Ringworm Diagnosis and Treatment

by R. wiseman
(Georgia)

Reader Question: How Do I Rid My Canine Of Ringworm?

My dog Sparky is 8 years old, since his last professional grooming he has suffered from what the vet says is ringworm. I have used neem oil, (didn't work) the vet prescribed Sebozole shampoo & Cephalexin 500mg for him. It helped the first round, then it came back, then I was told to use shampoo, also use resi Keto cholor along with the Cephalexin and Ketoconazole.

It cleared up for three months now it is back. I don't want to keep giving him all these medications that can cause severe damage to his liver. It’s been two years that he has been dealing with this; I do disinfect everything I can. My other four dogs don't have it or have ever had it. I even thought of using Collidal silver spray in his water. I am at a loss. Also my vet just did a visual exam. She didn't do a culture or the black light test. Can someone help?

R. Wiseman

Vet Recommendations for Treating Ringworm on Dog

Hi Wiseman,

I am a little confused about your dog’s skin condition. You mentioned that he had been diagnosed with ringworm, but then some of the treatment that he received doesn’t seem to be directed towards ringworm but rather against a skin infection caused by bacteria and/or yeast.

If your dog were my patient, at a minimum I would need to run a fungal culture to diagnose ringworm, perform skin cytology to rule out bacterial and yeast infections, and take skin scrapings to look for microscopic mites before coming to a tentative diagnosis.

If these tests have not been run recently (remember, a dog’s condition could change over the course of several months with the treatment he has received), it is time for a recheck. If you are not happy with the care that you have received with your current veterinarian, a second opinion might put your mind at ease and allow for a fresh start.

Best of luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM