Treating Ringworm in Dogs and Puppies

What You Need To Know:

"Ringworm in dogs is caused by a fungus found in infected soil or that is spread by an infected animal. The fungus causes one or more skin lesions that can appear in many different ways, but commonly results in patches of hair loss along with crusted skin. Symptoms are often found on the feet, face, underbelly and if on the feet, in the nail beds, causing dry and cracked nails. Puppy ringworm can cover the entire face and all over the feet. It is also possible for a dog to be carrying or spread ringworm without showing any symptoms.

Ringworm caused by dermatophytosis is frequently misdiagnosed as are actual cases.(1) Other causes of similar symptoms are pyoderma and folliculitis.

The condition is contagious and easily spread between pets and humans. Many cases in humans are tracked back to their dogs, which is why a diagnosis of human ringworm comes with a suggestion to have your dog tested as well. The ringworm diagnosis is made in a vet's office with a special lamp and a fungal culture (takes several weeks to read results).

There are many treatment options including prescription oral medications, shampoos and skin treatments.  See multiple ringworm in dogs pictures below. In most cases, the infection will go away on its own in 1 to 3 months. However, it can make dogs uncomfortable and itchy with bare skin patches. Because of this, it is best to treat the condition with either a home remedy such as an over the counter medicated spray, shampoo or for advanced cases a prescription medication. As a preventive measure, all household areas where the dog lives will need to be vacuumed and disinfected since ringworm spores can live in the environment for up to 1 year."

Ringworm in Dog

How Do Dogs Get Ringworm

Dogs get ringworm when they are exposed to a fungus. Ringworm in dogs is not caused by worms.  It can be spread when an infected dog, puppy cat, pet or human comes in contact with another dog. The fungus lives in hair follicles, causing the hair to break off. It is most common to see the disease on the head, ears, tail, underbelly and front paws in the nail beds.

The disease looks like a circle on the dog's skin with raised edges, but it can take on a wide variety of appearances. It looks like the hair has been removed in a circle or patch with a pale spot at the center. Common ringworm in dogs symptoms include crusty skin, scaling and some redness. Odd shapes usually mean that multiple lesions joined. It is easier to see lesions on younger dogs.

The disease usually occurs ten days after exposure.

Canine Ringworm On Face
Ringworm On Dog's Face, Muzzle, and Nose

When To See the Vet

See a veterinarian if the ringworm infection has spread all over the dog's body. Also see a veterinarian if the bald spots are large, red and showing signs of infection such as pus.

Ringworm on Dogs and Humans

Ringworm in dogs can be spread among dogs, cats, and humans. Children are more likely to get the disease than adults. Once someone gets the fungus, the spores can spread in bedding and blankets. If this is the case, you need to wash exposed garments in bleach and water.

Ringworm Symptoms in Dogs

The following are common ringworm symptoms in dogs:

  • Skin scaling and crusting. Can be severe or minimal.
  • Hair Loss in a circular patch with a red border (erythematous)
  • Infected hair at the border of the bald skin patch are broken and thickened
  • At the hair roots (follicles), pus filled bumps (pustules) may appear

Uncommon dog ringworm symptoms:

  • Pain
  • Itch
  • Kerion - when the skin takes on a honeycomb appearance. Could indicate an innue system problem. Usually seen in one location, but in rare cases can be seen in many
  • Superficial Pustular Dermatophytosis - seen on the face. The fungus attacks teh skin surface resulting in pus filled bumps (pustules), and skin plaques or crusts that become red and inflamed.

Areas where symptoms appear are usually skin that is exposed to the environment:

  • Ringworm on dog's nose, muzzle, and face
  • Forelegs
  • If the cause is the fungus M. gypseum or T. mentagrophytes, there could be a symmetry to the condition when seen on the muzzle, face or ears

Diagnosis of Ringworm on Dogs

Your Veterinarian can diagnose Ringworm by looking at the skin of your dog, looking at the skin under a special ultraviolet light (called a woods light), or by examining a sample of your dog’s hair using a special test (fungal assay test called at Trichogram). Taking a fungal culture is the most accurate testing method. Tests using dogs hair usually take 1 to 2 weeks.

Since not all types of ringworm can be detected under the woods light, additional tests are often needed. Once your dog is diagnosed, treatment should immediately begin.

Pictures of Ringworm in Dog Nose - 2 examples
Ringworm on Dog's Nose

Differential Diagnosis

Dog ringworm is frequently mis-diagnosed or not diagnosed at all. Similar conditions that need to be ruled out before making a diagnosis are pyoderma and staphylococcal folliculitis.

Ringworm Treatment in Dogs

Ringworm treatment in dogs is based on the severity of the condition. In general it is a difficult condition to treat. Most dogs will self-cure in 2 to 3 months.(1)

Follow these tips for mild conditions with more chronic conditions (your dog's hair looks like a golf course) requiring veterinary care.

  1. Medicated Spray: Mild cases require the use of a topical such as an anti-fungal medicated pet spray.

  2. Shaving: Shaving your dog's hair around the bald spots will also help to get rid of the fungus by keeping it from spreading. Repeat trimming using an electric trimmer (to avoid scissor cuts) every two weeks until the condition is gone.

  3. Bathing: Keep your dog's skin clean and free of infection. Wash the dog every day using an over-the-counter antiseptic soap that contains povidone iodine (brands such as Betadine Skin Cleanser) or chlorhexidine (Nolvasan brand). This approach keeps the fungal infection from spreading. You can also use an anti-fungal shampoo such as Curaseb that will both kill any fungal infection and help to prevent future problems. Be sure to soak your dog in either a tub or with a hose. Wait 15 minutes after applying and then rinse.

  4. Grooming: brush your dog 1x a day and frequently clean the brush in a solution that is 1 part bleach and 32 parts water (dip it several times and air dry before using).

Often, dog ringworm will resolve on its own. When needed, treatments do not work overnight and often take 1 to 2 weeks. You may also see more hair loss before it gets better. If you do not see improvement in 2 weeks, revisit your Veterinarian. If after treatment the Ringworm comes back, it means the original treatment was too short.

It also may be a good idea to quarantine your dog in one room until treatment is completed.

Tip: Put a blanket or sheet over any dog bedding. This helps to keep any contagious hairs off surfaces such as the dog bed, carpet or furniture. Wash the sheet every other day.

Ringworm in Dogs - Example 4
Ringworm on This Dog's Head Was Due to M.Canis, Which is Estimated to Cause 70% of Infections

Prescription Treatment - Oral Medications

Azole Systemic Antifungals

Medications in this class include Fluconazole, Itraconazole and Ketoconazole. These medications can be expensive but are available in generic forms. All are given by mouth 1x a day.

Griseofulvin

Griseofulvin for ringworm is taken orally with a fatty meal. Ask your veterinarian about side effects such as idiopathic bone marrow irreversible suppression and teratogenicity (this mean that THIS APPROACH SHOULD NOT BE USED DURING EARLY PREGNANCY IN YOUR DOG.)

We suggest avoiding if possible the use of prescription tablets such as Griseofulvin as these can have side effects. These tables are given to your dog every day for 30 days. There has to be fat in your dog's stomach for the pills to be absorbed. You can give your dog a canned dog food or a small amount of fat from meat to ensure that the treatment works. 

If a prescription medication is recommended by your vet, Itraconazole is preferred because it has fewer side effects, but like all good things, it is more expensive than other treatments.

Terbinafine

Terbinafine was created to treat human nail infections. The medication is sued for nail bed fungal problems in dogs.

Prescription Treatment - Topicals

Topical therapy is recommended to be used along with oral medicines. This includes products such as rinses and shampoos. Look for shampoos that contain ketoconazole or miconazole along with chlorhexidine gluconate.

Recommended dog ringworm shampoo brand:

Recommended rinses are:

You can also use a Lime Sulfur dip applied 2x per week at a 5% concentration (remove any jewelry before using as it can stain).

Prevention of Ringworm in Dogs

An infected dog can spread fungus spores throughout the house. These ringworm spores are a risk for reinfection and to humans that live in the home. Spores can survive for 1 year!

To prevent reinfection, it is necessary to clean all exposed areas with a 10% bleach solution. Do the same to any fabrics that your dog came in contact with such as blankets or bedding.

Tips For Disinfecting Carpets

Carpets can be the cause of the reoccurrence of infection since they are harder to clean. Research on the topic shows that vacuuming alone or vacuuming plus one shampoo treatment is not enough. Carpet shampoo is only effective for removing fungal spores if applied twice. The first application brings infected hairs and spores to the surface, while the second treatment removes the spores from the surface. Pre-treatment with disinfectants is effective, but disinfectants frequently discolor carpets (make sure products are labeled for use against Trichophyton spp).

Ringworm in Dogs - Prevention & Treatment
Steam cleaning is the fastest and one of the most effective ways to clean carpet that contains the fungal spores that cause ringworm infection in dogs.

Instead we suggest cleaning any carpets using the commercial hot water extraction method (also known as steam cleaning.) This method is somewhat of a misnomer since it involves the use of soap. The steam cleaning process uses hot water and cleaning agents that are injected into the carpet under high pressure. The pressure loosens any infected dog hairs and dirt. A high-powered vacuum sucks up the hot water, dirt, fungal spores and hair. You will only need one treatment. To find a local steam cleaning professional, we suggest requesting a free quote from Home Advisor (or call 866-431-6989).

Brochures

Brochure on dog ringworm infection control
Available in a free Ebook (PDF download):


Guide to ringworm in dogs infection control.
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References

(1) Dermatophytosis: Still Under-diagnosed and Over-diagnosed; Dr. Peter J. Ihrke

animalaid.org.au - Animal Aid e-News
IVIA - Ringworm Infection in Dogs and Cats

White-Weithers N, Medleau L.
Department of Small Animal Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602, USA.