Bald spot after spot on treatment?

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  • 19 April, 2015 at 4:33 pm #830243
    Charlie
    Participant

    Hi all,

    My wee cutie cat Guts has 2 little bald spots that have appeared on his head. They first appeared a couple of days ago, which was a couple of days after I applied a profender spot on treatment for worms.

    The bald spots aren’t at the place I treated him with it, but a little higher up on the scalp. The first thing I was worried about was ringworm or parasites. We had him at the vet a couple of weeks ago and they didn’t spot anything but they gave me the worming treatment just in case.

    He’s been in twice in the last month, first to get neutered, and then because I was paranoid lol. Both times got a thorough going over by the vet to check his skin (he had dandruff that concerned me, I thought it was fleas!). How long would it take for ringworm to become apparent to a vet? Is it the sort of thing that a vet would miss?

    19 April, 2015 at 4:40 pm #830246
    Kittyzee
    Participant

    I’m not an expert on ringworm at all, but Buttons on here and probably a few others on TDK is. I know that sometimes if they have ear mites they will dig their heads with their back legs and cause bald spots. Same with fleas. I had an outside cat that had a sore area with no hair on her head between her eye and ear. I flea treated her and in a week, it was gone and healed. I used a flea treatment that kills ear mites as well. I would probably take him to the vet, have them take a look at it if you aren’t sure. Remember that ring worm is contagious to humans as well as other animals. There are topical fungicides that can be used bought over the counter in most pharmacy areas of the store.

    19 April, 2015 at 4:54 pm #830247
    Buttons
    Moderator

    Hey Charlie … I agree with KZ a trip back to vet to check might be wise…

    I’ve had many unpleasant dealings with ringworm in kittens in particular ..

    Ring worm can take up to 3-4 weeks to appear as lesions on the skin so yes a vet checking Guts two weeks ago would have no way of knowing if ringworm is present.. It’s normally only suspected when the bald patches or lesions appear and then all cats in contact with that cat are assumed to have been in contact with the fungus and will either treat with sulphur baths ( now a very convenient treatment for the humans and smells!) or there are oral fungal meds that are very expensive .. But most people treat with an over the counter anti fungal ointment… (Always check with your vet with the over the counter meds)

    Also a lot of strains of the ringworm fungus show up under a black light so if you happen to have one you could check with that in a dark room..

    So if it is ringworm and lesions are only showing now then it could take another 3 weeks for the lesions to show on your skin.. Some strains of the ringworm fungus are weaker than other but all are highly contagious to all humans and other animals.. A friend of mine adopted a kitten a couple of months ago and discovered 3 weeks later bald patches and started treating her for them but because the kitten slept in her dogs beds and had contact with the dogs they also developed ringworm it took a few weeks for her to get on top of the treatment of all her animals , herself and to properly clean all effected bedding..

    It’s not the end of the world and it’s an unfortunate park of adopting kittens there in your home for weeks before any signs show -and at that stage everyone in contact had been exposed..

    Fingers crossed it isn’t ringworm but even if it is it’s not the end of the world just a nuisance ..

    19 April, 2015 at 5:10 pm #830248
    Charlie
    Participant

    Thanks guys, I’m hoping with all my hope it’s not ringworm….He’s been sleeping on our duvet! :S

    We’ll be taking him to the vet again anyway, since we only have his past owners word that he’s had his vacs. The vet said that the only way to be sure when there’s no record is to give them again. We’ll definitely be getting those patches checked out at the same time.

    Also I hope that your kitty is doing aright Buttons 🙂

    19 April, 2015 at 6:04 pm #830249
    Buttons
    Moderator

    Thanks Charlie 🙂 MS Moneypenny will be ok that’s what I’m praying for.. Weither she has one eye or none we love her just the same 🙂 we’re very lucky to have her

    Fingers crossed your not dealing with ringworm.. Let us know how you get on 🙂

    24 April, 2015 at 11:49 pm #830532
    Charlie
    Participant

    Update on baldy spot.

    Took Guts to the vet today, she wasn’t concerned about ringworm at all. Hooray!
    News to me, but according to the vet, cases of ringworm in our area (North east Scotland) are rare. She seemed to think that it was more likely he’d scalped himself. Keeping an eye out for it getting any worse, or any lesions on ourselves, in between now and the 3 weeks when he goes back for the next round of shots. Mind partially at ease 😀 I was terrified of informing all my pet owning friends that I may have infected their houses/ beloved animals! Lol

    25 April, 2015 at 12:17 am #830533
    Buttons
    Moderator

    That’s great news Charlie! And your very lucky it’s not to common in your area…. I live in Ireland and because there’s so much livestock here ringworm is prettiness common and kittens always seem to be the first to catch it as a lot of “barn Cat” litters around here are rescued and rehomed and for the first few weeks they’re with mother cat in amongst hay and straw that’s carling with the fungus…

    25 April, 2015 at 12:18 pm #830542
    Charlie
    Participant

    Hey Buttons,

    That makes so much sense, of course it would get passed back and forth indefinitely in farmland type environments.

    Apparently she (the vet) hadn’t even seen that many cases, because they’re so few and far between. I hope that’s the case, and it’s not that I’ve just got an incompetent vet! XD

    How are your kitties recovering? Hugs and good wishes to all.

    25 April, 2015 at 11:46 pm #830567
    Buttons
    Moderator

    All are doing well here.. We’ll find out on Monday afternoon if Ms Moneypenny’s graft operation worked… I’m very hopefull 🙂 and Messi sea to be eating and drinking normally again.. Vet thinks kidneys were starting to shut down because of an infection but hopefully that’s been sorted to.. 🙂

    21 May, 2015 at 6:07 pm #832148
    Charlie
    Participant

    UPDATE pt.2

    Awww nooooo! Today I noticed a new bald spot on Guts, about the size of a coke bottle lid, on his spine. It’s right in between the front shoulder blades (no idea what they’re called on a cat) so it’s pretty unlikely that he’d manage to scratch there. Weirdly on all 3 patches so far, the bald sport is only visible from a certain angle. Once you look from the other way it’s really obvious. Of course, I noticed it was there literally the day after he went to the vet for his second shot, so I missed the chance to ask about it then. The skin doesn’t look irritated from what I can see, nor is he acting any differently. The vet’s advice was keep an eye on it, if the area doesn’t look angry, and the hair grows back then alls well. The 2 much smaller baldy bits have already grown back in. Hmmmm worried 🙁

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