Kitten Ringworm

Hi, there

So I have a 14 week-old kitten, and her name is Willow! (See: Profile picture! She's the cutest polydactyl kitten EVER!) 

When I bought her from an animal league that got their kittens from animal services, she was quite the mess. She came with severe pink eye (Which I wasn't even aware cats got pink eye), and parasites. Now she has a cold and a case of ringworm, probably caught both from my family, considering her immune system is not as developed as a kitten, and then both parasites and pink eye! 

Her ringworm showed up on her tummy near her right back leg a week ago, which has gotten worse. It also spread to her right ear, which has been severely affected, and is flaky with more than a square inch of hair missing. 

I was wondering, are dips okay for a kitten this size? She is going to the vet Thursday (To be boarded and treated while I go away to attend a wedding). I also read somewhere putting vinegar on the affected areas could help contain the ringworm. Any thoughts or recommendations for treatments suggested? 

Thanks for your time,

 -H

I would only recommend professional treatments for ringworm. Lime dips and oral mirtazipine are two common treatments and are considered safe and effective (if unpleasant). Topical anti fungal creams are also possible in some cases. Ringworm is contagious to other animals and to people so be careful it to let it spread (difficult). There are a lot of threads on ringworm which you may want to read plus other online sources.

My two cents: don't panic it's merely an annoying rash, even without treatment it eventually goes away, and it isn't dangerous. In fact some treatments are the only dangerous thing. And avoid touching the rashes and wash your hands well after touching her.

If a red roundish rash shows up fairly suddenly and unexpectedly in you, then you have it and you can treat with an anti fungal cream (and see your doc)

And of course see your vet.

Again, don't panic! I've had it a couple times, I had a cat who had it, we got through it fine.

Dips are usually safe once they are 8 weeks old, so yes your kitten is old enough.  I don't know about vinegar.  When my cat had it I just used Clotrimazole spray and cream from the grocery store (athletes foot).  She also got baths in Miconazole shampoo from the vet once a week.  It took about 4-6 weeks for hers to go away, but she did have a severe case, she nearly lost all of her hair.

Thank you for the positive and informational feedback

I'm going to talk to the vet Thursday, have a merry Christmas!

-H