From:
leese10ferts
Date: 2002-04-28 19:17:00 UTC
Subject: Re: Ringworm?
--- In Ferret-Health-list@y..., "Shirley Hewett" <smhewett@b...>
wrote:
> I have written previously about Pepper and her weird skin condition
which was diagnosed by a ferret-knowledgeable vet as ringworm.
(Fluorescence under a UV lamp} Pepper was put on 50mg/K Program once
per fortnight.
Hi Shirley,
Actually, that does look like a very bad case of a fungal infection.
You might want to have your vet do a skin scraping to diagnose
exactly what type and then treat based on that. If you have done the
skin scraping, and it is definetely ring worm, then I can offer you
some suggestions.
I'm surprised that the Program isn't working, but I did want to ask
you about possibilities for why it isn't going away...
1. She is on Pred and Pred can be immunosuppressant and might cause
her body a lot of difficulty fighting off the fungal infection.
2. Are you changing her bedding and sanitizing her cage often enough
with an antifungal cleaner? You might want to do this more than
weekly - especially the litterpans, cage floor, bedding, food dishes,
etc. She can catch it again from these things - especially while
she's sleeping, when she's all nice and warm and in a dark place.
3. Are you bathing her? When I was fighting this with my ferrets, I
used a shampoo called Miconozole Shamppo - it is a 2% miconazole
nitrate anti-fungal shampoo - and you can use it weekly - you want to
scrub the shampoo in and leave it sit for 10 minutes (or at least try
to leave it sit for 10 minutes) and then rinse well.
4. For really stuborn ringworm, you might want to try a multi-
approach and treat with the program, and the shampoo, and a topical
Miconozole lotion on the infected areas. The lotion is actually like
a liquid and it helps. There is also another oral medication that
can be used in ferrets for ringworm. It's Ketoconozole. Your vet
can write a script for it and your pharmacy can compound it. It can
cause stomach upset, and the ferrets don't tend to like it much, but
it may help if only using the Program is not.
I hope these suggestions help - ringworm is tough to get rid of - and
VERY contagious - your other pets and YOU can catch it from them.
Good luck,
Lisa Shortley