My kitten had a fungal infection, can I bathe her now?

This can take several weeks to months as the skin and coat need to heal after the fungal infection is resolved. We cannot prescribe medication but you can bathe her in a cat labeled iodine or fungal shampoo twice weekly. Cats are very sensitive to medication so do not use anything on your kitten unless it is specifically labeled as safe for kittens. Check at you pet store and they should be able to help you find a safe shampoo for Misty. I recommend cleaning the bedding also and washing your hands after playing with Misty. Usually as the kitten grows up they have better immunity and they will start to heal the skin on their own too. If after bathing the fungal infection isn't improved then take her to your local veterinarian for treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Misty.

Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do from home, especially if medications aren't helping. I would seek out another exam in person and have the vet take a scraping of the fungal site to send to a lab for testing. This can help determine what exactly it is and the best medication to put on it to help. Medicated shampoos and oral medications can also be helpful and may need a few courses to fully resolve the issue. I would definitely keep the affected area cleaned and trimmed/clipped so you can monitor spread and more easily get medications on the affected area. Since that spot in the photo also looks like it may be infected with bacteria (abscessed) in addition, oral antibiotics from your vet is probably another good idea. Until you can get to the vet (which I recommend doing ASAP), keeping the area clean and dry, and keeping Zuzu from scratching at or rubbing it with an Elizabethan (cone) collar (if it doesn't rub on the spot) is best. Since fungal infections can be spread to other pets and people, washing hands, bedding, clothing, etc is also a good idea to reduce spread.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Sweet Face. Ringworm is the most common skin infection. It is a fungal disease. However, bacterial infections are possible as well. He should see a veterinarian to be examined and have the skin tested. Based on these results, treatment can be started. I hope this information helps!

I would strongly recommend to take them straight to the vet before using any antiseptic solution, which may not be effective at all. Any previous treatment may influence and delay diagnosis and be contraindicated given the young age.

To help prevent skin issues, feed a high quality diet (I like Purina ProPlan, Hills Science Diet, and Royal Canin - don't worry about being grain free, that's a fad and not actually related at all to pet health) and keep Noushmc on an oral flea preventative, ideally from your veterinarian (not all over the counter options are created equally). Cats don't need routine bathing because they do a great job of keeping themselves clean. Shampoos can actually dry out their skin and cause problems. You never need to bathe her, but if she's particularly dirty you can bathe her up to once a month (again, I don't recommend this regularly) with a pet shampoo.

I’m sorry your little kitten is having a problem. It is not possible to decide if this skin issue is a bacterial or fungal infection from the photo. Your kitten should see a vet ASAP in order to properly diagnose it. Due to the very young age and small size, it is important to know exactly what type of infection it is, what medication is safe and the proper dosages. The veterinarian can also give a good general exam and possibly check for intestinal parasites as the kitten appears to have a round bloated belly. Please do not attempt to treat this at home because the infection looks quite extensive. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor kitty. Treatment for ringworm can certainly damage their relationship with their owners. Try to spend some time with her playing that doesn't involve treatments and medications to help your bond. There is not usually much of the fungus left after 4 lime dips, so I usually re-evaluate my patients at that time. After 4 weeks of treatment I would have Sierra re-examined by your vet to see if she is still infective. By this time she shouldn't be losing any more hair and you might even see some regrowth in her areas of hair loss.