Does Your Pet Have Tinea?

Just as in humans, ringworm is not a worm, but a disease that infects the skin, hair and nails by one of the three types of fungi fungal: Epidermophyton, Microsporum and Trichophyton.  These fungi are found throughout the world, and all domestic animals are susceptible. Ringworm in cats is the
most common form of ringworm in pets. Second most common is from rodents and by digging in fungus infected soil.

Ringworm in dogs and cats usually appears as a crunchy red area of rough skin with broken hairs and loss of hair with itching. Tinea may appear however, in many ways that are not typical.  Due to the susceptibility of young animals, the disease is more common in puppies and kittens.

Dogs and cats can collect Tinea in several ways:  Contact with infected animal, contact with contaminated  of bed clothes, exercise equipment, toys, or soil containing fung. Ringworm is spread by contact with animals that already have ringworm and by touching objects that the infected animal has touched; such as  of bed clothes, brushes or cleaning equipment, saddles and other tack, furniture, carpets, etc.  Not every animal or human touching infected animals or objects will be infected; age, immune status, condition of the skin and exercise habits influence if the fungus is really able to grow and infect animals. In animals, the classic Tinea lesions are irregular areas of hair loss and flaking, usually with very little inflammation or redness.

Some Tinea in dogs and cats can be contagious to people (zoonotic disease).  Studies show that in 30 to 70 percent of households where the cat has Tinea, at least one person will get ringworm.  Children who have never been exposed and the elderly or people with a depressed immune systems are susceptible.

Dogs infected generally always have a skin lesion at the sign of infection, while infected cats can carry the fungus without an outbreak of ringworm.  That means cats can have the fungus in their coat or transmit the fungus to other animals and people and do not have any noticeable lesions themselves.  Diagnosis of ringworm requires a sample of hair taken from the edge of a lesion.  This may take several days to a few weeks for analysis and a diagnosis.  Cats that are suspected of carrying the fungus, but show no signs can be diagnosed by cultivation of a sample of the layer of brushing the cat.  An ultraviolet light can be used to diagnose around 30% of tinea infections.

Due to the susceptibility of young animals, the disease is more common in puppies and kittens.  Animals who are not immunized or very young or older are likely to get the condition without treatment. 
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