![]() ![]() This can increase the animal’s risk of skin wounds and subsequent infection.” If it does go away without treatment, the process will typically take anywhere from nine months to a year, during which time the animal’s hair will keep falling out and its bare skin will be exposed. Nevertheless, he points out, “Feline ringworm is not something that you want to take lightly. If untreated, says William Miller Jr., a professor of dermatology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, ringworm in an otherwise healthy cat will probably self-resolve over time. When the dermatophytes come into contact with healthy feline tissue, several different phenomena may occur: they may be brushed off by a meticulously self-grooming cat they may lose out in competition with more robust microorganisms and eventually disappear they may establish residence on the skin without causing any adverse reactions or, worst case, they may settle in droves on the animal’s skin and cause dermatitis-an inflammatory disease that can manifest itself in a variety of unpleasant ways. As they consume the keratin, the microscopically small fungi reproduce rapidly, creating millions of single-cell reproductive bodies (spores) that are capable of developing into new microorganisms. Once entrenched in a host’s body, the fungi thrive by digesting keratin, a protein substance that is the main structural component of hair and nails. The fungi responsible for the condition are called dermatophytes, microscopic organisms that originate in soil but can flourish as parasites beyond their home environment. And the only thing it has to do with rings is the circular area of itchy rash that typically-but not necessarily-will appear on the skin of an infected animal. ![]() Despite its name, it is a fungal infection having nothing at all to do with worms. Ringworm (feline dermatophytosis) is among the most frequently occurring skin disorders affecting the worldwide cat population. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |