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What drugs to use for cat ringworm
Cat ringworm requires treatment with antifungal drugs, mainly including topical, oral, and bath treatments. Topical drugs are usually creams or sprays, such as creams containing ingredients like itraconazole, clotrimazole, and sulfur, or sprays containing hydrochloric acid terbinafine. Oral drugs mainly include those containing ketoconazole and hydrochloric acid terbinafine. When a cat has a severe ringworm infection, a medicated bath containing miconazole may be necessary for concurrent treatment.
Firstly, when a cat has ringworm and the infected area is not large, you can choose to remove the hair around the affected area and clean the skin lesions and crusts before applying the medication. This allows for better absorption of the drug. You can use antifungal creams or sprays, such as sprays containing hydrochloric acid terbinafine. Additionally, you can also clean the affected area with 0.5% chlorhexidine twice a week.
Secondly, when a cat has ringworm on the face or in areas that it can easily lick, oral antifungal drugs are necessary for treatment. Commonly used drugs include those containing ketoconazole, griseofulvin, and itraconazole. The specific dosage should be carefully followed according to the doctor's advice to avoid insufficient dosage leading to poor treatment efficacy or excessive dosage causing poisoning. If a pregnant cat has ringworm, oral drugs should be used with caution, and the treatment plan should be consulted with a veterinarian.
Lastly, when a cat has a systemic infection, using only topical or oral antifungal drugs may not be effective. In this case, additional antifungal treatment is required, and it is recommended to try using both topical drugs and medicated baths containing chlorhexidine and miconazole simultaneously. During the treatment process, it is advised to strengthen the cat's nutrition by supplementing vitamins and feeding fish oil to enhance its skin resistance and speed up the healing process.