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Cat Ringworm -- Symptoms of a Contagious Skin Condition

by: KurtSchmitt
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Word Count: 274

The most common infectious skin disease in domestic felines, cat ringworm is a fungal infection, and not a worm at all. It is easily spread by contact.

It's a self-limiting disease, meaning that it will clear up on its own. In many cases the disease resolves within 6 to 8 weeks. Stubborn cases, however, may persist for weeks or months even with treatment. Cats with compromised immune systems may take longer. In any case, your veterinarian may prescribe treatment no matter what, since it is very common for animals to pass this disease to humans and other animals.

Ringworm, or dermatophytosis, is a fungus which feeds on keratin. Keratin is a protein found in skin, hair and nails.

The disease gets its name from the round ring-like appearance seen on the skin. The classic ringworm symptom presents as patches of hair loss which appear as circular scaly areas with raised edges. These symptoms are fairly easy to spot.

The most common locations for infection are the head, face, ears, tail, and paws. Early symptoms include dry, flaky skin. In addition, you may see bald areas on ears, the legs, and around the eyes.

Cats with compromised immune systems may experience more severe symptoms, including crusty lesions that may become infected, red and sore.

Cat ringworm symptoms include hair loss and broken hair in circular or irregular patterns. You may also see bumpy, scaly, red, or inflamed skin, and possibly deformed claws. The affected areas do not always itch, and some cats may experience little to no hair loss with this disease.

Only your veterinarian can diagnose cat ringworm. You should call your veterinarian if you suspect your cat has this illness.

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About the Author

Kurt Schmitt has created an online resource for cat lovers and writes about the symptoms of cat illnesses including cat ringworm  

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