Do dogs get ringworm? It is one of the pet owners’ most-asked questions since no one likes to see their well-looking canine friend turns into a sick dog. Humans and their furry housemates have shared a pretty memorable history when it comes to diseases.
Zoonotic diseases are the term healthcare providers call such conditions. Examples can include tularemia, rabies, flu, and dengue fever. Is this skin rash-causing unbearable deformity one of those diseases that shows no mercy by hitting both owners and their pets? Do dogs get ringworm? But first, what is ringworm?
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What Is Ringworm?
Ringworm (also known as dermatophytosis or tinea) is a highly contagious infection caused by fungus. Parasites taking the living-body outer skin as a residential area are most likely to cause a ringworm condition. There are many types of ringworms infections according to the body area where the skin rash appears, the most-known ones are:
- Scalp ringworm (also known as tinea capitus).
- Feet ringworm (athlete’s foot or tinea pedis).
- Nail ringworm (tinea unguium).
- Genital area ringworm (jock itch or tinea cruris).
- Body ringworm (known as tinea corporis).
Do Dogs Get Ringworm?
The simple answer to your question is yes. Ringworm-causing fungi (will discuss it in a bit) doesn’t discriminate against chromosome-count. Ringworm is a multi-species-targeting condition that hits sheep, goats, rabbits, felines as well as canines.
What Causes The Appearance Of Ringworms In Canines?
Not only one fungus has been associated with ringworm infections. So far, science has found that more than 40 different fungi can cause this type of disease. However, the most well-known, ringworm-associated fungi are Epidermophyton, Microsporum, and Trichophyton.
How Does Ringworms Spread In Dogs?
Skin-to-skin interaction with a ringworm-touched human or pet is how often dogs get ringworm infections. Since the fungal spores can stay alive on bedding, clothing, or in almost any household item or in-door environment, they can find dead skin cells on (since they are their primary food supply).
Symptoms Of Ringworms In Dogs
Just like humans, ringworms infections in canines result in distortion-like signs in the skin. A dog with a reddened or darkened skin that also suffers from Alopecia (sudden hair loss that can be circular or patchy) is most likely to be ringworm-diseased. Other ringworm signs in canines also include skin flaking (A.K.A. dandruff).
If you also noticed fragility, roughness, or mild inflammation around your dog’s claw, it might be a warning sign that you should check for ringworm infection. Canine ringworms signs can also include the presence of dry hair, rounded-shape lesions, or inflames around the skin, and the presence of fragile fur as well can be a powerful proof that what you and your canine friend are dealing with is ringworm infection.
Which Dogs That Are In More Risk Of Ringworms?
Although ringworm infections don’t prefer to aim towards certain breeds when they hit canines, they are things that might just make your dog at more risk to this unbearable skin-targeting condition. Age, for instance, can be a significant factor when determining pet susceptibility to ringworm. Elderly dogs and puppies are the most likely to catch a ringworm infection. A dog with a medical history can also be more ringworm-preferable.
Diagnoses Of Ringworms In Dogs
Since hair and skin are the most ringworm-touched areas in canines, taking a sample from each by your pup health provider will be enough to check for ringworms presence. This type of test is called fungal-culture by veterinarians and is done using the assistance of an ultraviolet lamp or a simple light microscope.
Treatment Of Ringworms In Dogs
Ketoconazole, fluconazole, clotrimazole, or any anti-fungal drugs can have significant contributions in your one-to-one fight with ringworms as a pet owner. Nevertheless, topical medication (the use of medically-approved creams on the pup’s body to eliminate post-ringworms distortion-like signs) can also be helpful from time to time. And the well-use and combination of both is your best ringworm-eliminating weapon as a dog parent.
Prevention Of Ringworms In Dogs
There is no “one” fixed-way to prevent ringworms in canines. Nevertheless, thorough environmental decontamination is the dog parent’s best way to ensure that their pup will stay ringworm-free. This “environment” can include bedding, dog bowl, dog toys, and extend to nearly any household item your pup interacts with daily.
Dog most-witnessed in-house spots should be taken care of and sanitized as well, like the kitchen, the bath, or the back yard. And since ringworms are fungal infections, you shouldn’t exclude the danger of human-dog or dog-dog transportation.
If you are ringworm-diseased, try as much as possible not to expose yourself to your dog. If your next-door neighbor has a ringworm-diseased canine in-house, you should forbid your pup from sharing pet-to-pet interaction with him/her.
Finally, you must search-and-destroy for every ringworm-associated human or canine part. Clean the place from dispersed dog hair, sheared human nails, as well as consistently cleaning your bedroom, couch, and other in-door items you usually interact with. Your coat can be a ringworm-full environment, so make sure to clean it regularly for your pet’s sake and yours!
Final Word For Dog Parents About Today’s Question, Do Dogs Get Ringworm?
How to efficiently handle a ringworm-infected dog is a more important question than how dogs get ringworm in the first place. Ringworms won’t kill your dog, but it can pretty much ruin its nice, well-being look, this can be a real thing, especially if the owner-pet casual photo is a thing you and your canine friend often do. Other household animals can catch this fungal infection as well.
For instance, felines not only that they can catch ringworm, but they can spread it to their housemate canine brothers/sisters. As a pet owner doing a dual-parenting job, the stakes would be much higher, and your job will get more complicated. Always keep canines and felines separated and take well-care of your pup’s needs and make sure to stay 24/7 eye-vigilant, and everything will be just fine.
If you have more information or a different answer to the question, do dogs get Ringworm, please write them down below in the comment section. So, every dog owner benefits from that.
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