We have a 2 year old boston terrier and he looks to have ring worm. I have looked on the internet and the pictures posted are exactly what he looks to have. We don't have a vet clinic open on Saturdays or Sundays and I noticed it this morning. Could you ask him if there is something I can treat him with over the counter or do I need to take him to vet. Dd has a small ringworm under her arm and We are using a fungal cream on it will it work for him also.
Thanks so much

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, September 14, 2008 - 06:58 am:

Per Scott, do NOT use the anti-fungal cream on the dog. Never, never, NEVER use human medicines on a dog without the vet's specific approval. Human and dog metabolisms are very different, and human medicines can harm and sometimes be fatal to the dog. How would you keep the dog from licking at it, or scratching at it and then licking at the paw and ingesting the anti-fungal cream - which could potentially be harmful.

While annoying and, yes, contagious, ringworm is not a life-threatening issue, and your dog can wait until the vet is open on Monday. In the meantime, don't touch the ringworm area and try your best to keep any children from touching the ringworm area.

By Marie on Sunday, September 14, 2008 - 10:34 am:

Thank you so much Ginny for asking.

By Ginny~moderator on Sunday, September 14, 2008 - 11:23 am:

Marie, Scott tells me that for dogs and cats they use an anti-fungal cream that has a different base (the ointment that the anti-fungal is mixed into) BECAUSE they know the animal will ingest some of it, and the base the vets use is safe for animals to ingest.

I had ringworm on my head when I was in about 2nd grade and am really grateful that I was going to a religious school at the time. In some public schools, if a child had ringworm the child's head had to be shaved. I just had to wear a "juliet cap", and, of course, my mom had to put some coal-tar solution on my scalp every day. Boy, did that stuff stink.

By Marie on Monday, September 15, 2008 - 11:49 am:

Thank you again Ginny got louie to the vet this morning and he said for me to use over the counter fungal cream and bath him twice a week with dandruff shampoo and to do the same with the other dogs because it is is contagious. I never figured dogs could get ringworm. I thought it was just cats and humans.

By Scott on Monday, September 15, 2008 - 12:30 pm:

Any mammal can get ringworm. It's not a picky fungus - any skin is home to it.

Typical treatment is application of tolnaftate or ketakonazole to the affected area once or twice daily until it's been gone for a week.