How long does dog skin fungal infection take to clear up

Identifying and Treating Fungal Infections in Dogs

By Reyna Gobel

Bacteria and viruses are what typically spring to mind hen pet parents think infection, but fungi can also be to blame. While not as common as bacterial or viral infections, fungal infections can be just as serious. Dogs can contract fungal infections from other animals, from the environment, or as a result of the overgrowth of fungi that are naturally present on their own bodies. Every pet is potentially at risk for contracting a fungal infection, and an accurate diagnosis is necessary before appropriate treatment can begin. Read on to learn more about fungal infections in dogs.

Fungal Skin Infections

When your dog starts scratching himself more than is normal, it can be hard to tell whether its because of an allergy, flea bites, infection, or something else. Excessive itching can be quite worrisome, especially if your dog develops bald spots or damages his own skin as a result.

One telltale sign of fleas is the presence of flea dirt (small black clumps of flea feces) on your dogs skin and fur. If you see flea dirt or actual fleas, treat him right away. But if fleas or ticks arent to blame, dont self-diagnose or rely on Dr. Google, warns Dr. John DaJong, a veterinarian at Newton Animal Hospital in Massachusetts. After performing a complete physical exam, your veterinarian can conduct specific tests to help diagnose the problem and identify whether a fungal infection is to blame.

Lets look at two common types of fungal infections that affect the skin of dogs and how to treat them.

Ringworm

Ringworm is a common fungal infection in pets. It can affect a dogs skin, fur, and also the nails. Common symptoms include hair loss, itching, flaky or crusty skin, and misshapen or brittle nails. While you should treat any infection as soon as possible, time is of the essence with ringworm because it can easily spread to other household animals and humans, says Dr. Andrew Rosenberg, a veterinarian at Riverdale Veterinary Dermatology clinic in Riverdale, New Jersey.

To diagnose ringworm, your veterinarian will perform a fungal culture of hair or skin cells or a microscopic examination of a hair sample. Depending on the severity of the infection, ringworm may be treated with medicated baths and dips and/or oral antifungal medications. Vacuuming and disinfecting the house will also help lessen the chances that ringworm will spread between pets and people.

Yeast Infection

Overgrowth of yeast on a dogs body can lead to irritating yeast infections, commonly affecting the skin, paws, and ears. These infections can be extremely uncomfortable for dogs, says Rosenberg. Theyre generally secondary to allergies or other conditions that disrupt the skins ability to control the yeast that normally live there.

If I suspect a dog might have a yeast infection, I take an impression smear of the area that might be infected and look at it under a microscope, Rosenberg says. When the slide is stained, the yeast look like little purple peanuts.

Treatment normally involves an antiseptic or antifungal drug applied to the skin. Oral medications may be necessary in severe cases. Unlike ringworm, yeast infections arent contagious to other pets or people. To prevent yeast infections from recurring, its important to treat any underlying conditions as recommended by your veterinarian.

If your pet is constantly itching and scratching, schedule an appointment with your veterinarian. Unfortunately, not all conditions can be solved with one visit. Sometimes it could take several visits to pinpoint the cause of your dogs itching or require a visit to a veterinary dermatologist, Rosenberg says.

Systemic Fungal Infections

Fungal infections on the surface of the body are bad enough, but those that invade deeper structures can have even more serious consequences. Lets look at several common types of systemic fungal infections in dogs and how to treat them.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis is most commonly diagnosed in dogs that have spent time in Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee, the St. Lawrence River valley, the mid-Atlantic, and around the Great Lakes because the types of soil that are typically found in these areas support the growth of the fungus. Dogs that spend time sniffing around in the dirt are at risk for inhaling fungal spores, which can lead to a lung infection, says Dr. Jennifer Coates, veterinarian and author of Dictionary of Veterinary Terms, Vet-Speak Deciphered for the Non-Veterinarian. From there, the organism can travel almost anywhere in the body. According to Coates, common symptoms include poor appetite, weight loss, coughing, difficulty breathing, limping, eye problems, skin lesions (particularly around the toenails), enlarged lymph nodes, and fever. If the disease is caught early enough, treatment with an oral anti-fungal medication can be curative.

Cryptococcosis

While cats are more commonly infected with the fungus Cryptococcus, Coates says dogs tend to develop a more severe form of the disease. The fungus is present in soils world-wide but may be especially prevalent in areas where pigeons and other birds congregate. As is the case with blastomycosis, dogs typically inhale the Cryptococcus fungus, leading to a lung infection. It can then spread almost anywhere in the body, which can cause symptoms ranging from lethargy, coughing, nasal discharge, eye problems, skin lesions, and even seizures and other neurologic abnormalities. Coates warns that treating cryptococosis can be difficult. Oral antifungal medications may need to be given for a year or more and some dogs will still succumb to the disease.

Coccidioidomycosis

Dogs can get coccidioidomycosis (also known as Valley Fever) from inhaling dust or dirt that contains coccidioides fungal spores,says Dr. Carol Hillhouse, a veterinarian in Panhandle, Texas. It tends to grow in desert areas with little rain and sandy soil, such as California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, she says. Strong winds, earthquakes, construction areas, and even crop harvesting can stir up the spores into the air.

Once the spores are inhaled, the fungus may simply cause a chronic cough, Hillhouse says. In other cases, especially if immunosuppressed, the dog may develop pneumonia or the fungus can spread to other areas in the body, such as bone or the eyes, she says. It can be difficult to diagnose, and usually requires radiographs, blood, and cell testing. Valley fever requires long-term treatment with oral antifungal medications, but the prognosis is pretty good if caught early, she says.

Histoplasmosis

Another soil-borne fungus, Histoplasma, prefers the temperate climates of Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri River Valleys, Hillhouse says. This fungus grows best in nitrogen-rich soil, such as bird and bat excrement, and is usually acquired by inhalation of the organism from the environment.Infected dogs can show weight loss, fever, cough, eye inflammation, vomiting, and diarrhea, she says. Often, a combination of blood and urine tests, as well as radiographs, are used to make the diagnosis. Sometimes biopsies are required as well. Treatment involves long-term fungal medication, but prevention is best by restricting access to soil that is contaminated with bird or bat droppings.

Aspergillosis

Infections with Aspergillusfungus are usually limited to a dogs nasal passages. Aspergillosis can affect dogs residing in almost any part of the country since the fungus is present in most soils. Treatment typically involves anesthetizing the pet and infusing his nasal passages with a liquid anti-fungal medication. Most dogs will recover if treated appropriately, although a second treatment may be necessary in some cases.

Preventing Fungal Infections in Dogs

Fungal infections in dogs range from localized annoyances to potentially fatal systemic diseases. Prevention is not always possible, but common sense measures can help. If you live in an area where a certain type of fungal infection is endemic, avoid high risk environments. Pets with ringworm should be isolated to limit the spread of the disease to people or other animals. Finally, appropriately manage any underlying health problems that increase your dogs risk for developing a fungal infection.

Stages of Ringworm Healing

posts and pages could include affiliate links which may result in earnings for the site. As an amazon associate, we earn from qualified purchases.

Okay. So you think you have ringworm. A physician gave you a fungal exposure test and your results will be available by the end of the day. After the disappointing news you were given a prescription for anti-fungal cream or youre told to get yourself some over the counter Lotrimin before being sent on your way.

Whether you head to your local pharmacy, or leave it to amazon to deliver Lotrimin antifungal ringworm cream for yourself, or Curab Shampoo for the pets: youve got this!

After several days of treatment, youre happy to report less itching, and even the redness is reduced. You feel normal again, but are you cured? Did the ringworm resolve?

In a word: No. The stages of ringworm healing has only just begun! As youre about to see in the upcoming ringworm healing chart, a typical ringworm infection, even with treatment takes 2-4 weeks to be fully eradicated.

Whats more is as long as you have ringworm, you can infect someone else and they, in turn, can re-infect you.

Pets and People and Ringworm

Please also note: if you have pets, your home is even more susceptible to the never ending cycle of ringworm and the passing of ringworm back and forth until the fungus is removed from your home.

If this sounds familiar, read our in-house article: cleaners that kill ringworm.

Lets cover the stages of healing so you can get an idea of where you might be in the process and then well cover some other FAQs about ringworm.

Stages of Ringworm Healing Chart

Here is a visual chart of the progression of ringworm. It sequences a ringworm infection from first exposure to the time youre completely healed. The color zone means you are contagious and can pass ringworm spores to someone else (or your pet).

How long does ringworm take to appear?

The typical symptoms of a ringworm fungal infection are: redness,irritation, itching, cracked or scaly skin, bumps and/or ring-shaped rashes.

These symptoms appear within one or two weeks following contact with the infecting source. Most often it will appear on one of these areas of the body: the toes and feet (tinea pedis; athletes foot), underarms or torso (tinea corpus),and the genitals or buttocks (tinea cruris; jock itch).

Note: if your ringworm is on the toes and feet, (athletes foot) consider Lotrimin spray (link to spray product) vs. cream, especially if its hard for you to reach your feet. The spray is known for getting into hard to reach places.

It may also occur on the scalp when hair is regularly sweat-laden and hot, such as under a hard hat. This last type of infection should be treated immediately by a doctor as it can be more severe.

How long does ringworm take to heal?

While the actual length of time will differ from person to person, it generally takes 2-4 weeks for the condition to clear up with treatment. Here are some ways to tell where you are in the healing process:

Stages of Ringworm Healing With Treatment

Stage 1: Less itching

The first symptoms of ringworm that will diminish during treatment are theitching and redness. Blisters and the ring-shaped rash will still be present,but may look less red and irritated. It is important that you continue usingthe anti-fungal even though you may be feeling better.

Stage 2: Flaky skin appearing

The next sign the ringworm infection is healing is the appearance of flaky skin. Do not use hand or body lotions unless instructed by your physician. Wash the skin with warm water and pat dry with a soft cloth. Continue applying your anti-fungal ointment as prescribed.

Stage 3: Skin sores oozing

Oozing sores are the bodys way of flushing infection. Do not prematurelypuncture or drain blisters. Wash only with warm water and pat dry with a softcloth. Continue applying your anti-fungal ointment as prescribed.

Stage 4: Redness fading

Skin will appear mostly normal with minor blemishes. During this stage your prescription will may run out. Still wash area with care and watch for any breaks in the skin or return of symptoms. Consult your Dr. at once if youre re-entering the cycle.

How to tell if skin fungus is dying

Two to four weeks is a long time for a ringworm infection to heal. How can you be sure the otc ointment or prescribed fungal cream is doing its job? When you are applying the anti-fungal ointment every day, you may wonder about some things you see at the infection site:

Why does ringworm causeflaking skin?

Dry or flaky skin is a sign that the fungus is being deprived of the damp, musty conditions it needed to grow. This is good! Wash with warm water and pat dry with a soft cloth. Do not rub, or scarring may occur.

Does ringworm ooze whenhealing?

Yes. Even if youre avoiding scratching or rubbing, some parts of the infected area may ooze or drip. This draining is necessary for the healing to progress properly. Wash carefully with warm water and a soft cloth. Alcohols or antiseptics can damage the healing skin so follow Drs orders only.

The oozing condition will diminish over time as the infecting fungus is killed off and healthy skin replaces it.

Back to the doctor?

The healing process does take time and goes through several stages. Most doctors and pharmacists will tell you to KEEP using the cream even though you think the ringworm is gone. Visit your doctor if:

• the infection appears to spread
• the healing seems stuck in one stage
• the rash returns: redness, irritation, itching, cracked or scaly skin, bumps and/or ring-shaped rashes.

Preventing future infections

How can you avoid a ringworm infection in the future? Remember, the fungusthat causes ringworm thrives in damp, dark places. Pay particular attention tobody areas with joints and creases where sweat and dirt can easily collect.

Here are a few preventative measures:

• Avoid areas where fungal infections are common
• Wear protective gloves while treating another infected person or animal.
• Wear clean breathable fabrics, like cotton, around feet and genitals.
• Dry skin thoroughly before dressing.
• Wash sweat and grime from skin and hair as soon as possible following vigorous activity.

Background: What is ringworm?

Despite the name, ringworm is not a worm infection. Ringworm infections area type of dermatophyte (skin infection) and cannot be treatedwith a de-wormer. Ringworm is caused by contact with fungus. Fungus thrives indark, damp areas and can infect people or animals. Ringworm can infect almostany part of the body if the climate is hot and humid.

Ringworm can be transmitted animal to human, and human to human as long asthe lesions or ring-shaped marks are visible, oozing, or otherwise opened.

Ringworm Healing Summary

Some ringworm infections can be severe and require systemic treatment by a doctor (such as the scalp variety). However, most are successfully treated by applying an anti-fungal ointment to the infection site. The ointment can be prescribed by a doctor or purchased over the counter. The active ingredient in most anti-fungal ointments for humans is clotrimazole.

The ointment is typically applied for two weeks, but it can take up to fourweeks to resolve some severe infections. Follow your doctors instructions.

Resources:

Centers for Disease Control, Ringworm https://www.cdc.gov/fungal/diseases/ringworm/treatment.html

The Mayo Clinic, Ringworm https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/ringworm-body/symptoms-causes/syc-20353780

World Health Organization, Dermatophyte infections https://apps.who.int/medicinedocs/en/d/Jh2918e/5.html

Stoppler, Melissa C., Dr. Ringworm MedicineNet https://www.medicinenet.com/ringworm/article.htm