What Ringworm Looks Like on Animals

If you suspect your dog may have ringworm, here is everything you need to know on how to spot it, treat it, and prevent it from spreading.

What is Ringworm?

While many people believe that ringworm is a parasite, it is actually a fungal infection of your dog’s skin, hair, and claws. The fungus that causes this infection is called dermatophytes and originates in soil but can be found just about anywhere.

When ringworm gets into your dog’s body, it will digest keratin, which is a protein that helps build and strengthen hair and nails.

What Does Ringworm Look Like?

Ringworm will be visible in your dog just a few days after infection. Symptoms may include:

• Itchy skin
• Inflammation and red skin
• Rashes
• Scabs or scales
• Circular areas of patchy hair loss

Ringworm can look very similar to other skin ailments including skin allergies, dermatitis, and skin irritation. Ringworm most commonly shows up on a dog’s face, ears, tail, and feet but can show up anywhere on the body.

Is Ringworm Contagious?

Ringworm is not life-threatening, but it can be spread to other pets so it is important to take precautions to ensure that the case is isolated to only one animal. Some dogs are more prone to contracting ringworm than others, especially if the dog is stressed, has pre-existing illnesses, or if the dog is a hunting dog.

It is also important to know that ringworm in pets can be spread to humans. It is typically spread by coming in contact with infected objects or animals. However, human infections of ringworm will typically clean up on their own without the need for treatment.

Since humans can get ringworm from pets, that also means that pets can get ringworm from humans, so any infection in a household should be treated with care.

How to Treat Pet’s Ringworm

Ringworm must be diagnosed by a vet through a skin culture and samples looked at in a lab. Once your pet has been diagnosed, the best treatment usually involved medicated shampoos and dips to treat your pet’s skin.

Ringworm can resolve on its own but it is usually best to treat it so that it can heal faster and has less chance of affecting someone else.

Ringworm is not life-threatening but can be uncomfortable so it is important to do what you can to ease your pet’s pain and prevent it from spreading to other people or animals.