Struggling with the aftermath of ringworm!!

[gmorse]

I recently fostered a 5-month-old DMH kitten named Milo, three weeks into our foster (when he had been all over the house) we discovered he had ringworm as I found a spot on my chest where he had been sleeping. I proceeded to take him to the vet where I was told he could have oral meds, and went home with topical gel. We live in a one-bedroom apartment so I cleaned the bedroom and bathroom (carpet shampoo, bedding, wiped down walls, vacuum, Swiffer, etc.) and confined him to our living room/kitchen area. I contacted the shelter we fostered from about his ringworm diagnosis and proceeded to treat him and clean like a mad woman for about 5 weeks. I vacuumed, mopped with bleach, covered furniture with sheets and washed every other day, and tried to carry on with life. After the 5 week mark he wasn't improving and our vet was super unhelpful with ringworm (completely disregarded anything to do with cleaning or oral meds) and the shelter offered to move him to a more seasoned foster that specialized with ringworm. I agreed and said a very tearful goodbye, but now, 3 months later, cannot shake the feeling of discomfort in my own home. I am constantly checking my skin, and still cleaning similarly to when he was here. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on a "final clean" to put my mind at ease or any advice to overcome this. He only had one lesion but he was EVERYWHERE when we first got him and I don't know if I should clean closets that he was never in our my cabinets, etc. We haven't had a reoccurrence in my partner or I getting a lesion, but I am still feeling so anxious. I just hope I don't feel like this till the 18+ month mark. We live in colorado and its super dry, so I am not sure of the lifespan of the spores here. Any advice would be so appreciated

 

[Furballsmom]

Hello! Welcome!!

There may be some information in this regarding cleaning, and frankly, if it would help ease your mind, I'd go ahead and clean even in closets et al.
How to Deal with Ringworm in Cats [Inc. the Housecleaning Regime] – TheCatSite Articles

 

[lutece]

In your dry environment, I think it's likely that the spores from this particular outbreak are all gone. Of course you can do more cleaning if it makes you feel better, but there are diminishing returns. A very low level of spores in your environment is unlikely to lead to a ringworm lesion on your skin, because you do normally have some natural immunity, unless you are immunocompromised.

Here's some information from the CDC. Ringworm spores are pretty common in the environment, but most people have some natural immunity. It sound like you have already done a lot of cleaning, and the cat doesn't live with you any more, so at this point I would try not to worry any more... just use common sense in keeping things normally clean and dry.

Ringworm Risk & Prevention | Ringworm | Types of Diseases | Fungal Diseases | CDC

People who use public showers or locker rooms and people with weakened immune systems are at risk. Keep your skin clean and dry and don't walk barefoot in public showers and locker rooms.

www.cdc.gov

 

[gmorse]

Thank you so much

 

[tcat11]

I recently fostered a 5-month-old DMH kitten named Milo, three weeks into our foster (when he had been all over the house) we discovered he had ringworm as I found a spot on my chest where he had been sleeping. I proceeded to take him to the vet where I was told he could have oral meds, and went home with topical gel. We live in a one-bedroom apartment so I cleaned the bedroom and bathroom (carpet shampoo, bedding, wiped down walls, vacuum, Swiffer, etc.) and confined him to our living room/kitchen area. I contacted the shelter we fostered from about his ringworm diagnosis and proceeded to treat him and clean like a mad woman for about 5 weeks. I vacuumed, mopped with bleach, covered furniture with sheets and washed every other day, and tried to carry on with life. After the 5 week mark he wasn't improving and our vet was super unhelpful with ringworm (completely disregarded anything to do with cleaning or oral meds) and the shelter offered to move him to a more seasoned foster that specialized with ringworm. I agreed and said a very tearful goodbye, but now, 3 months later, cannot shake the feeling of discomfort in my own home. I am constantly checking my skin, and still cleaning similarly to when he was here. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on a "final clean" to put my mind at ease or any advice to overcome this. He only had one lesion but he was EVERYWHERE when we first got him and I don't know if I should clean closets that he was never in our my cabinets, etc. We haven't had a reoccurrence in my partner or I getting a lesion, but I am still feeling so anxious. I just hope I don't feel like this till the 18+ month mark. We live in colorado and its super dry, so I am not sure of the lifespan of the spores here. Any advice would be so appreciated

 

[tcat11]

I fostered kittens for several years when I was involved with a rescue group. Every once in awhile I would get a ringworm outbreak. The best product I found to treat it was the cheapest from Walmart. It is their "Equate" brand "Athlete's Foot Cream". The active ingredient is Clotrimazole 1%. Applying this to the ringworm areas always stopped it in its tracks and I just had to keep applying it once or twice a day until the fungus disappeared. There is another liquid product I got from Chewy. This has to be mixed and be used with GREAT CARE as it is an acid. I NEVER used it near the eyes. This really kills the fungus. I usually applied sparingly once a day on a cotton or gauze pad.



Vet Recommended Cat Ringworm Treatment, 4 oz.

As an after treatment of the house and surrounding living areas, I would use Lysol Spray. Only the Lysol Disinfectant Spray in the can will tell you it kills Athletes Foot fungus. No other Lysol product will kill athlete's foot fungus except the disinfectant spray can. I called and asked them.