Ringworm in dogs?????

[Buttons2]

Oh my, just what I don't need! My rescue dog,Rags, just got back from the groomer (my housemate pays for this-I can't even afford haircuts for myself:rolleyes: ) the groomer suspects he has ringworm! So I've been researching this & need some advice.

Has anyone tried the natural remedies out there for ringworm? I know that Tree Tea Oil is good for fungus & some of these expensive natural remedies have that ingredient, I'm wondering about just getting some oil & applying directly on his red spots (after I figure out just where they are)?? He could reach there & lick, any idea if it would be harmful? Rags doesn't much like rolling over onto his back,he weighs about 100# & unfortunately I'm NOT the alpha in this pack,in other words-getting him to let me inspect his underside isn't easy!

He's due for his annual exam next month,since research indicates ring worm can clear up on it's own sometimes, am wondering if I should go into debt for vet exam right now or wait it out? No sign of anything like this on other dog,the cat or the humans-yet.

I do not need to be told I had no business adopting a dog if I couldn't afford vet care, I do plan on annual exams,vaccines,etc. & of course any emergency would be dealt with, I'm just not keen on spending alot of $$$$ for something I think I might be able to cure with home remedies.

Appreciate any advice!
Thanks,Buttons

[Cry Tears]

Hi buttons...I'm sorry your poor Rags may this.
Is he eating corn?
Does he have flatuance?
Are they rather stinky?
If so...then all is normal! LOL!

I've put a link up for you...it has good answeres for you.http://www.ask-the-

vet.com/ring-worm-symptoms.htm

If I were you, I wouldn't spend my money on this...sure you'd go only to have a firm diagnosis if it is in fact Ring Worm...but they won't do much for you anyway.
Its a fungus and will run its course in a few weeks...just hope it doesn't spread.
I've read that Tea Tree oil will help...you may want to try that.
My little sister had this on her head...they shaved her head part way.

My mother went crazy...ordered our entire house in lock down, had the housekeepers up in turmoil washing everything down and our butler refused to serve us! LOL!
Anyway....they did nothing more than put Macuracrome on it...I just remember the color...funny pink.
They put the lights out and looked at the round pattern that was on her scalp, with a special light. Save your nickles!
And don't worry about neg comments regarding adopting your dog.
Everyone deserves a good home...poor or not! He's blessed to have you!
If not he'd be taking a dirt nap about now.
Huge dogs are hard to adopt out...its those cute puppies that grabs peoples hearts...I know I'm always a sucker for them.
Just my humble opinion! Cheryl

[WhataBreeze]

Hi Buttons, My Friend:

Can I play Sherlock Holmes in this investagation? I would say, "Put a watch on the House Mate." LOL... Actually, if you don't feel Rags picked it up where you live, look how many dogs go through the groomer. Between the Vet and the Groomer, hopefully you wll get the answer. Take care...


Franky and Breeze

[Buttons2]

Well I'm out of panic mode now,Rags is going to the vet Monday. I've had him nearly a year so I just pushed up the annual exam.....vet will check out the ringworm also. In the meantime I made a trip to my favorite vitamin shop & got a bottle of Tree Tea Oil, have done the first application,didn't seem to sting him & I think the odor will keep him from licking it:rolleyes:

By the time this clears up I think I'll have enough practice getting him to roll over & show his underside....no sign of rash/hair loss on the other dog or the cat. I'm blaming this on critters that share the same woods with Rags!

Can't wait to hear what the vet has to say about my home cure,assuming it's improving by Monday!

Next dilemna, groomer doesn't want Rags there anymore unless on tranqs! I'm not into having a Prozac dog, Rags has been to groomer 3 times now, first 2 times the other dog,Pepper was there @ same time,none of this howling stuff went on,so will try once more with both dogs together & if that doesn't work (misery loves company?), I'll find a different groomer.

Breeze, I also wondered about the ringworm being @ the groomer's,possible for sure. Only place he's ever exposed to other dogs actually. He was kennelled a couple of nights but that was way back in Sept.

This has been a lesson for me, I need to be more vigilant in the future, don't want my beautiful mutt to lose his hair! I love to vacuum everyday don't ya know!

Thanks for the replies, maybe my little saga will help someone else.
Buttons

[Lara]

Hi Buttons,
Hope it's all fixed soon. I had a kitty once that had what turned out to be a ringworm. It was really weird 'cause the vet did a home visit and brought this ultraviolet light and darkened the room and there was this round iridescent ring.
We use a lot of tea tree oil here in Australia. In fact there are plantations of it not too far away from me. I just wanted to mention that as far as I know, tea tree oil should be diluted. I've always diluted it to about one part in 15 or even 20, depending on what I'm mixing with it and what it's being used for. It's pretty potent stuff.

[Buttons2]

Well, actually the bottle is only oil, I thought it was probably diluted but guess not. I hurt my doggie! He's all red where I applied the oil.....no more home remedies I guess. Now it all looks far worse than 2 days ago! He didn't yelp or anything so I figured it didn't sting.....to the vet we go!

This has nothing to do with my weird dog remedy but I wanted to point out that anyone with ingrown toenails can use Tree Tea Oil or Vicks, my foot doctor told me this so not just me making something up! I'll use the oil on my toenails next......

Thanks for the replies, get back to you next week after the vet visit.

Yes, they use "black lights" to see the fungi.

Later,Buttons

[joy]

i have old black lights in the attic i'm afraid to drag out and play with. i'm afraid of what i'd see! i used to have the weirdest decorated Christmas tree. i'd o=paint homemade decorations with glow paint and drag out that light. gee guess you all know i'm old now.

[Buttons2]

Just wanted to update. Rags doesn't have ringworm, he has a staph infection. Took 4 of us to coach (drag), him onto the scales, he's gained 24# since I got him 11 mo ago. Guess I'm not starving him huh?

Vet remembered us from last year, was surprised I still have him. For those not familiar: Rags was in shelter for 6 mos. nobody would adopt him,too big & high energy. Then he was attacked by an unfixed Pitbull & got chewed up pretty good. The story was on front page of my local paper. That did it for me, had to rescue him from the rescue place!:rolleyes:

Trouble comes in two's of course......little terrier mix,Pepper, went to vet today also, she has kennel cough!! Must have picked that up at the groomers,just hope it doesn't spread to Rags. I'd never heard a dog cough before so thought something stuck in throat.....

So it's pills for both of them & Visa debt for momma:rolleyes:

I should clarify, Rags didn't weigh too much to get on the scale, he has "anxiety" issues with collars/leashes. They suggested dog training of course. Any of you ever try to hold back a 104# dog on a leash??? Too bad the vet doesn't make house calls cause he lives about a mile away. It's embarrassing to have a dog that isn't leash trained, so guess I better get serious about this for everyone's sake!

One funny thing today, Rags has a big curly tail, he decided to swat the birdcage where they had white doves,luckily he didn't push it over!:eek:

I have no knowledge of staph infections in dogs, so will do some research,might help someone else out to know about this.

Buttons

[joy]

gosh poor dog may be in more trouble than with the ringworm. i thought i had a big dog. i imagine he will weigh around 80 plus pounds. just guess, it may be more. mine is a cross between a lab and probably a german shepard. least that's what he looks like. we know his mother was a lab for sure, lol. and a good snake dog. she loved to catch snakes out on the farm next to mothers'.

well one thing is a good thing maybe about that staph thing. i am one of the people that has that staph resistant stuff as i have had many infections in my lifetime. you can be sure no one has spent money on your poor dog so surely the medicine will work for him. we will be looking for good news.

that cough thing would have caught me off guard too. hope it is not too serious either. let us pet lovers know. right now if it was my pet or my friends, i pick my pet. my friends are too busy to visit, lol. and my dog is really willing to learn and to please even if he is an older dog. nobody calls so my dog rates pretty high on my list. good thing my grandchildren likes dogs, lol. now that would be a problem!

[Cry Tears]

Yep...that tree oil works wonders on toenail fungus.
Cured mine up shortly! Didn't have to take that epensive pill stuff $800 for them! Not covered by insurance!:eek:
Anyway...check out my toenail fungus! Eeeeek! Bad!
I've also posted a picture of Rags...Buttons sent me his picture last summer. So you can check out how cute he is...but he was much thinner back then.
cheryl

[Buttons2]

Oh Cheryl, you can always get a good laugh outa me!:D

and thanks for posting the pic of Rags, yeah he has gained more weight since that pic, not enough exercise with momma in the winter! He weighed 86# a year ago.

Feel free to post pic of the woods path with the buttercups in bloom so all the other doggies can get jealous of how lucky Rags & Pepper are to have woods full of critters to chase & diseases to pick up!:eek: Vet thinks Rags got the staph infection from the tall grass he romps through. And I don't even want to think about the deer ticks!:eek: :eek: :eek:

Pepper has not coughed at all since yesterday @ the vet! Rags is getting very potent (500mg x 2) antibiotics. I now have drug addict dogs! I got some little treats @ vet you stick the pills in.....must be the yummiest things on the market cause they love them, pills down in a gulp! They look like chocolate,$9 for a bag of 20,worth every cent far as I'm concerned. I'm gonna see if they have some for cats when go back for checkup, my cat Sissy just wasted $7.50 worth of worm meds the other day!

Rags also has some wipe pads for his infection, this stung last night but today his belly looks MUCH improved! I was afraid perhaps a staph infection in a dog would be as hard to get rid of as in humans (which we all know can be deadly). So far I'm relieved about progress. Vet didn't comment about my use of the Tree Tea Oil......

I also called the groomer immediately to let her know of the infection & kennel cough. Vet knows her & didn't feel it was lack of hygiene there that caused this but who knows for sure? I need to be more deligent about dog health, this could have been much worse. And to think I wanted only MUTTS from now on cause purebreeds are sooooooo expensive for health care!:rolleyes:

Vet adored Pepper whom he had never met. Was amazed she's 15-16 yr old & only found one knee problem (and of course she needs to lose weight). He likes Rags too of course, feels he's a challenge but one very lucky dog to have a good home now.

[joy]

oh cheryl you are a riot. thanks for the laugh and the picture. no need to post picture of my meanness now. just add the weight and more tan color. think german shepard and lab and big heavy dog and that's my meanness as well.

oh the ticks. ah now that's what kept me from the farm a few years ago. not snakes or such. but ticks. we were infested with them. we could not sit our foot down without a millon crawling up our legs. they frightened emilee until she would not get out, and that was by the next year. of course hubby did some spraying and such. but they were absolutely awful that one year. huge overgrown yard and woods gone to the ticks and weeds.

[Cry Tears]

I know a few of you pet owners are anti chemicals for treating tic's n bugs.
But my pets suffered from flea's, many co-infections that went with that.
Had one little doggie....a Pekanese that was terribly allergic to fleas...she was so red her skin was swollen...they put her on steriods. Then flies laid maggots in her skin....we had to put her down...what a mess.
Then for years my dogs, cats suffered so much because I was very anti chemicals.
Then my husbands good freind, a veterinarian thats into holistic healing gave us some good information...that many dogs suffer from flea's tics and all the infections that goes with this...all so needlessly to have these problems when you can use those top coat chemicals like "FRONTLINE and ADVANTAGE".
So about 7 years ago when first came out I started using it, but only about half of what recomeneded. Fleas dropped dead immediatly.
I treat my animals only once a year in the spring.
We no longer have flea's here on our property except what the squirrels and deer bring here.
My dog and cats no longer scratch or suffer from being bitten.
That stuff is very expensive...but so worth it!
Hope you will try it. Cheryl

[bygodde]

I also called the groomer immediately to let her know of the infection & kennel cough. Vet knows her & didn't feel it was lack of hygiene there that caused this but who knows for sure? I need to be more deligent about dog health, this could have been much worse. And to think I wanted only MUTTS from now on cause purebreeds are sooooooo expensive for health care!:rolleyes:

.

K.C. has nothing whatsoever to do with hygiene. It is an airborne virus, sounds like whooping cough and ONLY needs Children's Robitussin to treat....so , if you are using expensive antibiotics, you can stop.

I am a dog breeder...yes, purebreds....and we deal with these issues all the time. Dogs pick up K.C. at shows, etc. It is not fatal, it is a virus. I only have had one dog get it ever. I give the intranasal K.C. vaccine to my dogs twice per year.

Vets have that vaccine, either intranasal or injectible. It is worth it if your dogs go out in public to groomers or play groups.

Once per year if you are not showing. Again, Children's Robitussin takes care of the cough as does a vaporizer! Been there, done that.

Antibiotics will help the cough go away in two weeks or so. If you do nothing, the cough, with cough medicine and vaporizer, will go away in two weeks or so.

You decide.

And please, don't use homeopathic medicines on your dog again without checking into the really painful possible side effects.

Jessica

[Buttons2]

Good to have you join in here! Yes, I researched kennel cough & I asked the vet about just using cough syrup (children's),of course that wouldn't bring him any $$$ so he wasn't helpful (how much/how often,etc).

Pepper was behind on her vaccines & Rags was coming due next month so I felt they both needed a checkup anyway. I'm not keen on giving anti-biotics but I went along with it to the tune of $120, maybe if I'd bothered to ask the cost first I would have said no.:rolleyes:

Here's what happened this morning: Rags is taking 1000mg at one time, Pepper is taking 250mg. Rags dropped his pill (in the yummy pill popper), Pepper had just had her pill & had the dropped one in her mouth before I could blink!I was kinda freaked cause this met little 30# dog had just injested 750mg of strong anti-biotic!:eek: She just now vomitted it all up & am I ever relieved! Taught me a lesson! I was keeping a very close eye on her for seizures,lethargic,etc. Ready to get her to ER vet if I noticed anything strange......she's made it to 15 without any health problems whatsoever!

They both go back to the vet Thursday & will have the kennel cough vaccine since they go to the groomer's & sometimes a kennel. I figure once per year is plenty.

Rags is being treated for a staph infection, vet said probably got it from grass in the woods-what do you think? I also use an anti-bacterial wipe everyday on his belly, it all looks improved,not red anymore. Now I have another concern! This "rash" is right next to his penis, I've noticed a lump there now! Any ideas?

What kind of dogs do you breed? We are all a bunch of dog lover's here so really glad to have you to share info with us.....thank you!

Buttons

P.S. Only reason I made the comment about no more purebreed dogs is the horrific experience & expense with the Bouvier de Flanders, spent a fortune on different foods for skin allergies,then she got skin cancer, then she got "insides" cancer after vet told us if they survive skin cancer cannot possibly get other types of cancer, had all kinds of expensive tests & she had lost alot of weight but vet kept thinking an iron deficiency or some such nonsense......I refuse to go back to that vet! I was heartbroken when we had to put her down, she usually weighed 114# & was down to 75#. It was a learning experience but hopefully never have to go through that again.