What is this? Ringworm?

[Nakia]

Update post #27

 

 

Two of my girls have several of these round patches of dry itchy skin that have popped up over the last week. I have been using Lotrimin on them for a couple of days because I was thinking it was probably ringworm. It's not getting better, and Emma had two more patches come up yesterday. What says the hive? Click to make it bigger. Sorry it's not a great pic, but it's from my cell phone.

 

 

If it is, do they need to go to the doctor or can I just keep using the Lotrimin at home? I don't want to take them in if I can avoid it. At what point do I need to take them in?

 

We have a new little kitten, and I have heard they can get it from animals, but the kitten doesn't have any skin abnormalities as far as I can tell. How else do they catch it? Is it very contagious?

 

I'm so not googling this. :)

Edited November 8, 2010 by Nakia

[Sophia]

yep. Looks like ringworm my dd had several years ago.

Only a prescription would take care of it~I forgot what the medicine was, though.

[Quad Shot Academy]

It could just be nummular or discoid eczema. They might be allergic to the kitty. :( I would try Zyrtec for a few days.

[RebeccaS]

Our foster baby was diagnosed with ringworm. It looked a lot like that. We took him to the doctor right away, he was put on a prescription and it cleared up really quickly. I don't have experience with anything other than a prescription, though. And, since it's so very contagious, I administered the cream with a Q-tip, using a new one for each place, to avoid spreading it to myself.

 

As for the kitten, it can be a carrier and not show symptoms, or so I was told by my vet when we had one cat that continued to get it and one cat that did not (it was suspected that cat A caught it from cat B who showed no signs of it).

[Chrystal]

Ringworm it what it looks like to me. How often are you using the Lotrimin?

It should be applied twice a day. You can also use some hydrocortisone cream twice a day to help with the itchiness and redness.

They are very contagious. Ringworm is a fungal infection just like athlete's foot.

You should treat for 14 days, even after it looks like they are all gone.

[KayT]

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=1+2134&aid=223

 

The only time we ever had a ringworm was when we brought a kitten home!!! Looks like a ringworm to me....sorry!

[Nakia]

yep. Looks like ringworm my dd had several years ago.

Only a prescription would take care of it~I forgot what the medicine was, though.

 

Ok, thanks.

 

It could just be nummular or discoid eczema. They might be allergic to the kitty. :( I would try Zyrtec for a few days.

 

Well, we have five cats, and they've never shown any signs of allergies before.

 

Our foster baby was diagnosed with ringworm. It looked a lot like that. We took him to the doctor right away, he was put on a prescription and it cleared up really quickly. I don't have experience with anything other than a prescription, though. And, since it's so very contagious, I administered the cream with a Q-tip, using a new one for each place, to avoid spreading it to myself.

 

As for the kitten, it can be a carrier and not show symptoms, or so I was told by my vet when we had one cat that continued to get it and one cat that did not (it was suspected that cat A caught it from cat B who showed no signs of it).

 

The doc's office is closed for lunch so I will call them when they reopen at 1:00. I just got the kitty again, and he does have a tiny little bit of dry skin, but he had that when we got him, and it has improved tons since he has been well fed and cared for. He has no patches of missing fur or redness. I guess we will take him into the vet on Monday. :(

 

Ringworm it what it looks like to me. How often are you using the Lotrimin?

It should be applied twice a day. You can also use some hydrocortisone cream twice a day to help with the itchiness and redness.

They are very contagious. Ringworm is a fungal infection just like athlete's foot.

You should treat for 14 days, even after it looks like they are all gone.

 

We are using the Lotrimin 2-3 times a day. I'll try the hydrocortisone too. Thanks!

Edited November 5, 2010 by Nakia

[CalicoKat]

Ringworm it what it looks like to me. How often are you using the Lotrimin?

It should be applied twice a day. You can also use some hydrocortisone cream twice a day to help with the itchiness and redness.

They are very contagious. Ringworm is a fungal infection just like athlete's foot.

You should treat for 14 days, even after it looks like they are all gone.

 

:iagree: Oh man, change the sheets too after treating them. Wash their coats and hats. If you've got that many outbreaks it's going to take a while to get it all gone. Highly contagious!

 

We finally got rid of it by treating it with bleach. Put a little bleach on a q-tip and rub it over the spots. Kills the fungus ASAP. Not fun but the lotions the doc gave us weren't working and that's what he suggested. After starting with the bleach we finally got rid of it. We dealt with it for a year.

 

Check their scalp too for itchy spots. They will loose hair in circular patches from ringworm.

[Ray]

If ringworm, recommend the following: Lamisil (in blue box) it'll be in same area as Lotramin. Defense soap products, but other tea tree soaps like Bronners will be easier to find local.

 

http://www.defensesoap.com/

 

http://www.drbronner.com/DBMS/LS.htm

Edited November 5, 2010 by Ray

[mytwomonkeys]

definitely a ring worm. use monistat 7 (yep, you read it correctly). it will get rid of it ASAP!

[Corraleno]

Please don't use bleach, or nail polish, which are quite harsh. Tea tree oil is much kinder to the skin and is actually the most effective remedy I've found for ringworm, especially for cases that don't respond to anti-fungal creams.

 

When DS was a toddler, he had a particularly fast-spreading case of ringworm that would not respond to antifungal medications — we tried 3 different prescriptions creams, each stronger than the last, and none of them had any effect. Within about 3 weeks, the ring covered his entire back and was moving up his neck into his scalp and around his sides onto his chest. There were additional rings inside the first, like a target. The soonest we could get in to see a dermatologist (this was in the UK) was another 2-3 weeks away, and I was freaking out, so I started slathering his back with tea tree oil. Within a day it had stopped spreading, and within a week it was gone. I kept up with the tea tree for another week just to be sure.

 

That was about 8 or 9 years ago, and I've used it several times since then and have recommended it to lots of people (there was an outbreak in DD's preschool a few years ago), and everyone says it works really well.

 

Jackie

[Nakia]

I called the ped's office, and we are going to treat it for a few more days at home, and if it's not better (or continues to spread) by Tuesday, I will take them in. She also said if it gets in their scalp, it will require oral treatment to avoid their hair falling out. Ugh.

 

I do have some Monistat in my cabinet from an unfortunate event this summer :glare: so I'll try that too. :)

 

The ped's nurse said it if it is the kind they can get from animals, and it seems to be, that it can only be spread from animal to human, not human to human. I wash sheets on the weekend anyway, so I'll do that. They haven't been messing with the spots much because I've been keeping them coated in the Lotrimin.

 

Blessedly, my mother works at the vet's office, so I'm hoping she can hook me up with some treatment for kitty.

[Nakia]

Please don't use bleach, or nail polish, which are quite harsh. Tea tree oil is much kinder to the skin and is actually the most effective remedy I've found for ringworm, especially for cases that don't respond to anti-fungal creams.

 

When DS was a toddler, he had a particularly fast-spreading case of ringworm that would not respond to antifungal medications — we tried 3 different prescriptions creams, each stronger than the last, and none of them had any effect. Within about 3 weeks, the ring covered his entire back and was moving up his neck into his scalp and around his sides onto his chest. There were additional rings inside the first, like a target. The soonest we could get in to see a dermatologist (this was in the UK) was another 2-3 weeks away, and I was freaking out, so I started slathering his back with tea tree oil. Within a day it had stopped spreading, and within a week it was gone. I kept up with the tea tree for another week just to be sure.

 

That was about 8 or 9 years ago, and I've used it several times since then and have recommended it to lots of people (there was an outbreak in DD's preschool a few years ago), and everyone says it works really well.

 

Jackie

 

Yeah, I'm not putting bleach or anything like that on them. I do have tea tree oil though! Thanks for recommending that!!

 

Your poor little guy. How sad. The spots that have me concerned on the ones on Cora's eyelid and below her eye. Gotta be extra vigilant about those!!

[MariannNOVA]

Nothing to add except -- :grouphug: --it's always something, isn't it?:glare:

[joannqn]

Tea tree oil may sting but it will get rid of it, too.

 

My son had ringworm on the scalp, which is difficult to treat because it gets down into the hair follicles. We were giving prescription shampoo, lotion, and pills. It caused it to spread. The spot he had on his head grew to exactly the size of where the lotion had been spread to. I stopped all treatments provided by the doctor and started painting tea tree oil on his head with a paint brush and it finally went away. With my son, we had been fighting the infection for a couple of months. I was sick of dealing with it so we went full strength. He said it stung but not so bad he couldn't handle it.

Edited November 5, 2010 by joannqn

[Sputterduck]

It sure looks like ringworm to me.

 

If you use over the counter meds for it, you are supposed to use it for at least a month, even if the spots are gone. It takes time.

[Corraleno]

My son had ringworm on the scalp, which is difficult to treat because it gets down into the hair follicles. We were giving prescription shampoo, lotion, and pills. It caused it to spread. The spot he had on his head grew to exactly the size of where the lotion had been spread to.

I agree that the lotions can actually make things worse. My theory is that if the fungus is resistant to the drug in the lotion, then all the lotion does is keep the skin extra moist, which is exactly what the fungus needs to keep spreading.

 

In addition to the direct action of the anti-fungal chemicals in tea tree oil (which ringworm doesn't seem to be resistant to), it also dries out the skin a little between applications, so it makes the environment more hostile for fungus instead of more hospitable!

 

Jackie

[Tangerine]

It is NOT definitely ringworm. It could be pityriasis rosea. It has "herald spots" that look just like ringworm. My daughter would break out periodically when she was a toddler.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pityriasis_rosea

[Nakia]

It is NOT definitely ringworm. It could be pityriasis rosea. It has "herald spots" that look just like ringworm. My daughter would break out periodically when she was a toddler.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pityriasis_rosea

 

I hadn't ever heard of that. Thanks. I guess we will just wait and see.

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

I hope you have kept the new kitten away from the other cats. You could separate them now but it will likely be too late if they have been together. when we got 2 kittens a year and a half ago I made the mistake of not keeping them separated because my adult male LOVED them (I was more worried about acceptance than I was about ringworm) and it backfired on us big time. The kittens came down with it 2 1/2 to 3 weeks after we got them (they must have been exposed just before we got them). They had it mildly (a few bald spots on them) but our adult male was HORRIBLY affected. Not only did he have a HUGE, WEEPING, SWOLLEN, etc lesion on his head above his eye and involving his ear but he lost at least half of the fur all over his entire body. It was horrific. We were very careful and only 2 of us developed one small patch each, which responded well to OTC treatment. The kittens took a couple of months to recover fully but our adult cat (who was only 1 1/2 at the time and was healthy so it wasn't like he was an old or sickly cat) took 4 to 6 months to recover. We ended up having to do lime sulfur dips twice weekly for a couple of months followed by anti-fungal baths weekly for 6 months. I still give them (the cats) anti-fungal baths about every month or two.

 

All that to say, be careful. I'd probably start giving the other cats anti-fungal baths now in hopes of keeping them from getting it.

[Nakia]

UGH!!! Of course, the vet wants me to bring the kitten in and says all the cats will have to be treated. I don't have the money today to do that. I'm hoping I can find something to do at home for him for the week-end. I'm not 100% he has it. The little dry skin he had when we first got him is tons better since he has been home with us and getting good nutrition. He isn't missing any hair at all. I hate this stuff!!!

[Nakia]

I hope you have kept the new kitten away from the other cats. You could separate them now but it will likely be too late if they have been together. when we got 2 kittens a year and a half ago I made the mistake of not keeping them separated because my adult male LOVED them (I was more worried about acceptance than I was about ringworm) and it backfired on us big time. The kittens came down with it 2 1/2 to 3 weeks after we got them (they must have been exposed just before we got them). They had it mildly (a few bald spots on them) but our adult male was HORRIBLY affected. Not only did he have a HUGE, WEEPING, SWOLLEN, etc lesion on his head above his eye and involving his ear but he lost at least half of the fur all over his entire body. It was horrific. We were very careful and only 2 of us developed one small patch each, which responded well to OTC treatment. The kittens took a couple of months to recover fully but our adult cat (who was only 1 1/2 at the time and was healthy so it wasn't like he was an old or sickly cat) took 4 to 6 months to recover. We ended up having to do lime sulfur dips twice weekly for a couple of months followed by anti-fungal baths weekly for 6 months. I still give them (the cats) anti-fungal baths about every month or two.

 

All that to say, be careful. I'd probably start giving the other cats anti-fungal baths now in hopes of keeping them from getting it.

 

What did you use that you were able to get OTC? The vet said I need to bring him in and that they will all need rx treatment. I can't afford it today, and I don't want to wait until payday. Vet bills are $$$

[TN Mama]

Looks like ringworm to me. Last time we had it, dr. told us to purchase antifungal over the counter meds and did not give us a prescription.

[Guest Cheryl in SoCal]

UGH!!! Of course, the vet wants me to bring the kitten in and says all the cats will have to be treated. I don't have the money today to do that. I'm hoping I can find something to do at home for him for the week-end. I'm not 100% he has it. The little dry skin he had when we first got him is tons better since he has been home with us and getting good nutrition. He isn't missing any hair at all. I hate this stuff!!!

Ours were treated by the vet (we have a wellness program and got our money's worth;)) but what worked the best was the lime sulfur dips. It was disgusting (understatement) but worked. You can buy that OTC and online. Here is the one we used:

http://www.revivalanimal.com/store/p/672-Lym-Dyp.aspx

And this is the shampoo we used:

http://www.revivalanimal.com/store/p/714-Malaseb-Shampoo.aspx

 

ETA if you do go to the vet don't let him put them on oral meds! They are very hard on the animals (especially kittens) and should only be used if the case is severe in adults or life threatening in kittens. My adult cat had to go on oral meds (Griseofulvin) because his case was so severe but the kittens didn't.

Edited November 5, 2010 by Cheryl in SoCal

[Tina in WA]

What did you use that you were able to get OTC? The vet said I need to bring him in and that they will all need rx treatment. I can't afford it today, and I don't want to wait until payday. Vet bills are $$$

 

 

Well "if" it is the other thing the other WTM'ers suggested, then the vet visit may not be necessary. Why not just take them (your kids) today? If the dr. is full, is there another dr. you could see? Have something like prompt care in your area? Dr. office open on Sat? (I realize it may be afternoon for you too, so it just may be to late to take them in this week) Just saying you may not need the extra expense of the vet visit.

 

I know the feeling of what it is like when something (rash) happens to your child and you don't know what it is. We have been battling since mid sept with a rash my dd has. One dr. said it was it was a Scarlett fever rash (she was sick with a high fever about a mo. before the rash appeared), another one say allergies, and finally we went to a dermatologist this week and it is something else (he is certain it is something else). Hoping he is right! Third times a charm, right. :-)

 

 

~Tina

Edited November 5, 2010 by Tina in WA

[jcgonczi]

It looks like ringworm. I had it several times as a kid (sucked my thumb WAY to long). We always put clear fingernail polish over it. Worked in a few days.

[Nakia]

Update: The areas that the girls had that looked like ringworm are looking tons better, and the kitten still doesn't have any spots on him at all. My mom did get some medication from the vet, but I don't even know where to put it since he doesn't have any visible rashes.

 

The girls now have several little round patches that do not have the characteristic ring with a clear center like the picture I first posted. The new ones are round, but are scaly in the middle and not itchy very much at all. They are red throughout with no clear center. It's weird, but now I'm wondering if it's what Tangerine suggested below. They have had a cold...

 

I am going to take them in to the ped tomorrow. Thanks for the help!!

 

It is NOT definitely ringworm. It could be pityriasis rosea. It has "herald spots" that look just like ringworm. My daughter would break out periodically when she was a toddler.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pityriasis_rosea

[smrtmama]

Looks like the nummular eczema the kids and I get.

[Nakia]

Looks like the nummular eczema the kids and I get.

 

I am going to look that up. Thanks!

[Tammyla]

:grouphug: Poor kiddos... Mystery spots are terrible, hope you find what works to get rid of them.

 

Update: The areas that the girls had that looked like ringworm are looking tons better, and the kitten still doesn't have any spots on him at all. My mom did get some medication from the vet, but I don't even know where to put it since he doesn't have any visible rashes.

 

The girls now have several little round patches that do not have the characteristic ring with a clear center like the picture I first posted. The new ones are round, but are scaly in the middle and not itchy very much at all. They are red throughout with no clear center. It's weird, but now I'm wondering if it's what Tangerine suggested below. They have had a cold...

 

I am going to take them in to the ped tomorrow. Thanks for the help!!

[Nakia]

Looks like the nummular eczema the kids and I get.

 

Okay, just briefly looked it up. A couple of questions: They have never had anything like this before, and we haven't changed any detergents or anything like that. They don't have any food/med allergies as far as I know. I think it's weird that it all happened at once. Anyway, I'm taking them in to the walk-in clinic in the morning.

[Quad Shot Academy]

Okay, just briefly looked it up. A couple of questions: They have never had anything like this before, and we haven't changed any detergents or anything like that. They don't have any food/med allergies as far as I know. I think it's weird that it all happened at once. Anyway, I'm taking them in to the walk-in clinic in the morning.

 

I have one son that was pretty much born with it and one daughter that started getting outbreaks about age 5. It looks just like my kids discoid/nummular eczema. Right now is a prime time for it with a change of the weather. But I do agree it is odd that more than one child would get it for the first time at the same time. Also, if it is not itchy, that does not fit eczema at all.

[Alyce]

some people will find this odd but if you think of the composition and purpose you'll see how it works. When we've had ringworm in our kids we used a bottle of antifungal for athletes foot. Not the lotion but the kind that comes in the bottle. Believe it or not we have found it to be much more effective and quicker. Many times it only required two treatments. You treat it once and wait a couple of days and treat it again. Warning it does sting but like I've said we have found it very effective and much more than any lotion out there.

[mo2]

Looks like the nummular eczema the kids and I get.

 

This was my thought as well. Our doctors even thought it was ringworm at first.

[mo2]

Okay, just briefly looked it up. A couple of questions: They have never had anything like this before, and we haven't changed any detergents or anything like that. They don't have any food/med allergies as far as I know. I think it's weird that it all happened at once. Anyway, I'm taking them in to the walk-in clinic in the morning.

 

 

When nummular eczema first showed up on us, I couldn't figure out why either. We hadn't changed anything, moved, etc. It just appeared one day and didn't go away. It has plagued us now for a few years.

[teamturner]

I haven't seen anyone else post about Neem oil, but this is what dramatically took care of dd's ringworm last summer. Better than tea tree oil and the OTC lotions. We did have to apply for a while as it was persistant.

[Nakia]

When nummular eczema first showed up on us, I couldn't figure out why either. We hadn't changed anything, moved, etc. It just appeared one day and didn't go away. It has plagued us now for a few years.

 

So did it just happen to several of you all at once?? Is there no way to get rid of it???

[mo2]

So did it just happen to several of you all at once?? Is there no way to get rid of it???

 

My daughter and I have it. She had classic eczema in the creases of the knees and elbows when she was young but seemed to outgrow it. Then a few years ago the nummular eczema showed up. She got it first, and then I got a few patches on my arms/wrists. The doc at first thought it was ringworm because of the appearance and the fact that we both seemed to get it around the same time. They did a fungal test, which was negative, and finally settled on the eczema diagnosis.

 

It comes and goes. It flares up more in the wintertime and when I forget to moisturize. Mostly I just use frequent applications of Aquaphor lotion but if it gets really bad you can use a topical steroid cream.

 

There really are a lot of things it could be, though. There are so many weird skin conditions out there, it's definitely best to let a doc look at it. Let us know what you find out, okay?

 

ETA: I just wanted to add that I enjoyed looking at your website! Cute pictures!

Edited November 8, 2010 by mo2

[mytwomonkeys]

have you been to the doctor yet? if not, i would definitely go, especially if it can be 1 of 3 things.

[Nakia]

have you been to the doctor yet? if not, i would definitely go, especially if it can be 1 of 3 things.

 

I'm probably taking them in to the early am clinic in the morning. The thing is given the responses here I'm not sure the pediatrician will know what it is, so I will be out $40 for the co-payments and still might end up with a referral to a dermatologist, which will be another $80 for the two of them. I know that sounds selfish, but I want to do the right thing, and not waste time and money. My biggest concern is the fact that they woke up with more of them this morning. UGH!!! So basically, yes, I am probably taking them in to the doc in the morning.

[momzilla333]

Don't use tea tree oil on kitties! Not that anyone said to, but just so you know-It might work great for people, but it's quite toxic to cats.

[Nakia]

Don't use tea tree oil on kitties! It might work great for people, but it's quite toxic to cats.

 

I got some medication from the vet for the kitten even though I still haven't been able to find anything on him that looks like ringworm. Thank you for posting.

[mytwomonkeys]

I know that sounds selfish, but I want to do the right thing, and not waste time and money.

 

no, that doesn't sound selfish at all. i'm on a crazy tight budget, so i completely and totally understand!!!

[Quad Shot Academy]

I'm probably taking them in to the early am clinic in the morning. The thing is given the responses here I'm not sure the pediatrician will know what it is, so I will be out $40 for the co-payments and still might end up with a referral to a dermatologist, which will be another $80 for the two of them. I know that sounds selfish, but I want to do the right thing, and not waste time and money. My biggest concern is the fact that they woke up with more of them this morning. UGH!!! So basically, yes, I am probably taking them in to the doc in the morning.

 

If you don't mind waiting a couple days, give them Zyrtec twice a day and if it is nummular eczema it should be greatly improved by then. If not, you know it is something else.

[Nakia]

If you don't mind waiting a couple days, give them Zyrtec twice a day and if it is nummular eczema it should be greatly improved by then. If not, you know it is something else.

 

Okay, I have Zyrtec in my cabinet. I will keep up the OTC creams (which ARE greatly helping the existing spots) and give them Zyrtec. I have an appointment in Asheville, where their pediatrician is, on Thursday (about 40 minutes away), so if they are not improved, I will take them to the am clinic then. If they get worse before, I will take them in right away. My gut is telling me this is a good plan. I hate making these decisions. Even though, I'm a nurse, I freak about these things with my own kids.

[twoxcell]

Use Lamisil or the Walmart version of Lamisil, Lotrim does not work.

[vettechmomof2]

Don't use tea tree oil on kitties! Not that anyone said to, but just so you know-It might work great for people, but it's quite toxic to cats.

 

:iagree::iagree::iagree:

[twoxcell]

I get nummular eczema only when I'm pregnant. I had it when I was pregnant for my second on my leg, and I thought it was ringworm.

[vettechmomof2]

ringworm in cats and kittens is highly contagious and difficult to deal with because you do not always see sores, scabs, lesions or hair loss.

 

It is most commonly found on the ears,face and chin area but can be anywhere though so if an ointment then I would be medicating the kittens ears and secluding him from all the other cats and allowing him in one easy to clean room only!

[unsinkable]

Nakia,

 

Did you ever figure this out?!?! :bigear:

 

My DS has a quarter-sized patch of raised skin on his wrist. It looks like a small blister surrounded by a circle of smaller bumps.

 

It is creepy looking. At first we thought it was some kind of bite or hive but an anti-itch cream did nothing to it.

 

But we thought it might be ringworm so I searched here.

 

Doc is closed, of course.

 

We're trying an antifugal.