[Abby142]

I am suppose to be puppy sitting on Thrusday afternoon while my brother and his girlfriend go apartment hunting. She just got the puppy last week and today just found out that the poor thing has ringworm. They want to know if it is still okay for me to watch the puppy or if they need to make other arrangements.

Their vet said that as long as there was no direct contact they would be fine. I called my vet and he said that definitely no direct contact, and that it would be best if the puppy were confined to a certain area (bathroom, kitchen, laundry room) somewhere with tile floors that can be thoroughly cleaned that it should be okay. He said that it is mainly transmitted through direct contact but that there have been cases of it spreading through something like carpet or upholstered furniture (but these are rare).

Does anyone have any experience with ringworm? Any multi-pet homes that only had one infected animal?
I don't want to get my dog infected, but if we can easily keep them totally seperate (ie if one if out the other is in their crate) and the puppy in the kitchen for the afternoon and if that is going to be good enough I don't have a problem puppy sitting.

Any thoughts? I have personally never had an experience with ringworm so I would value some more experienced peoples opinions

this is the adorable little puppy in question, her name is Riley

 

[A_selders]

ringworm

Yes have experience with ringworm and multiple dogs. My lab/golden mix LOVES to roll in anything(stinky or otherwise) and got it about a month ago. A trip to the vet for a shave in the spots she got it on and some betadine followed by Tinactin twice a day for about a week and she is fine. None of the other dogs got it and there are 3 others including an 8 week old rescue. They are all together throughout the whole day so plenty of contact.

 

[carmspack]

Ringworm is a fungal problem which is contagious just as athlete's foot is contagious.

A dedicated program to shampooing with an antifungal (DANDRUFF) shampoo such as Selsun Blue Fortified , using Tinactin (which you would use for Athlete's Foot) or
Mane n Tail Protect --

or totally safe for the youngest of pups and kittens and non messy VETERICYN Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Vetericyn Wound & Skin Care - 16 Ounce Trigger

Vetericyn Wound Infection Mange Ringworm More 16oz | eBay

 

[arycrest]

Many years ago Tex was diagnosed with ringworm and I had 3 other dogs ... none of us contracted it from him.

He took Fulvicin (Griseofulvin), an antibiotic (don't recall the name), and some type of topical ointment (again, I can't remember the name). The strange thing was that he had had major uncontrollable skin problems all his life and a side benefit of the ringworm treatment was that it cleared up his other issues (and as long as he took the medication every so often, it kept his other skin issues under control).

 

[carmspack]

you would not use an anti biotic for antifungal.

 

[DJEtzel]

I had a foster puppy 3 years ago with ringworn in a few locations on his body. We kept vetericyn spray on him all the time, did baths, etc. and he was fine. We crated/rotated and my dog never had an issue, nor did we. Good luck! I wouldn't hesitate to watch her and keep her crated/wear gloves to carry her out to potty, etc.

 

[Abby142]

I had a foster puppy 3 years ago with ringworn in a few locations on his body. We kept vetericyn spray on him all the time, did baths, etc. and he was fine. We crated/rotated and my dog never had an issue, nor did we. Good luck! I wouldn't hesitate to watch her and keep her crated/wear gloves to carry her out to potty, etc.

I'm pretty sure that is what we are going to do. It is only for the afternoon and we still have an old baby gate so it will be easier to keep her in the kitchen.

Do I need to worry about taking her out to potty? Like should I carry her to the front yard (that we never use) or is it okay to let her do her business in the backyard?

 

[Magwart]

Since people can catch it too, I would be inclined to rub my hands regularly with a bit of coconut oil with a drop or two of tea tree oil -- esp. after washing after handling the dog, even if you wear gloves! (But do not use tea tree oil on the dog--it is for you, not dogs).

Tea tree oil is very good against athlete's foot fungus, so I would use it generously on my skin to protect myself if I had a ring worm dog in the house. Unrefined, organic coconut oil also has additional antifungal properties, so it makes a perfect carrier oil for the tea tree (which is usually too strong to use undiluted). Tea tree oil does have a strong smell though -- my husband hates the smell, though I think it smells fresh and herbal.

 

[DJEtzel]

I'm pretty sure that is what we are going to do. It is only for the afternoon and we still have an old baby gate so it will be easier to keep her in the kitchen.

Do I need to worry about taking her out to potty? Like should I carry her to the front yard (that we never use) or is it okay to let her do her business in the backyard?

*I* wouldn't worry about it personally and don't think you should either unless she'll be rolling around in the grass a lot... I took my pup out to our public back yard at a condo unit where my dog and others went daily with no trouble. He didn't lie down or roll around though, either. I kind of doubt a pup that young will... she'll sniff until she pees and then you can bring her back inside.

 

[Morton]

snip...Tea tree oil does have a strong smell though -- my husband hates the smell, though I think it smells fresh and herbal.

You must be living in my house! I like the smell; my husband calls it "dirty hippy".

 

[Mooch]

A few years ago I bought a horse and he came up with Ringworm a few days after I got him home I was VERY unimpressed. Washed him in anti fungal iodine stuff and put on anti fungal ointment - it really didn't get any better, then one of my ponies got a lesion on her face as well.
I got a sachet of powdered disinfectant of the vet, we made that up and washed all the horses in it, all their head collars, brushes and rugs as well which finally got rid of it.
According to my vet ringworm spores can live in wood for years and years - so a horse rubs his head on a fence post and viola
If it was me I'd happily puppy sit but I would not take my dog and change my clothes when I got home and put them straight in the washer. Make sure you wash your hands very thoroughly after touching the puppy