topic Re: Ringworm ... in Wellness

Ringworm ...

shy bobcat — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 20:19:10 GMT

Going to DS and DDIL's house for Thanksgiving. They and their two kitties have ringworm. I've never had this and the info online has surprised me. I'm hoping some of you have experienced this and can calm my concerns. The thought that the spores can live months on fabrics like couch cushions was quite surprising. DDIL was visiting yesterday and was lying on my couch with visible lesions on her legs. I appreciate all the helpful thoughts and advice you can share. Thank You.

Re: Ringworm ...

KingstonsMom — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 20:48:47 GMT

@shy bobcat

Ringworm is highly transmittable, are they being treated for the ringworm?

The treatment can be as simple as coating the ringworm (actually a fungus), with clear nail polish, it suffocates the fungus.

If not, you need to wash or shampoo your couch or any surfaces that were in contact with the lesions.

They're common here in the deep south (GA).

Re: Ringworm ...

nana59 — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 20:55:13 GMT

omg.....does your son and dil know how contagious this is......probably not....if she was on your couch with visible lesions.....i would say something.....

Re: Ringworm ...

Kachina624 — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:22:10 GMT

Isn't that Athlete's Foot? Hard to believe it would live on fabruc.

Re: Ringworm ...

Foxxee — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:22:36 GMT

Looks like it spread around the family, son, DIL, and cats.

What was your DIL with a very contagious skin disease doing at your house lounging on your furniture?

It's treatable, but it depends on whether you think Thanksgiving dinner with your son and his wife is more important than possibly getting a skin fungus that could take up to several months to go away.

It can get in your hair, too. Do you have any pets? If you got it what are the chances you could spread it around to others?

Some things to think about.

How to remove ringworm from furniture and the house can be found on the internet.

Re: Ringworm ...

tends2dogs — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:22:38 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
@shy bobcat

Ringworm is highly transmittable, are they being treated for the ringworm?

The treatment can be as simple as coating the ringworm (actually a fungus), with clear nail polish, it suffocates the fungus.

If not, you need to wash or shampoo your couch or any surfaces that were in contact with the lesions.

They're common here in the deep south (GA).

Please say you weren't suggesting putting clear nail polish on the kitties. Some may actually do that to an animal. On a person, it is their choice. Hopefully they went to the vet and got an antifungal. I hope this didn't come off snarky. I didn't mean it that way at all~

Re: Ringworm ...

shy bobcat — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:26:47 GMT

Thank you @nana59 and @KingstonsMom What you have said aligns with what I have read online. The felines are being treated with an oral medicine prescribed by their vet. My DDIL doesn't seem concerned and is treating her lesions with OTC topical fungal cream. My son seems more concerned and has shampooed their carpeted areas but not the fabric on furniture. I don't want to overreact but I am concerned.

Re: Ringworm ...

SilleeMee — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 01:05:01 GMT

70% rubbing alcohol kills fungus on surfaces as well as the surface of your skin. But it will not penetrate the skin deep enough to kill the fungus below the surface and that needs to treated with other antifungals. Bleach, when used on compatible objects, will also kill the fungus.

Most normal people do not get ringworm. Fungal infections occur mostly in people who are immunocompromised or are diabetic.

ETA - Just to be clear...anyone can get a ringworm infection, healthy or not. The more exposure you have to the spores under the right conditions, the greater the risk for infection for anyone.

Re: Ringworm ...

KingstonsMom — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:34:15 GMT

@tends2dogs wrote:
@KingstonsMom wrote:
@shy bobcat

Ringworm is highly transmittable, are they being treated for the ringworm?

The treatment can be as simple as coating the ringworm (actually a fungus), with clear nail polish, it suffocates the fungus.

If not, you need to wash or shampoo your couch or any surfaces that were in contact with the lesions.

They're common here in the deep south (GA).
Please say you weren't suggesting putting clear nail polish on the kitties. Some may actually do that to an animal. On a person, it is their choice. Hopefully they went to the vet and got an antifungal. I hope this didn't come off snarky. I didn't mean it that way at all~

@tends2dogs

NO! I was referring to the humans painting the ringworm with clear nail polish on themselves, not the furbabies!

The vet can give them a fungal medication to take care of them, humans can too, but it's not necessary for the humans to pay for a visit to their Dr. for anti-fungal medication, when clear nail polish will take care of the issue for humans.

Re: Ringworm ...

shy bobcat — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:34:41 GMT

@Kachina624 Yes, I believe you are right. I was surprised that the spores can live up to 24 months. I suspect as long as there is a food source they survive and, our skin sheds onto the fabric we sit on. Seems kinda yucky!

Re: Ringworm ...

nana59 — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:46:53 GMT

@shy bobcat wrote:
Thank you @nana59 and @KingstonsMom What you have said aligns with what I have read online. The felines are being treated with an oral medicine prescribed by their vet. My DDIL doesn't seem concerned and is treating her lesions with OTC topical fungal cream. My son seems more concerned and has shampooed their carpeted areas but not the fabric on furniture. I don't want to overreact but I am concerned.

i would be concerned, too.......you're not overreacting.....

Re: Ringworm ...

shy bobcat — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 21:51:59 GMT

@SilleeMee wrote:
70% rubbing alcohol kills fungus on surfaces as well as the surface of your skin. But it will not penetrate the skin deep enough to kill the fungus below the surface and that needs to treated with other antifungals. Bleach, when used on compatible objects, will also kill the fungus.

Most normal people do not get ringworm. Fungal infections occur mostly in people who are immunocompromised or are diabetic.

@SilleeMee Thank you for this info. Unfortunately, because my husband is a diabetic and I'm a cancer patient, I am more concerned. My DDIL's father is a transplant patient so that is a concern. He is coming for Thanksgiving dinner as well. I don't think my DDIL has researched the problem or she's just not too concerned. My DH isn't concerned. Guess it's just me

Re: Ringworm ...

nana59 — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 01:16:13 GMT

@shy bobcat wrote:
@SilleeMee wrote:
70% rubbing alcohol kills fungus on surfaces as well as the surface of your skin. But it will not penetrate the skin deep enough to kill the fungus below the surface and that needs to treated with other antifungals. Bleach, when used on compatible objects, will also kill the fungus.

Most normal people do not get ringworm. Fungal infections occur mostly in people who are immunocompromised or are diabetic.
@SilleeMee Thank you for this info. Unfortunately, because my husband is a diabetic and I'm a cancer patient, I am more concerned. My DDIL's father is a transplant patient so that is a concern. He is coming for Thanksgiving dinner as well. I don't think my DDIL has researched the problem or she's just not too concerned. My DH isn't concerned. Guess it's just me

you are all immune compromised!! everyone should be concerned.....not just you.....

Re: Ringworm ...

RedTop — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 22:07:45 GMT

I don't think ringworm is anything to get paranoid about.

Everyone in my household has had ringworm at one time or another, altho our outside dogs have never had it, and we never knew where we picked up the fungus. At the time each of us had ringworm, we were the only one in the house with it, and didn't spread it to anyone else. Also, we were never covered in lesions; each of us only had one lesion; my last one was the size of a dime.

We used Triamcinolone cream on them until the rash went away.

Re: Ringworm ...

spumoni99 — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 22:22:28 GMT

I got it from a new kitty a few years ago, I treated with the otc athletes foot medicine, I treated the kitty and myself I just made sure to vacuum a lot. I would avoid that coach and vacuum it for a bit. If you go to their house just wear long pants and sleeves and wash your hands often and you should be okay.

Re: Ringworm ...

fthunt — Mon, 22 Nov 2021 23:52:32 GMT

I had it once as a little girl - used to play and roll in the Fall leaf pile. The older kids would bury me in piles of maple tree leaves...........and we all had a great time and laughed a lot.

Mine showed up on one upper leg - a large round red circle. Mom applied a topical save and I had to keep my dress from removing the save. After that: orders were.........no more playing in the leaves. (fungus)

Re: Ringworm ...

aubnwa01 — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 02:20:55 GMT

About 12-13 years ago, I adopted a kitten from the local shelter & she looked OK, but I guess she was clearing a case of ringworm. She liked to climb up & snuggle up under my chin with her face & ears against my cheek. I developed a circular spot on my cheek & when I took her to the vet for her free checkup, the vet looked at me & then looked the kitty over with a Wood's Lamp & said she had a small spot of ringworm on the tips of her ears, just where they'd been touching my cheek. Hers cleared up long before mine did, I tried ketoconazole cream & something else, which didn't work & I ended up going to a derm to get a Rx for some ointment to get rid of it once & for all.

Re: Ringworm ...

Silver Lining — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 06:18:46 GMT

I like going for pedicures and getting the works, massage my feet and legs, etc. I do my own at home now because of the pandemic plus the salon I've used for years closed down. Prior to all of that, though, a swanky salon had opened so I decided to try it. About three days afterwards, an itchy red circle appeared above one ankle. My BIL is a doctor and told me to I get the OTC cream used for jock itch. I forget the name of the active ingredient but it worked great. My veterinarian friend told me to use it on my cat and dog if I infected them.....ha, ha.

Re: Ringworm ...

beckyb1012 — Tue, 23 Nov 2021 14:25:06 GMT

I looked up ringworm after reading this thread and the first three posts. On The Medical News Today site said: human to human, animal to human, and object to human for the spread.

Re: Ringworm ...

Swedishmiss — Thu, 25 Nov 2021 23:06:21 GMT

Years ago we rescued a cat who turned out to be infected with ringworm. We already had two small dogs. The vet recommended we have him shaved (he was very matted and had long hair) and we treated him with an oral medication and a topical ointment. The vet also recommended he be quarantined to one area of the house. That was NOT possible, since we were living in a small apartment, and the cat was terribly needy and couldn't tolerate being alone.
We were careful about washing frequently. The infection cleared up after a few weeks, and no one else got it.