Rashes and Pets
There have been times when families are told to have their animals checked for certain problems when kids develop rashes.
Some skin rashes caused by dermatophytes may be thought to originate from animals, but current thinking is that the examination of the family dog is probably not necessary and can be an expensive recommendation.
Ringworm is one of these skin rashes we see in kids and it is considered a zoonotic infection that can be passed to and from both dogs and cats.
However, the causative organism is also ubiquitous in our environment. Other people as well as surface contact are more commonly the source of infection.
Moreover, the zoonotic type and the one that most often causes ringworm in dogs and cats is the species Microsporum canis. This species is a relatively uncommon cause of human infection in the United States and M canis accounts for only about 3% to 4% of cases of ringworm in humans. Instead, most human cases are caused by Trichophyton rubrum (41% to 55%), Trichophyton tonsurans (31% to 45%), or Trichophyton mentagrophytes (6% to 9%).
With the exception of Yorkshire terriers and long-haired cats, such as Persians, very few dogs and cats are asymptomatic carriers of ringworm.
The cost of evaluation and treatment of these infections in animals can be considerable, and infections often persist despite treatment, especially in long-haired cats and in households with multiple pets.
A better approach would be to only have pets evaluated when they are symptomatic with skin lesions such as patches of alopecia. Physicians can obtain a fungal culture in the patient and refer those pets whose owners are positive for M canis. Frequent recurrence of ringworm in a pet owner and owning a high-risk pet (such as a Yorkshire terrier or long-haired cat) are also indications for a veterinary evaluation of the pet when no other sources can be identified.
Some skin rashes caused by dermatophytes may be thought to originate from animals, but current thinking is that the examination of the family dog is probably not necessary and can be an expensive recommendation.
Ringworm is one of these skin rashes we see in kids and it is considered a zoonotic infection that can be passed to and from both dogs and cats.
However, the causative organism is also ubiquitous in our environment. Other people as well as surface contact are more commonly the source of infection.
Moreover, the zoonotic type and the one that most often causes ringworm in dogs and cats is the species Microsporum canis. This species is a relatively uncommon cause of human infection in the United States and M canis accounts for only about 3% to 4% of cases of ringworm in humans. Instead, most human cases are caused by Trichophyton rubrum (41% to 55%), Trichophyton tonsurans (31% to 45%), or Trichophyton mentagrophytes (6% to 9%).
With the exception of Yorkshire terriers and long-haired cats, such as Persians, very few dogs and cats are asymptomatic carriers of ringworm.
The cost of evaluation and treatment of these infections in animals can be considerable, and infections often persist despite treatment, especially in long-haired cats and in households with multiple pets.
A better approach would be to only have pets evaluated when they are symptomatic with skin lesions such as patches of alopecia. Physicians can obtain a fungal culture in the patient and refer those pets whose owners are positive for M canis. Frequent recurrence of ringworm in a pet owner and owning a high-risk pet (such as a Yorkshire terrier or long-haired cat) are also indications for a veterinary evaluation of the pet when no other sources can be identified.
posted by Anonymous at 5:59 AM
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