I do realize that this is a subject that everyone will have different opinions about but I am stuck and need advice from other breeders who have been in the same situation as me. Please, message me privately if you do not want others to see your reply.
A year and a half ago I started my Persian/Himalayan cattery. I had all of my cats to get started, accept for one, and had started to show. I was so happy and was enjoying showing very much. THEN the nightmare began. I purchased my last cat, from what I thought was a reputable breeder, and he had ringworm. I did have cultures done when he arrived which came back negative due to the breeder treating him before he was sent (which I found out AFTER I had already had him a month and a half!).
Any how, to make a very long story short, I spent about $25,000 trying to eradicate the ringworm from my cattery (and home). Finally, after seven months, I thought we were clear. Now three months later, it has returned. Everyone who knows me (vets, breeders, friends, family) know how hard I worked and how much money I spent trying to get rid of this nasty fungus and no one can understand HOW it has returned after all I have done.
I did plenty of research and am quite knowledgeable in regards to this fungus. I got rid of all our furniture, carpets, curtains, cat tree's, cat toys, litter boxes, cat beds, etc etc. I also had our furnace and vents professionally cleaned twice, had a UV purification system installed and used top of the line furnace and vent filters (which were replaced bi-weekly). All of the cats were put in one room, males separated from females and NO fabric is in the room. ONLY litter boxes and stainless steel food/water bowls. Bowls are cleaned in bleach each day and litter boxes twice a week, in bleach solution. Their room is also scrubbed down two to four times a week (walls included) and then fogged with either health guard laundry additive, A33 or bleach (we have an industrial grade mask and goggles). Cats have been shaved for the last year and have been given topical treatments regularly (at first, every other day and when we were "clear" we got to every other week before it popped back up). Those topical treatments never stopped for almost a year!! We gave Sporanox to 5 of the 7 cats for SIX MONTHS before we stopped. All clothes, blankets, towels, etc are washed with either health guard laundry additive or bleach. We have steam cleaned mattresses and frequently clean and fog the rest of the house as well.
I can't figure out HOW the ringworm popped back up and I am beyond frustrated. Fungal cultures never worked for us here. We had ten done, all negative. It was only a biopsy that confirmed ringworm almost 11 months ago now. The worst part is, after being clear the vets agreed it was time to breed my females due to the fact they could suffer from reproductive issues if they continued to go in and out of heat. SO, all four cats are pregnant (or have given birth) and now, we are dealing with ringworm again. When it RAINS, it POURS.
I have been told my numerous breeders, especially those living in hot places like California, that ringworm is something that they live with and just keep under control. Not that I necessarily like this idea, but I am to the point where I feel I have no other choice. My vet has agreed that I have done everything possible, even more then the "books" recommend and more then they have seen any one else do, and that it may just be time to live with it and keep it under control.
I plan to treat orally with Sporanox again in the fall and over the winter in the hopes that by Spring, we will be clear. But due to the cost, I wonder if it is even worth it. If I knew a year ago that I would still have ringworm even after putting myself in an enormous amount of debt, I never would have done everything that I did. I have made my self SICK worrying over this, and it's simply a FUNGUS, not a life threatening disease. My children have been put on the back burner while I tried to get this situation under control and it breaks my heart that for the last year, I have not had the time to spend with them like I should have. I was continuously cleaning, fogging, bathing, dipping, etc and had little time to do any thing else.
I so badly want to be happy, to enjoy my family and my new kittens that I have waited such a long time for. I spent a lot of time and money choosing the cats that I have so it's not as simple as saying "spay and neuter" and start over. That is not an option.
I have been told that CFA removed the 21 day "waiting period" that you have to wait to enter a show if your cat has ringworm?? I find this rather strange, but am beginning to understand why. I think more breeders I have talked to have HAD ringworm then NOT. And I have been told that if I plan to stay in cats, especially long haired, that I should prepare myself to "live" with ringworm as I will get it over and over, even just from showing.
So, I guess my question is... can you just "live" with ringworm in a cattery and if so, how? I would NEVER sell a kitten to some one intentionally that had an active infection, but my vet has suggested treating all kittens with oral and topical therapy until they leave. I wonder how it is that breeders still show their cats, if they are dealing with ringworm since ringworm causes damage to the coat. My ringworm situation is minor, with only a lesion here or a lesion there every once in a while and I always treat immediately. I would love to show but I wonder how this would be possible?
Any advice, from breeders, would be very appreciated. I can understand how "pet" owners would feel upset by this post but I do understand now myself that ringworm is a BIG part of breeding. If I was simply a person who owned a couple pets, I would probably feel differently but if one in three cats at a show hall carry ringworm spores... well you do the math. And the cat I got that had ringworm was from a BIG NAME cattery who has cats of the greatest quality and pedigree and who are sold all over the world.
I DO NOT want to start a debate... I just simply want advice. I am stuck right now and don't know what to do next. I have been given advice by many other breeders and veterinarians and in the end, my choices are limited.
So, please, no negative comments. I will not even acknowledge them. At this point, support is what I need. I am at the verge of a nervous break down.
Thank you
A year and a half ago I started my Persian/Himalayan cattery. I had all of my cats to get started, accept for one, and had started to show. I was so happy and was enjoying showing very much. THEN the nightmare began. I purchased my last cat, from what I thought was a reputable breeder, and he had ringworm. I did have cultures done when he arrived which came back negative due to the breeder treating him before he was sent (which I found out AFTER I had already had him a month and a half!).
Any how, to make a very long story short, I spent about $25,000 trying to eradicate the ringworm from my cattery (and home). Finally, after seven months, I thought we were clear. Now three months later, it has returned. Everyone who knows me (vets, breeders, friends, family) know how hard I worked and how much money I spent trying to get rid of this nasty fungus and no one can understand HOW it has returned after all I have done.
I did plenty of research and am quite knowledgeable in regards to this fungus. I got rid of all our furniture, carpets, curtains, cat tree's, cat toys, litter boxes, cat beds, etc etc. I also had our furnace and vents professionally cleaned twice, had a UV purification system installed and used top of the line furnace and vent filters (which were replaced bi-weekly). All of the cats were put in one room, males separated from females and NO fabric is in the room. ONLY litter boxes and stainless steel food/water bowls. Bowls are cleaned in bleach each day and litter boxes twice a week, in bleach solution. Their room is also scrubbed down two to four times a week (walls included) and then fogged with either health guard laundry additive, A33 or bleach (we have an industrial grade mask and goggles). Cats have been shaved for the last year and have been given topical treatments regularly (at first, every other day and when we were "clear" we got to every other week before it popped back up). Those topical treatments never stopped for almost a year!! We gave Sporanox to 5 of the 7 cats for SIX MONTHS before we stopped. All clothes, blankets, towels, etc are washed with either health guard laundry additive or bleach. We have steam cleaned mattresses and frequently clean and fog the rest of the house as well.
I can't figure out HOW the ringworm popped back up and I am beyond frustrated. Fungal cultures never worked for us here. We had ten done, all negative. It was only a biopsy that confirmed ringworm almost 11 months ago now. The worst part is, after being clear the vets agreed it was time to breed my females due to the fact they could suffer from reproductive issues if they continued to go in and out of heat. SO, all four cats are pregnant (or have given birth) and now, we are dealing with ringworm again. When it RAINS, it POURS.
I have been told my numerous breeders, especially those living in hot places like California, that ringworm is something that they live with and just keep under control. Not that I necessarily like this idea, but I am to the point where I feel I have no other choice. My vet has agreed that I have done everything possible, even more then the "books" recommend and more then they have seen any one else do, and that it may just be time to live with it and keep it under control.
I plan to treat orally with Sporanox again in the fall and over the winter in the hopes that by Spring, we will be clear. But due to the cost, I wonder if it is even worth it. If I knew a year ago that I would still have ringworm even after putting myself in an enormous amount of debt, I never would have done everything that I did. I have made my self SICK worrying over this, and it's simply a FUNGUS, not a life threatening disease. My children have been put on the back burner while I tried to get this situation under control and it breaks my heart that for the last year, I have not had the time to spend with them like I should have. I was continuously cleaning, fogging, bathing, dipping, etc and had little time to do any thing else.
I so badly want to be happy, to enjoy my family and my new kittens that I have waited such a long time for. I spent a lot of time and money choosing the cats that I have so it's not as simple as saying "spay and neuter" and start over. That is not an option.
I have been told that CFA removed the 21 day "waiting period" that you have to wait to enter a show if your cat has ringworm?? I find this rather strange, but am beginning to understand why. I think more breeders I have talked to have HAD ringworm then NOT. And I have been told that if I plan to stay in cats, especially long haired, that I should prepare myself to "live" with ringworm as I will get it over and over, even just from showing.
So, I guess my question is... can you just "live" with ringworm in a cattery and if so, how? I would NEVER sell a kitten to some one intentionally that had an active infection, but my vet has suggested treating all kittens with oral and topical therapy until they leave. I wonder how it is that breeders still show their cats, if they are dealing with ringworm since ringworm causes damage to the coat. My ringworm situation is minor, with only a lesion here or a lesion there every once in a while and I always treat immediately. I would love to show but I wonder how this would be possible?
Any advice, from breeders, would be very appreciated. I can understand how "pet" owners would feel upset by this post but I do understand now myself that ringworm is a BIG part of breeding. If I was simply a person who owned a couple pets, I would probably feel differently but if one in three cats at a show hall carry ringworm spores... well you do the math. And the cat I got that had ringworm was from a BIG NAME cattery who has cats of the greatest quality and pedigree and who are sold all over the world.
I DO NOT want to start a debate... I just simply want advice. I am stuck right now and don't know what to do next. I have been given advice by many other breeders and veterinarians and in the end, my choices are limited.
So, please, no negative comments. I will not even acknowledge them. At this point, support is what I need. I am at the verge of a nervous break down.
Thank you
