with raised edges. These symptoms are fairly easy to spot.

The most common locations for infection are the paws, tail, face, head, and ears. Early symptoms include dry, flaky skin. In addition, you may see bald areas around the eyes, and on the ears and legs.

In severe cases in cats with compromised immune systems, more serious symptoms may develop. If left untreated, crusty lesions that may become red and sore, as well as infected may develop.

Cat ringworm symptoms include hair loss and broken hair in circular or irregular patterns. You may also see bumpy, scaly, red, or inflamed skin, and possibly deformed claws. The affected areas do not always itch, and some cats may experience little to no hair loss with this disease.

Cat ringworm can only be diagnosed by your veterinarian, so get in contact with your vet if you suspect your cat is infected.

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