Dear Christopher Cat: Our new foster cat brought ringworm into the house, and now most of us – cats and humans – have it, too. Our veterinarian prescribed medication and a special shampoo and dip for the cats, and she instructed us to clean the house well. We’re vacuuming daily. Should we also rent a carpet shampooer?
Christopher responds: Despite its name, ringworm isn’t a worm at all, but a fungal infection. Most cats with ringworm have patchy hair loss, but a carrier’s coat can appear normal.
Ringworm spores persist in the environment, making eradication difficult. So a successful outcome requires treatment of all pets and scrupulous cleaning of the home.
To kill ringworm spores, clean and disinfect solid surfaces. Launder bedding and other fabric, small area rugs and soft articles. Vacuum upholstered furniture and drapes and discard the vacuum cleaner bag. Press duct tape to furniture to remove any hair the vacuum missed.
Clean hardwood and tile floors with a damp, disposable cloth, such as a Swiffer pad. Avoid brooms, which are difficult to decontaminate.
Carpeting should be vacuumed to remove all hair and cleaned to eliminate the ringworm spores. A recent study compared commercial hot water extraction cleaning to carpet shampooing once or twice, with or without a 10-minute pre-treatment with disinfectant.
Commercial hot water extraction, sometimes called steam cleaning, worked best. Shampooing once was least effective. Pre-treating with disinfectant helped but frequently discolored the carpet.
Replace all furnace filters, which trap ringworm spores, so it isn’t necessary to clean your air ducts.
Your job will be easier if you restrict your cats to a room you can clean quickly, such as a bathroom, until your veterinarian confirms that the ringworm is gone.
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Dear Daisy Dog: Our 12-year-old mixed breed dog, Ernie, has been bleeding from one nostril because of nasal cancer. We decided against surgery and just want to keep Ernie comfortable for as long as possible.
One of the medications our veterinarian suggested is Yunnan baiyao, a traditional Chinese medicine said to help with nosebleeds. What can you tell us about this medication?
Daisy responds: Yunnan baiyao translates to “white medicine from Yunnan,” a Chinese province. The main ingredient is pseudoginseng root, also called notoginseng. Additional ingredients are not standardized or even made public, because the manufacturers regard them as trade secrets.
Yunnan baiyao improves blood clotting, damages cancer cells, kills bacteria and has anti-inflammatory properties. It’s sometimes used in dogs to control the bleeding associated with nasal cancer and hemangiosarcoma, cancer of the blood vessels in the spleen, liver or heart.
Studies in humans indicate that Yunnan baiyao reduces bleeding during dental surgery, controls uterine bleeding and helps treat ulcerative colitis and skin ulcers.
However, little research has evaluated Yunnan baiyao’s safety and effectiveness in dogs with nasal bleeding, so caution is advised.
We wish you and Ernie the best.
Ask the Vet’s Pets appears Friday. The animal authors of the column live with Lee Pickett, V.M.D., who practices companion animal medicine. Contact them at www.askthevetspets.com.
