Ringworm In Dogs

It is common for a dog to get ringworms. One of the symptoms of ringworms in the dog is the presence of ringworms in the dog’s poop or if the dog vomits. Ringworms can be identified by vet inspection or pictures of the ringworms on the internet.

Ringworm in Dog Symptoms

Most dogs can ringworms at least one in their life span. Most active dogs spend their time outdoors, and they can get infected by ringworms if they get in contact with other animals or pets. They can get affected by neighbour’s pets as well. Cats can also pass ringworm to the dog as well.

Apart from ringworm being dangerous to dogs, ringworms are also transferrable to humans, which makes it deadly as well.

For this reason, we need to check the health of the dog as well. It is also crucial to be aware of any ringworm symptoms in the dog and send it to the bed immediately to prevent the ringworm from spreading.

Step 1: Identify Ringworms

Keep an eye for any itching or the dog nipping at a body part. These are usually the beginning symptoms of ringworms in dogs. These symptoms usually mean that you need to keep an eye on the dog and inspect the dog properly.

Inspect the dog fur properly to see if there are infected areas. Part the dog’s coat properly so that you can inspect the skin. Always remember to wash your hands after you handle the pet so that you don’t spread the ringworm disease.

Look for bald patches on the dog. It is the symptom of ringworm disease. Ringworms can appear on the head or ears. If there are circular patches, there is a likelihood that there is a ringworm attack.

Isolate your dog when you have detected the dog has ringworm. Make sure that you don’t contaminate other pets with the dog. This will reduce the ringworm disease from spreading to other animals.

If there is inflammation of growth, for if there is inflammation, it is likely to be ringworm disease.

Step 2: Confirming The Pet Has Ringworm

Take the dog to a local vet. The vet will use several methods to diagnose whether the dog has gotten ringworm.

The vet will use a microscope to examine the hair follicles.  The vet will pluck hairs from the infected area of the dog and examine the hairs under a microscope.

Under high magnification, fungal spores will be shown on the microscope. This will confirm ringworm in dogs.

The vet needs to do a fungal culture to your pet if all other methods fail. The veterinarian uses a sterile brush and rubs it over the dog’s affected area.

Most of the vets make use of a test that will test the fungal infection. If the fungal test changes colour, it means that ringworm is present.

It takes about five days for the fungus to grow. This test is not considered to be negative until the test colour changes after five days.

You are treating your pet’s ringworm with a full cone collar during treatment.

Step 3: Learning About The Disease

The fungal infection in dogs is named ringworm. There might be worm or bug larvae infestation leading to fungal infection. You must also know what it looks like.  Ringworm will leave circular marks or patches on the skin. There is also some hair loss on a particular spot of fur. If the immune system of the dog goes down or the dog is under stress, the dog can get ringworm quickly. If the immune system cant fights the fungal infection, the infection will develop and get worse.

Ringworm in dogs faeces

Infected dogs have roundworms in faeces, and other dogs might be infected if they sniff or lick the wastes. Roundworm eggs can also inhibit other animals like cockroaches and birds and spread to other animals.

Ringworm in Dog Ears

The symptom is usually a hairless round patch. However, this ring might not look round to a human, and it can increase in size, and the shape might become irregular.

Fungi will cause hair to keep dropping, leading to empty patches of hair. Ringworm appears in face, tail and paws. The affected areas are somewhat scaly if you touch them, and the skin will look slightly red.

How To Get Rid Of Ringworms In Your Pet

The vet will diagnose your pet for ringworm with several tests, and get a fungal culture and examine all infected hairs with a microscope and ultraviolet light.

Home Remedies For Ringworm

Medicinal intervention can also cause worse cases of ringworm. There are methods to treat this problem, such as:

1. Anti-fungal Shampoo

Use anti-fungal pet shampoo, and it is a powerful treatment that can cure the dog quickly and effectively. However, you need to make sure that the dog is confirmed having ringworms. If you are not sure to send the dog to the vet immediately. There are many anti-fungal shampoos out there, so make sure you get the recommended ones from the vet or advice from other pet lovers. Do some online shopping on Amazon if you cant get the shampoo that you want. However, most pet shops should be able to provide anti-fungal shampoo for ringworm treatment.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar can help to treat infections as well. Make sure to mix the solution with water and apple cider vinegar and rinse the pet properly after you bath the dog. It can kill the infections fast as the answer is slightly acidic. Do not let the solution touch the dog’s eyes because it is acidic.

3. Tea Tree Oil

The tea tree oil has many properties for dogs and humans. However, today, we are looking for treatments for dogs. When applied correctly and adequately diluted, tea tree oil can treat ringworm infections on the dog. The natural health community means dabbing the diluted solution on the affected areas on the dog’s space. Make sure to do this regularly and put the tea tree oil on the dog’s body are two times a day every week.

Make sure to take proper care of your dog and isolate them from stray dogs. Also, keep in mind that dogs cannot talk, so you need to watch out if they are not eating as this means that they are ill. Treat him like your best friend and always be there for him.

Author Bio:

Tony is the owner of Petpetbuy.com, the pet-parent of two dogs, and he is also an active animal rescuer. He works with multiple non-governmental organisations which work towards providing aid to homeless dogs and cats.