What are the clinical symptoms of a cat with ringworm?
In the cat the clinical appearance of ringworm is variable. Typical lesions are circular hair loss and scaling or crusting. But not all appear in this form. There can be dry, flaky, reddened skin, broken hairs or hair that comes out easily as well. Pruritis (or itching) may be present. The most common areas of hair loss are on the edges of the ears, around the eyes and on the legs. Some lesions are limited to only the feet causing inflammation of the nail beds and toes. Lastly, some cats do not exhibit clinical symptoms but can be normal appearing carriers of the fungal organism. How is my cat diagnosed? If you suspect your cat may have ringworm it is best to see your family veterinarian. There are many tests which can be performed to help confirm a diagnosis. The Wood’s lamp exam is a start. In a dark room, your veterinarian will shine a Wood’s lamp over your cat’s haircoat. Typically infected hair and skin will be fluorescent yellow green in the dark. However, a negative Wood’s lamp
