how long does it take for ringworm to go away

These cats, called asymptomatic carriers, may still infect other pets or humans. Many cats, especially longhaired breeds, may have ringworm without any clinical signs at all. In some more severe cases of ringworm, the skin lesions are raised and nodular. Ringworm may sometimes cause a more generalized condition where a larger area of the body is affected, often appearing as patchy hair loss. This can lead to distortion of the nails as they grow. Your cat’s nails may become rough and have a scaly base.

Infection of the nails is occasionally a symptom. These lesions are usually not itchy at first but can become itchy if severe scaling or bacterial infection occurs. Lesions are most likely to be found on the skin on your cat’s head, chest, front legs, and spine. Redness or gray scaling of the lesions may also be noted, along with dull, poor fur. These hairs are easy to remove with gentle pressure. Hair loss occurs when the fungi infect the hair shaft, resulting in weakening of the infected hairs. The following symptoms are most commonly seen with ringworm in cats.Ĭats may have circular thickened patches of skin with hair loss. This species is also contagious to humans. In some cases, ringworm infections in cats can be caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes. It is also infectious to humans and dogs. One species of dermatophyte, Microsporum canis, is responsible for almost all ringworm infections in cats. Others can be contagious between different species, which means they can move from pets to humans. Some are species-specific, meaning they only infect one type of animal. There are several types of fungus that can cause ringworm: In cats, you’re more likely to notice hair loss and scaly lesions of any shape. The fungus, which feeds on dead cells, is not actually a worm-the name originated from the classic round red target-shaped lesion surrounded by a scaly ring mostly seen in humans with ringworm.

Ringworms or ringworm are the common names for dermatophytosis, a fungal infection that can affect a cat’s skin, hair, and nails.

How long does it take for ringworm to go away