Ringworm Spray for Cats
Ringworm is a disease caused by the parasitic fungi Microsporum canis and Trichophyton tonsurans. It affects the skin and hair and is considered a zoonotic disease, as it is contagious to both animals and humans. Treatment for ringworm in cats is aimed at eliminating the pathogen and eliminating external symptoms such as itching, rashes, and inflammation of the skin epidermis.
Therapeutic interventions include oral medications, immunomodulators, and topical antifungals. Sprays are the most convenient topical treatment. Unlike ointments, creams or gels, sprays can be used even for large affected areas.
Content
The principle of action of antimycotics
In veterinary medicine for treatment of lichen Medications of various origins and spectrums of action are used: antibiotics, imidazoletriazole derivatives, N-methylnaphthalene, nitrophenol, and oxyquinoline. The effect of antifungal drugs is based on their fungistatic and fungicidal action against the causative agents of lichen—fungi of the Arthrodermataceae, Trichophyton, and Microsporum families.
The fungistatic effect consists of inhibiting the proliferation of dermatophytes. The active ingredient of the drug:
- disrupts the phases of cell division,
- blocks tissue respiration and other processes that ensure the vital functions of fungi,
- inactivates the synthesis of ergosterol, an enzyme that is involved in the reproduction process.
The fungicidal effect is achieved by destroying fungal cells and completely halting the synthesis of the biomaterial necessary for cell construction. This leads to the loss of cell membrane integrity and subsequent death of the fungi.
Popular brands of fungicidal sprays for cats
- Biopirox. Manufacturer: Bioveta, Czech Republic, price: 400 rubles. Active ingredient: Octopirox; excipients: propylene glycol, dimethicone, glycerin, denatured alcohol, distilled water.
- Zoomycol. Manufacturer: Boehriger Ingelheim, Germany, price: 600 rubles. Ingredients: active ingredients: Thiabendazole (Arbotect) and Nitroxoline, filler (Excipient).
- Fungin. Manufacturer: NPO Api-San, Russia. Price: 530 rubles. Active ingredients: clotrimazole and dimethyl sulfoxide. Excipients: polyethylene glycol, isopropyl alcohol, and propolis.
- Hexiderm. Manufacturer: Fort Dodge (USA), price: 250 rubles. Main components: Hexetidine, Prednisolone, Benzocaine.
- Stop ringworm and fungus. Manufacturer: Allcar (Ukraine), price: 180 rubles. Active ingredients: clotrimazole, dimethyl sulfoxide, propolis extract. Excipients: glycerin, isopropyl alcohol, distilled water.
- Termicon. Manufacturer: Pharmstandard-Leksredstva (Russia), price: 382 rubles. Ingredients: active ingredient: terbinafine hydrochloride, other ingredients: ethyl alcohol, proxanol, propylene glycol, distilled water.
Rules of application
Treatments for ringworm in cats, including sprays, are selected individually and should be prescribed by a veterinarian. The effectiveness of a given medication depends on the severity of the condition, the extent of the affected area, the animal's overall health, and its immune system.
Treating ringworm is a lengthy and labor-intensive process. Complex therapy for ringworm, along with sprays and other topical treatments, involves the use of medications in pill or injection form. The standard course of treatment for mild ringworm lasts from 2 to 6 weeks; in advanced cases, recovery can take up to six months.
The disappearance of clinical signs of the disease should not be a reason to discontinue treatment. Ringworm in cats is considered cured if a mycological culture test is negative.
Apply fungicidal and acaricidal sprays to the affected areas, massaging gently and covering adjacent healthy areas. Repeat the procedure 2-3 times daily. Before applying the spray, the affected areas (bald spots on the skin covered with crusts and scales) should be cleaned if possible, and the hair around them should be trimmed.
All fungicides are toxic. Therefore, when using ringworm sprays, cats are given a protective collar—a special device made of transparent plastic or a rigid, water-repellent material. An "Elizabethan collar," shaped like a megaphone, prevents the cat from licking the product.
Reviews
Olga, Nizhny Novgorod:
"We cured our cat's ringworm with Zoomikol spray. It's an excellent product! It completely cleared up the problem in a couple of weeks, and by the third day, I noticed hair growing back in Murochka's bald spots. We had to treat the whole family—the kids, my husband, and the cat that brought the infection into the house. The drug (or so the doctor said) isn't habit-forming, meaning the fungus doesn't develop a resistance to it. Zoomikol does have some downsides. First, you have to rinse the nozzle periodically; it gets clogged quickly, resulting in the spray leaking out instead of spraying. And secondly... Our cat is white and long-haired. It's simply impossible to wash that bright yellow color out of her fur. Could anyone recommend a way to do this?"
Stepan, Moscow:
"My cat, Boniface, contracted ringworm. We took him to the vet immediately after discovering several bald, flaky patches on his scalp. The doctor examined him with a Wood's lamp, diagnosed ringworm, and prescribed Fungin spray. The active ingredient in this product is a good one: clotrimazole. But apparently the amount is very low (perhaps for safety reasons, in case he licks it off), because I didn't see any results from five days of spraying. In fact, similar lesions appeared behind his ears. I decided to go to another vet, and they recommended a product with the same clotrimazole called "Stop Ringworm and Fungus." They also told me to wash him with Keta Plus medicated shampoo every other day. It helped."
Tatyana Ivanovna Kriyanovskaya, veterinarian:
"Antifungal sprays for treating ringworm in cats produce good results, especially when used in combination with topical medications. However, not everyone realizes that even topical treatments shouldn't be used for too long. For example, the fungicide Hexiderm has earned excellent reviews from veterinarians, but I recommend using it only in extreme cases, especially for acute ringworm. This is because the active ingredients in this spray are the antibiotic hexitidine, the glucocorticoid prednisolone, and the anesthetic benzocaine. Addiction to the antibiotic can develop, and prednisolone is a hormone that can cause skin lesions with prolonged topical use."
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