Natural Cure for Cat Ringworm

I foster for Animal Services. I picked up an 8-week old kitten that had been inspected by the Vet Tech, and released to me. The kitten turned out to be a carrier for ringworm. I had six other kittens at home and they now all have ringworm.

I have read that some products use MSM instead of lime sulfur as a dip. Have you had any experience with this? If so, what dilution should I use? I have been dabbing a mixture of three parts water to one part MSM powder on the sores, but I'd like to dip the entire cat.

There also seems to be a lot of debris in their ears. It resembles ear mites, but I suspect it's related to the ringworm somehow. The kitten that brought the ringworm into the household had ear mites, but she was treated for them before I brought her home.

The ringworm was transferred to me personally, before it showed up in any of the kittens. Now I am disinfecting my place and trying to keep up with new outbreaks on the kittens. I used Well-Horse on my ringworm (even though it's intended for animals) and it worked extremely well, but the cats have too much hair so I can't use it on them.

Some of my older cats also have ringworm, but not as badly as the kittens. I understand it will run it's course in four months, but I certainly don't want to wait that long.

Any assistance you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

Vet Suggestion Natural Cat Ringworm Cure

Hi,

I do not have any personal experience using MSM versus lime sulfur as a remedy for ringworm in cats. Are you trying to avoid lime sulfur (e.g; Naturasil Pet Ringworm Concentrate) because of the smell and its tendency to stain light-colored fur? Other than these admittedly annoying characteristics, it is quite effective in situations like yours where you have multiple cats to treat.

As you have found out, ringworm can be very difficult to get rid of and it is very contagious. Unfortunately, I do not agree that it will necessarily run its course in 4 months. This can occur, if a cat is otherwise healthy and has a strong immune system, but equally as likely, I’m afraid, is that one of your cats will act as an asymptomatic carrier and continually reinfect your other pets (or you!).

Here are a few recommendations for dealing with ringworm.

• In a multiple cat household, have everyone evaluated for ringworm using what is called the “toothbrush technique.” Your vet should know what this is. Someone unexpected might be carrying the fungus (even if he or she doesn’t have any skin lesions) and need treatment to stop the cycle of reinfection in your house.

• Decontaminate your house using a vacuum cleaner, a hot washer and dryer, and a 10% bleach solution wherever appropriate.

• Long haired cats sometimes benefit from being shaved.

• Weekly baths with a medicated shampoo containing miconazole and chlorhexidine can help in addition to or instead of lime sulfur dips.

• Oral treatment with the drugs griseofulvin or itraconazole may be necessary in severe cases. Treatment may need to be continued for months.

• Do everything in your power to boost your cats’ immune systems – good nutrition is key, as is reducing stress in the household.

• Topical products that contain certain types of essential oils seem to help some individuals.

Best of luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM