Some diseases that pets suffer can be dangerous not only for pets, but also for people. An example of such an insidious disease is cat lichen.
This disease is infectious, it is caused by fungi of two varieties. In case of infection with fungi of the species trichophyton, trichophytosis develops, and with microsporum damage, microsporia. I must say that the symptoms of these varieties of the disease practically do not differ, therefore, information about the nature of the infection is important only for the specialist choosing the treatment.
How to recognize cat lichen? The first symptom of this disease is a skin rash. Moreover, the lesion area increases over time, and crusts appear on the surface of the skin. Some time after infection in the animal, foci of alopecia (baldness) appear. These "bald spots", as a rule, have clear edges and a rounded shape. The skin on the spot of the fallen wool is covered with crusts and oily skin scales. The main lesions are the ears, muzzle, and legs of the animal. Most often, cat lichen is accompanied by itching, that is, the animal will constantly comb the sore spots. However, this symptom is not always present, therefore, focus only on the absence of itching should not be.
Of course, it’s only a veterinarian who can determine what an animal can be deprived of. For the diagnosis, laboratory studies of skin scrapings and luminescent diagnostics are used. The fact is that some other skin diseases can be accompanied by similar symptoms.
Where can a cat get infected? Most often, infection occurs during contact with a sick animal, which can happen during a walk. Moreover, the carrier may not be a stray cat, but a representative of a rodent squad. But even pets that never go outside are not one hundred percent protected from infection. The fact is that the spores of the fungus can get along with the dust brought on the shoes. Of course, the risk of getting sick in a pet is much less, but it cannot be completely ruled out.
In any case, suspecting that the cat is deprived, you need to try to isolate the animal, since this disease is extremely contagious, children are especially at risk. Therefore, it is necessary to immediately carry a cat to a veterinary clinic at the first suspicion of infection.
There is a misconception that cat lichen cannot be cured and the animal will have to be euthanized. In fact, this is not so, however, it must be remembered that the sooner treatment is started from the moment of infection, the greater the chance that the disease will be defeated. But even in advanced cases, do not give up, just treatment may need a more serious and lengthy one.
You should not decide how to cure lichen in a cat, based on the advice of friends. You need to understand that the disease is quite serious, therefore, it is necessary that the treatment is prescribed by a specialist after conducting the necessary tests.
As a rule, treatment of lichen in cats is carried out using specific antimycotic drugs, which are selected taking into account the type of fungus that provoked the disease. In addition, antiseptic drugs for the external treatment of affected areas and immunostimulating substances are prescribed.
Without fail, it will be necessary to disinfect the premises in which the sick cat is kept, and if there are other animals in the house, then preventive treatment can be prescribed. When caring for a sick cat, you need to carefully observe personal hygiene and regularly disinfect animal care items.
Never interrupt treatment as you see fit. Even if it seems to you that the animal is already quite healthy, be sure to bring the course prescribed by the veterinarian to the end! You can stop treatment only if the analysis (seeding for dermatophytes) gives a negative result. Only after that it can be considered that the cat is completely healthy.