My Dog Has Ringworm, Now What?

Ringworm in dogs is a very common disease, but ringworm is not a worm but a fungus - little spores land on susceptible skin and start feeding on the dead skin cells. Its appearance as a red ring of rash led to the misnomer ringworm!

SYMPTOMS

Some of the visible signs to detect whether your dog maybe suffering from ringworm disease:

- Small hairless patches on the body
- Scaly skin with dandruff like flakes and with pus in the area
- Red ring of rash
- Common areas of attack are the face, tips of the ears, tail and paws

CAUSES

There are several different types of ringworm or fungi; Microsporum canis is the most predominant one found on dogs and cats. Transmission happens through direct contact with another infected animal or person. People can give it to dogs and vice versa. The fungal spores can live for a very long time in the environment and can usually be found in carpets, bedding etc and infects dog or human when they come in contact with it.

Once your dog is infected with ringworm it can remain contagious for up to 3 weeks and this duration is when the dog is undergoing aggressive treatment. What is heartening to know is that most dogs usually develop immunity to the ringworm disease.

SOLUTION

Ringworm usually last as long as 8 weeks without treatment and then disappears. However to avoid your dog suffering, treatment must be given to cut down the time it will be contagious (please consult your vet if you suspect your dog has ringworm.)

Vets usually prescribe the anti fungal drug Giseofulvin that acts as a fungal inhibitor. This drug has side effects like diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. This tablet does not get absorbed from the stomach unless there is fat included so try giving it to your dog with some fatty meat for it to be effective.

Vets may also prescribe a topical antifungal medication to be applied on the affected areas for a specific period. Be very careful not to get in your dog's eyes.

Antifungal shampoo baths should be given under the guidance of your Vet. You should also bathe any other dogs and cats you may have one time with the shampoo. Don't forget to lather well and leave on for 5 minutes at least.

Lime sulphur dips twice a week are often recommended. It is better for your Vet to administer the dip as it stains clothes and jewelry and worse - it stinks like rotten eggs!

Using a mixture of bleach and water in the ratio 1:10, wipe down all visible surfaces and vacuum daily. Steam clean your carpets and curtains and wash out your dog's bedding and kennel with the bleach solution and lots of hot water. This should kill most of the spores.

PREVENTION

While there is no definite procedure to guarantee prevention of ringworm, you can adopt preventive measures like limited exposure of your dog to other dogs; maintain good hygiene in your home and with your dog's things; groom your dog thoroughly on a regular basis; and by taking steps to avoid cross contamination and human transmission.

by Brandon Roe

Dog Flea Bites - Home Remedies For Your Dog's Relief

Dog wearing Elizabethan collar at vet clinic
Dogs love to play and explore their surroundings, especially when there are other dog playmates around the neighborhood. But when left unattended, especially in areas where all kinds of filth can be found, some dogs suffer from what is popularly known as "fleas" or "dog flea bites". If your dog was once a happy and enthusiastic playmate and is now suffering from hair loss and incessant scratching, this could be a case of dog flea bites and should be treated immediately before it becomes worse.

To be able to understand how dogs suffer from these bites, it is important that you know what really happens when fleas crawl up into the dog's body and start to bite all over. Basically when a flea bites, it excretes saliva and other irritating substances that usually cause an allergic reaction in some dogs, making them scratch all over until hair falls off and sores begin to develop. Such skin eruption is usually characterized by red spots surrounded by a reddened circle or halo, so if you see these kinds of spots on your dog, which is usually either on the lower back or tail, abdomen, and thigh areas, it's most likely a case of dog flea bites. If left untreated, the skin disorder will become severe, causing the skin to thicken and darken and hot spots to start developing, which normally appear as red painful sores, which are extremely uncomfortable for your dog.

Solutions

The good thing about dog flea bites is that there are home remedies which can stop the itching and rid your dog of these parasites. Here are some remedies that you can apply if you've discovered that your dog is suffering from nasty flea bites:

· To be able to prevent the alleviation of inflammation, bathe your dog with cold water to stop the itch and keep him or her clean so that secondary infections won't occur in the future. Never use warm or hot water as this could stimulate the itching again and increase the pain of the sores at the same time.

· Most veterinarians and experts suggest using fresh aloe vera and other herbal plants to sooth the inflamed skin of the dog. Aloe vera is especially recommended since it has significant properties meant to heal and sooth the pains of skin infections and disorders, even on humans.

· You can add foods with fatty acid (ex. Flaxseed oil) in order to supplement your dog's diet with foods that have anti-inflammatory effects. This will be very helpful as it will increase your dog's chances of healing faster from flea bites.

If none of these home remedies work for your dog and the condition becomes chronic in nature, it would be best to visit your local vet for observation and stronger medication, which could be in the form of steroid creams or injections. This will promote faster relief for your dog as well as healing.

I also strongly recommend you check out natural products that specialize in treating dog flea bites. There are a variety out there but one of the most effective ones I've ever seen contains the Mayan traditional herb Tepezcohuite.

by Brandon Roe

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