RPCA Caliban's verdict

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Marina - 12 Sep 2005 16:26 GMT

Caliban's rough patch turned out to be --- ringworm! AAUUUGHHH! Well,
he's been with us for over a month and the other cats show no signs of
ringworm. The vet wants me to give all the cats oral meds now. I'm
wondering if I should, since people here have testified that it may not
be necessary. The patch on Caliban's side has almost disappeared with
the salve she gave me before, so I'm wondering if it's even necessary to
give Caliban the oral meds.

It's just that Frank just came through not one, but two courses of
antibiotics, and I have to give him the hyperthyroidism meds every day.
I don't want to add yet another course of medicine for him.

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Marina, Frank, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Nikki.
marina (dot) kurten (at) iki (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

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Victor M - 12 Sep 2005 16:32 GMT

> Caliban's rough patch turned out to be --- ringworm! AAUUUGHHH! Well,

Oh man! That sucks!

> It's just that Frank just came through not one, but two courses of
> antibiotics, and I have to give him the hyperthyroidism meds every day.
> I don't want to add yet another course of medicine for him.

I have no experience with ringworm, so I can't really give you any
advice. We're sending lots of purrs to have this parasite erradicated
swiftly!

Victor

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Karen - 12 Sep 2005 17:15 GMT

I wouldn't want to give it to Frank unless I saw it coming on. I'd sure wait
on him at least. Caliban has cleared up fast if that is the case!

> Caliban's rough patch turned out to be --- ringworm! AAUUUGHHH! Well,
> he's been with us for over a month and the other cats show no signs of
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> antibiotics, and I have to give him the hyperthyroidism meds every day.
> I don't want to add yet another course of medicine for him.

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jmcquown - 12 Sep 2005 17:27 GMT

> Caliban's rough patch turned out to be --- ringworm! AAUUUGHHH! Well,
> he's been with us for over a month and the other cats show no signs of
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> antibiotics, and I have to give him the hyperthyroidism meds every
> day. I don't want to add yet another course of medicine for him.

Isn't it strange for all the time (at least all my time) reading and posting
here I never heard a thing about ringworm and suddenly a lot of cats seem to
have it?! I wonder why that is?

Jill

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Karen AKA Kajikit - 12 Sep 2005 18:01 GMT

>> Caliban's rough patch turned out to be --- ringworm! AAUUUGHHH! Well,
>> he's been with us for over a month and the other cats show no signs of
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>here I never heard a thing about ringworm and suddenly a lot of cats seem to
>have it?! I wonder why that is?

Maybe it's seasonal? Scouty lost a little patch of fur on her neck
after we got her and the vet thought it MIGHT be ringworm... but it
cleared up very quickly so it wasn't.

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~Karen aka Kajikit
Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life
http://www.kajikitscorner.com
Online photo album - http://community.webshots.com/user/kajikit

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Magic Mood Jeep© - 12 Sep 2005 17:42 GMT

> Caliban's rough patch turned out to be --- ringworm! AAUUUGHHH! Well,
> he's been with us for over a month and the other cats show no signs of
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/
> and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki

Ringowrm is brought on by stress (it weakens the immunse system), so I would
say that if they aren't showing any other signs of it, don't give it to
them.

There is practially no way to completely irradicate the ringworm fungus -
it's spores are in the air the same way pollen and dust are.

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Jo Firey - 12 Sep 2005 17:50 GMT

> Caliban's rough patch turned out to be --- ringworm! AAUUUGHHH! Well, he's
> been with us for over a month and the other cats show no signs of
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> antibiotics, and I have to give him the hyperthyroidism meds every day. I
> don't want to add yet another course of medicine for him.

I'd hesitate to give Frank yet another medication he may not need too.

Jo

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Marina - 12 Sep 2005 18:04 GMT

> I'd hesitate to give Frank yet another medication he may not need too.

Yes, I've pretty much decided not to give him the meds unless he shows
signs of having ringworm. If I see the vet tomorrow when I go to pick up
the meds, I'll discuss it with her (good thing I can tell her about
MMJ's and Helen's experiences).

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Debra Berry - 12 Sep 2005 18:55 GMT

Hi Marina,

The rescue group I work with gets cats with ringworm on a fairly
regular basis. We use oral medication (Sporonox) only if the
cat is badly affected. Otherwise we use Program (which is oral,
but only given once every 2 weeks) and a topical lotion 2-3 x
daily. Oral anti-fungals do have the possibility of damaging the liver,
although Sporonox is the safest of them (also the most expensive
of course).

Healthy adult cats with normal immune systems rarely get a bad
case of ring worm. If there is just a spot or two, then
give program (every 2 weeks until the ringworm is gone, which is
2x as often as recommended but safe), and use the topical medication.
Go ahead and give the other cats in the house program just in case.
I would not give the other cats other oral meds unless they are
actually infected with ringworm in more than a couple of spots.

Purrs for a rapid recovery.

Debbie
dberry@mitre.org

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Marina - 15 Sep 2005 04:29 GMT

> Hi Marina,
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> I would not give the other cats other oral meds unless they are
> actually infected with ringworm in more than a couple of spots.

Thanks for your info, Debbie. None of the cats show any spots whatsoever
at the moment, and I'm going to hold off treatment until one of them
shows actual signs of infection. I told the vet tech this, and she got
really angry with me (though she tried to hide it). The worst thing she
could threaten me with was that I might get it too. Well, I've had a
fungal infection of the skin on my upper back, and the treatment was
nothing compared to, e.g., having a malignant tumour cut out of my
throat, or injecting two kinds of insulin a total of five times a day,
or having an angiogram on my legs, or the countless other treatments my
diabetes has forced me to undergo, so I'm not scared of getting
ringworm. :oP

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Victor Martinez - 15 Sep 2005 13:32 GMT

> could threaten me with was that I might get it too. Well, I've had a
> fungal infection of the skin on my upper back, and the treatment was
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> diabetes has forced me to undergo, so I'm not scared of getting
> ringworm. :oP

You go, girl!

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Victor M. Martinez
Owned and operated by the Fantastic Seven (TM)
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badwilson - 13 Sep 2005 05:02 GMT

> Caliban's rough patch turned out to be --- ringworm! AAUUUGHHH! Well,
> he's been with us for over a month and the other cats show no signs of
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> antibiotics, and I have to give him the hyperthyroidism meds every
> day. I don't want to add yet another course of medicine for him.

Sheesh, that ringworm really seems to be going around lately. It
really sucks, I know because I've had a major infestation of it on
myself. When I was 17, I got 1 big round one with 4 round ones inside
of it on the side of my leg and within a few days it was completely
covering my legs and about 50% of my body. We had an outdoor only cat
but he never even had it. Took me ages of covering myself with
Tinactin to get rid of it.
That's good news that your other cats didn't get it. Perhaps things
will be fine. Purring for you!
--
Britta
"There is no snooze button on a cat who wants breakfast." -- Unknown
Check out pictures of Vino at:
http://photos.yahoo.com/badwilson click on the Vino album

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polonca12000 - 14 Sep 2005 10:21 GMT

I'm so sorry to hear that.
Lots of purrs and best wishes for Caliban's infection to clear really soon
and for Miranda and Frank to not get ringworm,

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Polonca & Soncek

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