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What if my pet has ringworm? How do I get it diagnosed and treated?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Pit Bull Terrier | Female | unspayed | 8 months and 10 days old

Is this ringworm? How can I get it treated?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Maria DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 11th, 2018

Can be but may not be. Your vet can use a woods lamp to see if it glows green. If it does then it is ringworm. If it does not then it still can be ringworm but may not be. There is a fungal test to confirm if it is or not. Does anyone in your home have lesions? I would also recommend skin scraping the area looking for mites if it is just hairloss and not scabbing also.

Mia needs to have a vet physically examine this area and the rest of her to see exactly what is going on. Ringworm can be treated topically if just one location with an anti-fungal cream. I also recommend ecollars after applying the cream so they do not lick the areas. If it is more than one location then I recommend oral anti-fungal medications.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Laura Johnson VMD
Veterinarian
Published on August 1st, 2017
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Poor Toffee! Not all ringworm fluoresces under a blue light. It could be a skin infection from allergies or a non-contagious called demodex. From the pictures the areas look moist like she has been licking. If you can keep her off the areas then you can see if they start to heal. Otherwise I recommend that you take her to the Vet. They probably will shave the areas, give her antibiotics and something to stop the licking.

Good luck!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Debi Matlack
Veterinary Technician
Published on January 6th, 2018
It doesn't have the round appearance that ringworm often has, but that doesn't mean it isn't ringworm. It looks more like a bacterial infection with maybe some grooming/scratching irritation. I would get her in to see your vet for an exam as soon as possible to make sure it isn't ringworm, since that can be spread to other pets and people. In the meantime, I recommend gently bathing the area with a warm washcloth, an emollient shampoo or mild soap, drying it well and applying a non-steroidal ointment, such as plain Vaseline to help protect it and keep it from drying out. In case it turns out to be ringworm, wash any cloths or towels as well as bedding she has come into contact with in HOT water and use bleach if possible.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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Related Questions

My cat might have ringworm. Can I use Griseofulvin or see a vet?

I am sorry to hear about your kitty! I would recommend a visit to your vet for a test to see if this is truly ringworm. You do want to know if this is ringworm because it can be transmitted to people if so, and to other pets. Your vet can use a special light to examine the area and if it doesn't show any infection they may pluck some hairs to do a ringworm culture. Griseofulvin used to be the common treatment for ringworm but now there are other medications we often use which we feel are more effective with fewer side effects. Here is an article with information on ringworm http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=559 . It is possible this is ringworm, but we can also see bacterial infections or insect bites that can show circular bald areas like you are seeing so it is best to find out for sure!

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What's this orange circle under my cat's fur? Could it be ringworm?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could be ringworm which is a fungal infection which needs to be treated and also can be contagious to humans. I highly recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Also, avoid contact with this lesion for now. Good luck!

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Puppy itching, hair loss, red flaky skin: Is it ringworm or mange?

Without seeing it in person, I can't say if it's mange or ringworm for sure. Ringworm is typically a circular lesion that is red in color. Mange can be demodex or sarcoptic, but again without seeing him in person, I don't know which type it is. At the vet, they will likely use a Wood's lamp to see if the spot is ringworm, as infected hairs can fluoresce under the ultraviolet light. Not all cases of ringworm will do this, so a fungal culture may be needed. To diagnose mange, the vet takes skin scrapings, and looks at the sample under a microscope. The demodex mite is typically easily seen with a skin scraping, while it can take several skin scrapings to find the sarcoptic mite. Once the cause is found, the vet can discuss treatment with you. Good luck at the vet's tomorrow!

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My cat has circular, crusty sores. Is it ringworm or another skin issue?

It certainly is possible that Stiletto has ringworm. I would take her into the vet, who can use a Wood's lamp and fungal culture to diagnose if she does have ringworm. Should she have it, the vet can prescribe an antifungal treatment for it. Your other cat will have to be treated for it, as it's highly contagious, and keep an eye on yourself to make sure you don't have ringworm lesions as well because it's contagious to humans. You will also have to disinfect the home, as ringworm spores can live in the environment for up to 18 months: http://www.livestrong.com/article/49666-rid-home-ringworm/

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Cat has glowing scabs, negative ringworm test. Is it false negative?

It is very common for scabs/debris around the site to glow a bit under the lamp. A positive result would be fluorescent hairs from a metabolite the fungus secretes on to the hairs. Unfortunately only half of the strains of the most common cause of ringworm will glow however. A DTM medium fungal culture is a good way to diagnose ringworm but false negatives are always possible with any test. DTM medium is nice because it contains a color indicator as well. If the index of suspicion is high for ringworm another culture could be performed making sure to pluck hairs from many different sites. It is also possible that this is not ringworm but some other skin related issue of which there are many (secondary infections (bacteria, yeast), allergy (food, hypersensitivity), etc. I hope his helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

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How to tell if my cat's skin irritation is ringworm or a hot spot?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This could actually be either of the two and the only way to know for sure is by testing with a fungal culture. This is a test that your veterinarian can run easily. While the location in the ventral abdomen is not typical of ringworm in cats, this is certainly possible. One thing to point out is that usually ringworm does not cause itchiness in cats while hot spots or dermal infections tend to do. I recommend that you have her evaluated by a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. Your veterinarian can test to see if ringworm is possible. In the meantime, try to avoid having direct contact with this lesion in case it is ringworm as that can be transmitted to humans. Good luck and have a good night!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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My cat has a scabby bald spot on his face. Could it be ringworm?

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.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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