Many people, having a kitten, do not even suspect about what difficulties they may encounter. Unfortunately, the pet is not only playing, but also sick. The most common fungal infections. Let's see what dermatophytosis is and how to deal with it.
Dermatophytosis in cats - what is it?
All fungal infections are united under one name - dermatophytosis. This disease can affect not only animals, but also people. It develops on the hairline (hair), claws. In some forms, spores accumulate in the inner and outer layers of the skin. The infection is provoked by fungi of the species Microsporum gypseum, Microsporum canis, less commonly Trichophyton. Unfortunately, any animal can become infected with them. Among representatives of feline disease is common. It is noted that it can pass on its own without treatment, but then the individual becomes a passive carrier. Animals with weak immunity are hard to cope with the infection. It is fraught with complications and even death.
The danger of this disease is that it is transmitted. At risk are not only other animals, but also owners. Therefore, it is extremely important to know how the infection manifests itself, in what ways it is transmitted and how it is treated.
Signs
Dermatophytosis in cats can manifest itself in different ways. Everything will depend on the general condition of the body and immunity. In most cases, the affected area on the body of the animal goes bald. Gray scaly crusts may form on the skin.
Most often, a fungal lesion is localized on the paws, muzzle and ears. The disease does not show severe itching, it may be absent altogether, therefore, special treatment is not required to combat the symptoms.
Signs of dermatophytosis in cats may be different. The disease manifests itself in the forms:
- Extensive lesions of the skin. There is peeling and a change in shade to red.
- Pretty deep inflammation of the dermis. There is a focus of local type furunculosis.
- The formation of blackheads (comedones).
- Inflammation on the chin of the hair follicles.
- The formation of crusts on the skin (diffuse alopecia).
- Increased secretion of sebaceous glands.
- Dermatitis with large lesions.
It is worth noting that the fungus can "settle" not only on the body, but also on the claws. This form of the disease is called onychomycosis. It is rarely diagnosed. In some cases, doctors resort to removing the damaged phalanx.
Persian specimens are prone to pseudomycetoma. A fungal disease of this form proceeds in the form of a dense subcutaneous formation. It is in it that pathogenic microorganisms develop. They penetrate into the inner layers through destroyed follicles. This can lead to fistula formation. When removing pseudomycetomas, there is a high probability of relapse if the animal has not undergone a course of antifungal therapy.
Diagnostics
In order to diagnose dermatophytosis in cats in time, it is recommended to test for fungus for any damage to the skin. To do this, you need to visit a specialized clinic. At the reception, the doctor will examine the damage, assess the condition of the entire skin. An express test is also required to determine the presence of parasites. After this, it is necessary to check whether there is a fungal infection on the animal’s hair. To do this, you need to turn off the light in the office or go into a dark room and, through ultraviolet radiation, examine the body, legs, head, tail of the cat. Areas where there are fungal spores glow yellow-green, and quite brightly. However, if the defeat is caused by Microsporum canis, then this method is effective only in 50% of cases. The fact is that this type of fungus may not fluoresce.
It is important to know some points:
- If the owner of the animal has already begun processing the wool with preparations (ointments, creams, lotions), then there will be no reaction to ultraviolet light.
- When working with a Wood lamp, it must be borne in mind that if you do not heat it, then there is a high probability of obtaining a false result.
The glow method, although it has drawbacks, is widely used. It is quite simple. Cats tolerate such a diagnosis calmly. The only thing that can be done with the help of ultraviolet radiation is a preliminary diagnosis. To confirm it, you need a study of wool. For this, the doctor pulls out several hairs. Puts them in mineral oil and conducts a microscopic examination. This allows you to determine the presence of spores.
However, in medicine, the most reliable analysis is considered to be a bacterial sowing. For this, particles are combed from the animal’s hair with a special stiff brush, which will become the material for research. Then they are placed in a container and plated on a nutrient medium for some time. Thanks to this analysis, it is possible to establish not only the presence of a fungal infection, but also the type of microorganism. And this, accordingly, will allow the doctor to choose an effective treatment.
Before starting treatment
Before starting treatment of dermatophytosis in cats, it will be necessary to conduct a treatment of the habitat. It's about the room where the animal lives. It is important to understand that if an individual is already infected with a fungus, then its spores remain in all places and objects with which it has been in contact. Naturally, this will reduce the effectiveness of the treatment. Therefore, it is recommended that you do the following:
- Clean the entire living area daily using a vacuum cleaner. Particular attention is paid to those places where the pet likes to spend time.
- If possible, treat surfaces with chlorine-based disinfectants.
- If two cats or more (or other animals) live in the same room, then it is advisable to carry out disinfection using special antifungal sprays.
Local treatment
Most often, dermatophytosis is treated in cats at home, using ointments, lotions, creams. However, owners are still advised to go to a veterinary clinic to select an effective antifungal therapy.
Before starting treatment, it is important to trim the hair of the animal. Only then is the treatment carried out. For her use:
- Preparations with clotrimazole and miconazole in the form of creams or lotions. Affected areas are treated twice a day. Be sure to apply a larger area when applying the drug - expand its boundaries by 1-2 cm.
- Therapeutic shampoo. It should contain antifungal agents (enilconazole, miconazole). There are also shampoos with the addition of chlorhexidine (4%). They are used for extensive lesions. Use shampoo no more than twice a week.
Systemic therapy
As a rule, dermatophytosis in cats with the use of local drugs is treated within three weeks. If therapy does not give results, then the doctor decides on the appointment of a systemic course. It has side effects, so it is necessary to be treated under the supervision of a specialist, taking a blood test regularly. This is necessary in order to track the number of white blood cells.
The duration of a systemic drug administration course is one and a half to two months. It may include Itraconazole or Griseofulvin. The first is prescribed in an amount of 10-20 mg. Take it either every other day or every day. The dosage of the second drug is 25-60 mg / kg. Cats are given it 1-2 times a day. Itraconazole is considered less toxic. It is more easily tolerated by animals and rarely causes side effects.
These drugs can disrupt development, so they can not be assigned to kittens up to three months and individuals that should bring offspring.
If the fungal infection has spread to the claws, then Flucostat, Fluconazole, Diflucan are prescribed. These drugs are quite effective. Dosage - once a day for 20-30 mg.
Wackderm-F
As a prophylaxis, as well as a treatment for dermatophytosis in cats, vaccines are used. Means are considered universal, as they have a wide range of actions. If the animal has not been vaccinated, it is recommended to use the vaccine "Wackderm-F" for treatment. It is designed specifically for cats and is most effective in combating fungal infections.
Treatment duration
Having decided what and how to treat dermatophytosis in a cat, it is necessary to say a few words about the duration of therapeutic courses. It is important not to forget that a qualified doctor should monitor this. It is he who prescribes medicines, determining the duration of their intake. After you need to make tests for the presence of pathogens. If the result is negative, then the course is repeated with a seven-day interval. Then another sample is taken. And if it is also negative, then treatment can be completed.
In a situation where the tests are in doubt by the veterinarian, therapy continues. The recovery of the pet can only be judged after receiving at least two negative samples.
ethnoscience
Some owners use herbal medicine to combat dermatophytosis in cats. When treating at home, it is recommended to use a collection of herbs. It should include:
- birch leaves;
- St. John's wort
- sagebrush;
- medicinal marigolds;
- Oak bark;
- marsh dried mussel ;
- meadow clover;
- tansy ordinary (inflorescences);
- yarrow;
- dried sage leaf;
- chamomile (flowers);
- burdock leaves.
An infusion is prepared from this herbal collection. To do this, pour boiling water over the mixture. Dosage - 0.5 liters per tablespoon. The maximum brewing time is 3 days. For prophylaxis, the animal is given 4-5 ml before feeding in 30 minutes. Sick individuals take 8-10 ml 2-3 times a day.
If with this pathology ulcers or wounds have formed on the cat's body, then you can use the infusion of calendula. It promotes rapid healing.
Danger to humans
Dermatophytosis in cats (in the photo you can see how sick animals look) is not so harmless. The disease is a danger not only to other individuals, but also to humans. The fungus can penetrate through wounds and abrasions on the skin. At risk are people with weakened immune systems, children and the elderly.
If the animal is sick, then the owner will have to limit not only contact with him, but also the movement of the pet in the rooms. Handling a cat is better with gloves. It is also very important to properly carry out hygiene procedures. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly with soap and shower. In addition, it is necessary to do cleaning and treat surfaces with special disinfectants. Effective in the fight against fungus is the use of a steam generator.