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Cat Forum / Health and Behavior / April 2005Blah.. Ringworm question again
Our shelter has had some kittens out in foster since December for ringworm. They have been on griseofulvin, I'm not certain if it was stopped or not. The kittens no longer show symptoms of RW, you wouldn't even suspect it to look at them. However, their last two cultures have come back positive. I know some shelters don't even re-culture, just declare them cured when there are no symptoms. What does it mean if the culture is positive, but there are no signs of RW? We are getting concerned about them being on the med too long. I did ask our vet about Program, but she said it is not effective.  Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG > Our shelter has had some kittens out in foster since December for ringworm. > They have been on griseofulvin, I'm not certain if it was stopped or not. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > too long. I did ask our vet about Program, but she said it is not > effective. Well, she's wrong. I have had Peewee on Program two separate times for ringworm (it's very common here in the PNW). You have to mega-does them 2 or 3 times 2-4 weeks apart, and then put them on the regular cat dosage for at least 6 months. It works. We also used it at the vet. It can't hurt to try, right? Especially if the cats are still positive. If the skin culture is positive they still have the epiphyte. Some cats become chronic ringworm carriers - it breaks out in times of stress or ill health. There is some argument as to whether or not "chronic carriers" exist, but IME, they do exist. When you have a cat that simply cannot be cured, you have to assume the condition is chronic. In at least one case I know of, a set of Persians (different owners, same breeder) that were extremely resistant to any traditional treatment, Program knocked out the ringworm. IMO, why not try Program and see what happens...? Within a week or so of treatment, Peewee's skin started to look better. It may just be that it works for some cats but not all, for some reason. -L. > If the skin culture is positive they still have the epiphyte. Some > cats become chronic ringworm carriers - it breaks out in times of [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > owners, same breeder) that were extremely resistant to any traditional > treatment, Program knocked out the ringworm. If the kittens are chronic carriers, does that mean they can spread it to other cats, dogs, humans? > IMO, why not try Program and see what happens...? Within a week or so > of treatment, Peewee's skin started to look better. It may just be > that it works for some cats but not all, for some reason. I'll ask again today, but she shot it down pretty quickly. Another volunteer said she has a friend who does rescue and always uses Program, works every time. Didn't make an impression. If it were up to me, I would have tried it. Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG "KellyH" <Kelly@farringtonsNOSPAM.net> wrote in message > I'll ask again today, but she shot it down pretty quickly. Another > volunteer said she has a friend who does rescue and always uses Program, > works every time. Didn't make an impression. > If it were up to me, I would have tried it. Program does work - but usually not by itself - and you need to dose the cat at 80-100 mg/kg and it must be given with food to enhance absorption - the more fat the better. I administer Program the same way I give itraconazole - in a restaurant-size tub of butter cut into equal slices. Phil > "KellyH" <Kelly@farringtonsNOSPAM.net> wrote in message > > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Program does work - but usually not by itself - and you need to dose the cat > at 80-100 mg/kg I dosed at 44 mg/lb so this is about the same as 100mg/kg. I gave him two doses three weeks apart, and then just gave him the regular cat dose every month thereafter for 6 months. He ent three years until he broke out again, and I think *that* was because we had him in a hotel for 10 days when we moved. >and it must be given with food to enhance absorption - the > more fat the better. I administer Program the same way I give > itraconazole - in a restaurant-size tub of butter cut into equal slices. > > Phil I gave it to Peewuss in Tuna, never had any problem, but I would feed him canned food afterward. he liked the taste of it (chewable tabs), so it went down easy. -L. > > "KellyH" <Kelly@farringtonsNOSPAM.net> wrote in message > > > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > broke out again, and I think *that* was because we had him in a hotel > for 10 days when we moved. One frustrating aspects of ringworm is that its self-limiting - so I can never be absolutely sure which treatment really works the best. > >and it must be given with food to enhance absorption - the > > more fat the better. I administer Program the same way I give [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > him canned food afterward. he liked the taste of it (chewable tabs), > so it went down easy. As long as you gave it to with food - that's really all that matters. More fat simply enhances absorption. Phil >"KellyH" <Kelly@farringtonsNOSPAM.net> wrote in message >> [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > >Phil Give me more info on that tub of butter. How much per cat? Do you follow with regular food? I haven't had an outbreak of ringworm since I started giving Program at 50 mg per pound to all our foster kittens as they come in. I grind up the 400 mg tablets and add to a small amount of a food they like and follow with a full meal. Of course I have to be sure they are hungry and really like the food. BarB > > If the skin culture is positive they still have the epiphyte. Some > > cats become chronic ringworm carriers - it breaks out in times of [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > If the kittens are chronic carriers, does that mean they can spread it to > other cats, dogs, humans? Yes. > > IMO, why not try Program and see what happens...? Within a week or so > > of treatment, Peewee's skin started to look better. It may just be [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > kelly at farringtons dot net > "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG I hate being in those kind of situations - feeling like you have your hands tied. :p Let us know what happens - I hope they get rid of it soon. -L. > Our shelter has had some kittens out in foster since December for ringworm. > They have been on griseofulvin, I'm not certain if it was stopped or not. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > are no symptoms. What does it mean if the culture is positive, but there > are no signs of RW? You can get false-positive cultures in cats that are clinically recovered, and cured of RW if they're living in a contaminated environment. Remember, RW spores can remain infectious in the environment for up to 18 months - thus cats can pick up RW in the vet's office as well as become reinfected from her environment. Many times persistent infections are actually *reinfections*. RW is a real nightmare - even in a *single* cat environment. I usually continue treatment until the cats are culture-negative (I use the tooth?brush technique) three times in a row at weekly intervals. This is the only treatment plan that I've found to be successful. Its a PITA, but its absolutely necessary - RW can wreak havoc in a shelter - not to mention law suits if you adopt out a carrier or an infected cat and the adoptive and/or resident cats/dogs become infected. Good luck. Phil I foster for the SPCA of Northern VA and we periodically get kittens who have ringworm. We use Program and topical treatment if there are only a few spots, and use Sporanox if there are a lot of areas. Even when the kitten is ringworm lesion free, the ringworm spores get into the environment (rugs, sofas, etc) and can be carried in the kitten's fur. We always have the kitten bathed at the vet with an antifungal shampoo and then have it go straight to its new home, if it will go to a home with other cats or children. This policy has worked well. We had an earlier issue where two kittens were adopted who had had ringworm and the little boy in the house ended up with ringworm a few weeks after the adoption. Debbie dberry@mitre.org > > Our shelter has had some kittens out in foster since December for > ringworm. [quoted text clipped - 25 lines] > > Phil > You can get false-positive cultures in cats that are clinically recovered, > and cured of RW if they're living in a contaminated environment. Remember, [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > *reinfections*. RW is a real nightmare - even in a *single* cat > environment. The foster home is going to bleach the cages once a week from now on, as well as dip the kittens. > I usually continue treatment until the cats are culture-negative (I use > the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > law suits if you adopt out a carrier or an infected cat and the adoptive > and/or resident cats/dogs become infected. We've been doing the toothbrush culture as well. Our vet is letting them grow for about three weeks, as opposed to the standard 14 days. I'll be so happy if I never hear the word ringworm again! Signature-Kelly kelly at farringtons dot net "Wake up, and smell the cat food" -TMBG > > You can get false-positive cultures in cats that are clinically recovered, > > and cured of RW if they're living in a contaminated environment. Remember, [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > We've been doing the toothbrush culture as well. The only downside of the toothbrush method is that it can't distinguish asymptomatic infected cats from cat's that have been contaminated from the environment but aren't actually infected. This can result in a false-positive - and the chaos that follows. Our vet is letting them > grow for about three weeks, as opposed to the standard 14 days. I monitor the cultures for 3 weeks to a month - especially if the cat is being treated. > I'll be so happy if I never hear the word ringworm again! Tell me about it! Ringworm can bring a shelter to a standstill for months if you're not extremely careful - and sometimes even if you are! Phil |
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