If the cat on the body or head suddenly appeared spots covered with scales, pustules or vesicles, it is worth paying attention to. There is a chance that your pet has become infected with a fungal or viral infection.
The disease itself is unlikely to pass, most likely, the animal needs treatment, and the sooner the better. These spots on the skin can lead to blindness, death of the cat, can be dangerous to humans.
Causes
A small amount of fungi is always present on the skin of pets. Thanks to the protection of the immune system, they are "under control." There are three types of microorganisms that inhabit the epithelium of pets:
- Residents: constantly live on the skin, forming whole colonies.
- Transitors, temporary inhabitants: are different, including pathogenic. They may not manifest themselves in any way until suitable conditions for their existence arise, a decrease in the immunity of the animal. Transitors cannot independently damage the protective layers of the skin, they penetrate and infect already existing wounds.
- Nomads are pathogenic microbes that can inflict damage on their own.
Stable, normal microflora fights against the penetration of harmful pathogens into the body. The main cause of dermatomycosis (depriving) are failures in the immune system, changes in the microflora of the skin. Spores of pathogenic fungi live up to 12 years, quietly transported through the air, maintaining a boiling point of up to 15 minutes.
Signs and symptoms of depriving cats, photo
The owner should pay attention, if the cat began to shed too much, there are large clumps of wool. Indeed, among the fungi there are those that can be transmitted from animals to people and vice versa.
Most often, the kittens are sick, as the immunity has not yet been fully formed. Sometimes the representatives of the cat are carriers of pathogens on their skin and coat without manifestations.
The risk of infection increases in the case of uncontrolled festivities of cats on the street, infection with parasites, malnutrition. It is important to take into account the genetic factor. So, cats of the Persian breed, bred artificially, do not have natural immunity to ringworm.
The incubation period depends on the causative agent of the disease, varies from 3-4 days to 2-3 months.
Types of depriving flow:
- Superficial - defeat of the upper layer of the epidermis, as a result of which small bumps, crusts are formed. Damage to the hair follicles in this case is not significant.
- Deep - the cat's hair follicles are involved in the process. Symptoms are most pronounced. Often there are complications in the form of purulent inflammation of the skin.
- Erased (atypical) - the appearance of very small lesions on the skin without hair, covered with dandruff. In long-haired breeds such a course of the disease may not be noticeable.
Diagnostic methods
There are several types of cat litter: ringworm, weeping, pink, scaly and shingles. It is very important to diagnose correctly in order to prescribe an effective treatment. Other reasons why a cat loses wool are not excluded:
- Avitaminosis.
- Allergic dermatitis. Cats often have an allergy to their care products (shampoos, flea products).
- Vlasoyed - a parasite that feeds on cat fur.
The disease is diagnosed by examining pathological spots on the skin of a cat:
- Through Wood's lamp. Fungi trapped under its illumination, fluoresce (glow brightly). But since many microorganisms are able to glow under the lamp, the accuracy of this method is only 60%.
- By growing fungi in nutrient media. As a biological material for this method, use crusts, scales from the affected area of the cat's skin.
- Microscopic examination.
It is recommended to check the animal for the presence of parasites, as they contribute to a decrease in immunity, thereby reducing the body's defense against the entry of various infections.
Features ringworm
Ringworm pathogens are molds of the genus Trichophyton and Microsporum. Their clinical manifestations are the same. Getting on the skin surface, they feed on the upper layer of the epithelium.
In the process of life, microsporia and trichophytosis produce a large number of spores, which are widely distributed in the environment and represent a danger both to other animals and to humans, especially to children and the elderly. Cats with long hair are at risk.
Signs of
The first symptom of this pathology is the appearance on the skin of round spots without hair (sometimes with broken hairs, 2-3 mm long), covered with scales resembling white bloom or ash.
Often, lesions occur in the ears, on the limbs.
To determine the infection with ringworm can be on some grounds:
- a rounded spot appears on the skin, inside which there is no hair;
- in the central part of the lesion may be blisters, scales or pustules. If the cat does not receive treatment, the spot grows, sometimes it spreads all over the body, the skin becomes greasy and peels off strongly;
- the accumulation of dried crusts is noted;
- sometimes the pet experiences severe itching in the area of spots, combing the affected skin to the blood;
- when infected with pathogenic fungi of claws - they are deformed, grow incorrectly.
It is impossible to describe the typical signs of ringworm. At first suspicion, you should contact your veterinarian.
Treatment
It is worth taking the treatment seriously, as with improper therapy, it is impossible to avoid serious complications for the cat and possible infection of the hosts.
- It is recommended to shave or shave a cat, especially if it is long-haired. The tool will be infected with ringworm spores that die only during sterilization! Do this carefully so as not to damage the skin of your pet.
- Wash it with antifungal shampoo (Nizoral, Sebozol) containing ketoconazole to speed recovery.
- Locally - lubricate the spots on the affected skin with antifungal ointments: Clotrimazole or Miconazole - twice a day for 1-2 months until recovery; Sanoderm - once or twice a day for two weeks to a month. Also treated with special sprays (Fungin) for two weeks.
Perhaps the use of trays with sulfur dioxide. The method will be more effective if it is combined with antifungal ointments.
The use of antifungal tablets (Griseofulvin, Itraconazole, Terbinafine) - this method is used as a last resort as often there are side effects.
There are complex vaccines against fungi: Polivak and Vakderm. As a rule, they vaccinate infected animals twice.
In severe cases, a third vaccination is allowed at intervals of ten to fourteen days.
Mandatory disinfection of residential premises. It is necessary to treat all objects with a chlorine-containing agent (according to the instructions for disinfecting surfaces): sleeping places, cups, brushes, toys — everything that a cat infected with a ringworm could touch.
It is necessary to walk with a steamer on upholstered furniture, carpets. Knock out covers, rugs that can not be steamed. Bed linen and things that had contact with a sick pet, it is best to boil.
When handling cats, use disposable sterile gloves. Wash hands very thoroughly in any contact with her until recovery occurs.
Do not forget about the nutrition of the animal during illness. For a speedy recovery in food, nutrients necessary for hair growth and skin recovery should be: vitamins of group B, sulfur, methionine, fatty acids.
During the period of treatment, it is impossible to feed the cat with nutritional supplements with biotin (Biotin-forte), which stimulate the growth of wool.
Folk remedies
But do the same if the cat has ringworm and does not have access to a veterinary clinic?
There is a popular way for which you will need:
- iodine;
- vegetable oil;
- ash (more often after burning from a newspaper, sometimes - raspberry, currant bushes).
It is necessary:
- burn the newspaper (or cooked twigs) to ashes;
- mix ashes with vegetable oil;
- treat tincture iodine tincture and wool around them;
- apply the mixture to the skin over iodine;
- repeat the procedure several times a day.
Treatment of a pregnant cat
When a pregnant or lactating cat suffers from depriving, there are certain difficulties in its treatment. To clarify the diagnosis it is necessary to show it to a competent specialist, to conduct an examination. Often, people are faced with a choice: the cat and the domestic environment, or kittens (which, again, are at risk of being deprived of lichen during childbirth).
If the owners cherish babies, then in this case it is impossible to use aggressive antifungal drugs, depriving vaccines, as they may adversely affect future offspring.
Here one should resort to the methods of phytotherapy and traditional medicine.
Recipe 1
In equal parts take:
- nettle leaves;
- grass series;
- oregano herb;
- violet tricolor.
Brew two tablespoons of the collection in 500 ml of boiling water, let it brew for 20 minutes and strain. Water the cat 3-4 times a day 30 minutes before meals.
Recipe 2
In equal parts take:
- pharmacy chamomile;
- horsetail grass;
- valerian root;
- thyme herb;
- liquorice root.
Pour 1 tablespoon of the mixture with 200 ml of boiling water, put in a water bath for 25-30 minutes, then strain the broth. To give a cat to drink 3-4 times a day for half an hour before meals.
Recipe 3
Recommended in these special cases for the treatment of deprived skin areas of tea tree oil.
3-4 drops of tea tree oil diluted in one tablespoon of olive oil (peach seed oil will do). This mixture is applied to the lesions 2-3 times a day until cure.
If you deprive a person of a cat - what to do?
The greatest danger to humans is ringworm of the cat. It is impossible to completely forget about the pink, not enough studied lichen, and scaly. But these options are much less common and not so often transmitted to humans.
So, here is the basic information about them:
| Ringworm | Pityriasis (varicolored) versicolor | Pink lichen | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Causative agent | Mold fungi of the genus Trichophyton and Microsporum. | Yeast Malassezia Furfur | Not studied, assumed to be viral |
| Seasonality | Late summer-early autumn | The disease manifests itself regardless of the season, people who live in a hot, humid climate are ill | Cold season |
| Danger of infection from the animal | High. Affected children from 4 to 15 years old and older people. | Conditional. Necessary factors for development:
| The possibility is not excluded, in the risk zone - children, the elderly. |
| Sources of infection | Often the infection comes from direct contact with the sick cat, especially if it does not receive treatment. The risk of infection due to abrasions, cracks, and various skin lesions is increased. If there is a sick infected animal in the house, then the danger is represented by surfaces, carpets, furniture, care items, toys, as the spores of the disease spread through the air. Disputes can get into the house from the street on shoes, clothes, brought objects and live up to two years, waiting for favorable conditions for their development. Sometimes cats look healthy, but are carriers of the disease. A person can become infected from another person. | Sick cat. Family members suffering from this disease. | Not exactly installed |
| Symptomatology | Rounded patches of red-pink color. Hair within the ringworm lesion may be broken off, covered with a fat coating or completely absent. Fungi of microsporia and trichophytia cause damage to hair follicles. At the beginning of the disease, the surface inside the spot becomes covered with small bubbles, then peels off. The lesion is surrounded by a brighter groove. | There are asymmetrical spots of different shades (yellow, brown, pink), which eventually merge into large foci with irregular borders. In the summer, from sunburn, the spots brighten, and in winter - become dark brown. Most often, lesions are observed on the chest, back, in the armpits. But sometimes other parts of the body are also affected. Damage to the scalp is not accompanied by hair loss. The disease is prone to relapse. | Against a background of weakened immunity, the first major maternal stain appears more often on the back, chest, shoulders. It has clear boundaries, flakes and itches. Further along the body, smaller lesions (affiliated) appear, not so brightly colored and not so distinct. There may be fever, fever, chills. |
| Features of the course of the disease in children | Inflammation of the skin, the addition of pustular infection. Sometimes there are lesions of the nail plates due to the constant scratching of the lesions. | - | - |
| Treatment | External remedies: ointments and creams (Nizoral, Iikoseptin, Lamisil, Clotrimazole, Bifonazole), sprays, tincture of iodine, chinosol solution 10%) - intended for lubrication of lesions on the skin. Oral medications (Terbinafin, Griseofulvin), Bathing with antifungal agents (shampoos), the use of special lotions. | Not required. Symptomatic therapy is aimed at improving well-being (fever, antihistamines, relieves skin itch). We should not forget about proper nutrition, use of vitamins. | |
| Prevention of the spread of the disease | When a child is infected, they are isolated at the time of treatment from a children's institution. It is important to carry out thorough disinfection of the room with chlorine-containing substances, if possible - ideally regular quartz treatment of the room (time depends on its volume). Bed linen, clothes and towels should be boiled at a temperature of 95-100 degrees with detergent and ironed on both sides. | It is desirable to maintain personal hygiene more strictly: cleaning with disinfection, boiling linen. | |
In order to prevent a family from being deprived, it is necessary to be more attentive to your cat.
At the first suspicion of the occurrence of lichen, it is urgent to contact a dermatologist, who will examine, diagnose the disease and prescribe an effective therapy.
Preventive measures
To protect the cat from lichen infection, it is recommended:
- Clean up with pet disinfectant habitat.
- Carefully produce furniture processing.
- Perform wet cleaning of surfaces with disinfectants (chlorine-containing) agents.
- Carefully examine the cat before purchasing, carefully examine its skin, pay attention to the living conditions, environment. It may be useful to examine the mother’s skin of a kitten.
- Protect the cat from contact with other animals (at exhibitions, walks).
It should be remembered that not every contact with sick animals will lead to infection. It all depends on the human immunity, hygiene. Hygienic rules, keeping the skin of the hands clean, maintaining immunity - reliable protection against ringworm.
