RINGWORM PROCEDURES

Ringworm procedures. This is what works best for Happy Endings No Kill Cat Shelter and if you ever have to deal with it I hope these procedures help you. 1st quarantine the animal. Ringworm is highly contagious and a pain in the ass to get rid of. Keep in mind where ever you quarantine the animal has to be easily cleaned because ringworm can live in carpet, bedding, scratching posts, and basically anything the animal touches. Keeping them in a small bathroom or closet you cleaned out, sounds so mean, but you get ringworm on you and can't go anywhere and will probably screw up your life for a little while. I'm talking no work, church, school and or social engagements. Basically the doctor is going to order you quarantined. 2nd get information. The more you know the better it will be. Don't trust just one source. Some may have had a really bad outbreak and others a very mild episode. Everyone's situation is different so take it all in then do what works for you. 3rd make sure it is ringworm. A black light only shows that you have dead flaky skin. Keep in mind they use a black light to freak people out about what's on your hotel bed spread. You really think that it's ringworm? A black light can be used once you know it's ringworm to check its progress. The actual test takes 7 to 21 days to get results.  They take hair and skin then add it to a solution and see what grows. By the way anything less then 21 days sucks because that means you got it. After 21 days your clear. 4th clean everything!  This crap lives for a very long time so anywhere the animal has been needs thoroughly sanitized. And keep cleaning where the animal is quarantined to keep it from reoccurring. That also means the animal. You will need at least 2 spray bottles. I'm the only one that will bathe cats at the shelter. Others could but don't. You need a special shampoo. I use a spray bottle. Fill it up with water and then add the shampoo, that way it won't foam up. Work up a good lather and don't get it in the animals eyes or you could blind them. Rinse thoroughly and dry the best you can. Then spray down with dip medicated kill all ringworm stuff. It's orange and will look yellow when sprayed on your animal especially white fur. It dries clear so don't freak. Do this at least once a week. Then you can spray the dip on the animal in between bathing as well. Use a medicated cream on visible areas daily to help get rid of it. 5th keep in mind that most shelters euthanize because it's a royal pain in the ass. The vet may also give you an oral medicine so see a vet. They may also give you a mousse. It has to be used daily so didn't work for the shelter. Remember it has to work for you! If you can't bath your animal then move on and do things you can do. Good luck!