My cat has ringworm. Can I use athlete's foot cream? How to prevent licking?

Clotrimazole (Lotrimin) can be tried, with or without the steroid. It is always recommended to apply a thin layer of the product on the skin and allowing it to air dry for 20-30 minutes. The product should not be allowed to be licked by your pet during the drying timeframe, and gloves should be worn when handling this medication. Use care when treating a large area, smaller areas of application are preferred. If no improvement is seen within 7-14 days then most pets require an oral anti-fungal prescription medication from their veterinarian.

Hello and thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. You should rub Lamisil into the skin as soon as you apply it. Creams get absorbed rapidly into the skin and rubbing it in will enhance absorption even more. Lamisil is not toxic when ingested but it may produce upset stomach, so your Batty may vomit if she keeps licking it. Licking the cream off may slow down the healing. If after 10-14 days there is no improvement to the skin, your vet may have to change the treatment to anti-fungal tablets.

It's not the best that Minocha licked the ringworm cream. I have never come across a topical medication that has been effective for treating ringworm in cats aside from prescription-based lime sulfur dips. The concern is that the Microsporum canis (fungal organism causing ringworm) is spread diffusely throughout a cat's entire hair coat, such that an isolated topical spray will not cover all surfaces of every hair, and lead to frequent recurrence. If you are concerned that she may have ringworm, she should go to her vet for confirmation and will need to be started on oral antifungal medication. Yes, this is contagious to you as well, and you can get it when she sleeps in the bed with you. You need to see your doctor to be sure you don't have it as well. I hope that all goes well!

Nystatin can be used but since it is a prescription medication for, you should check with your veterinarian before giving or applying any medications to or on your pet. An e-collar (cone) should be in place to prevent licking/ingestion which could cause GI upset.

The cream should be applied always with gloves and extra care should be payed regarding hygiene. It would be best to avoid close contact with the cat and the infected area. Systemic medications are available but that would depend on the severity of the infection (if your vet prescribed an ointment that means it will be enough to resolve the infection).

Miconazole and clotrimazole are the most common topical anti-fungal medications that we use for ringworm, but you will want to consult with your veterinarian before starting any treatment for ringworm to make sure that Pita Boo is confirmed to have ringworm, to make sure that he doesn't need oral medication as well and to make sure that the topical product is safe for cats. I am including a handout on ringworm below for your reference which discusses treatment. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951439 Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hello. Yes, sometimes ringworm can be stubborn. If your cat has numerous lesions, or they are along the eyes and mouth, your cat should be on an oral antifungal medication. Also, cats will often lick the medication off as soon as you apply it, so it is not effective. If you are not using an Elizabethan collar, that could help prevent licking. Cases that do not respond to topical treatment often do better with a prescription oral antifungal. I would also make sure that it is actually ringworm. It may need to be rechecked by your veterinarian. Thank you