My cat's nose scratch won't heal, now bald. Is it ringworm or trauma?

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Some cats get very stressed in the hospital and they may rub the face until the skin is damaged. However, it would be worth the check Kitty's skin for bacterial infection or ringworm as the skin should not peel off like this. Please, take Kitty back to your vet as he will likely need antibiotic / anti-fungal ointment. Your vet will probably want to examine the skin scrapes under the microscope or take a skin swab to confirm the diagnosis first.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Gijs. If the wound is just minor trauma, it should begin healing within 48 hours. If it continues to look smaller, then I would not worry about it. However, if it is not resolving or certainly if it spreads, she will need to see her veterinarian. Ringworm is a fungal infection that is common in kittens. It can start in the nose. It is diagnosed by plucking hairs and performing a fungal culture. I hope this information helps!

Ringworm is actually caused by a fungal infection (a bit of a misnomer!), so Pickle's deworming treatment will have no impact on the lesion on her nose. That said, ringworm lesions are typically areas of hair loss and dry scaling, and rarely have thick black scabs. It is possible that Pickle injured herself, causing this black lesion. At this point, I recommend monitoring the lesion for another week. If it seems to be going away, there is no reason for concern. However, if the lesion grows, becomes more red or itchy, she should be evaluated by her vet. I hope that all goes well!

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. This spot looks like ringworm to me. That is probably why your ointment is not working. I suggest you get Loki to the vet for an exam. They can give you a proper diagnosis and prescribe the correct medication.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This is possibly an infection. However, this is a somewhat common location for a tumor in cats as well. I still think that a focal infection or traumatic lesion is more likely. You can use a topical medication like Douxo 3% PS pads which you may find online. You can apply this to the affected area twice daily for 2 weeks. If this does not resolve or appears to be progressing, have Lovey evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Good luck and have a great day!

This doesn't look like a classic ringworm lesion to me, but ringworm can have many different appearances. A bacterial infection or allergy would also be possible. I would recommend having a veterinarian examine Noody to determine what the lesion might be.

Unfortunately it could still be ringworm - I usually run a culture for 2 weeks. Your vet could dispense a topical miconazole (e.g Conzol) to apply to the lesion. It also could have been an injury from a wound that scabbed up and then fell off. I would err on the side of caution and keep him isolated for 1 more week. Practice good hand hygiene also to prevent you getting or spreading it if its contagious.