What is ringworm and what causes it?
“Ringworm” is the common name given to a fungal infection of the superficial layers of the skin, hair and nails. Ringworm infections can occur in humans and in all domesticated species of animals. The name comes from the classical appearance of the round, red, raised ‘ring’ marking the boundary of inflammatory lesions in people infected with the disease. The common name of ringworm is somewhat misleading, in that it is not an infection caused by a worm, and the infected areas are not always ring-shaped. The fungi responsible for ringworm infections belong to a specialized group known as dermatophytes, so the medical name for this disease is dermatophytosis. There are a number of distinct species of dermatophytes. Some species of dermatophytes are species specific, meaning that they will only infect one species, whereas others can be spread between different species of animals, or from animals to man. The three most common fungal species that may cause ringworm in dogs are Microsporum c
