Well I took Manny and Lola to the vet yesterday night and they had to run 2 extra tests on Manny- a lamp light and a culture to see if he has ringworm since he had a patch of missing fur. Lola checked out fine. I was just curious if anyone knows why it takes extra tests and cultures to check for ring worm. I thought that the extra Gram stain and the fecal would determine that but apparently those do not test for ringworm. Does it depend on how developed the ring worm is to whether a fecal or a gram stain can test for ringworm?

Ringworm is a fungus on the skin so hair/skin cultures would be taken because it would not show in the fecal. Ringworm also produces a green flourescent when under certain light. I can't remember what kind of light.

Thanks for the info Kyro :) It is nice to know more info, I wish I knew of a way to prevent them from getting it but It sounds like it is easily transmitted from dogs, cats and even people! I guess all we can do is look for the signs and do check ups.

Yeah, it's one of those things that pops up seemingly out of nowhere. I remember when my cat had it and she never, ever goes outside. None of us had it, my dog didn't have it...I'm just wondering if it was from someone that came over and visited? None of us ever wound up getting it either. Weird.

Ok, so the daycare i worked at had five classrooms. The 3 year olds had a child with a case of ringworm. Isolated case.

Suddenly a child in the 5 year old classroom had it but he had no contact with the 3 year old and we thoroghly bleach everything. Turns out his sister CARRIED it with no actual infection to him.

I think you can have ringworm and it be like...dormant. That's proably how Kyro's cat ended up with it.

You're probably right-I have heard you can be a carrier-I'm sure there's a way to find out, but since no one had it before or since, I'm assuming it isn't in our household. I was told a long time ago I am a carrier for strep. I've never had it, my son's never had it, but my daughter and husband get it. Weird.

Yeah it is wierd how it just turns up! It also sounds very serious to treat suggies for it because my vet told me that it is easier with cats and dogs but they don't like to treat suggies unless they know for sure that they have it. I am hoping he just has the spot from stress (since he was moved twice in one month). I should find out in a couple of weeks hopefully.

It's a blacklight. There may be another light, but I know it definately shows up under a black light.

cats get it very often

Intersting.... That is what the vet told me that cats get it a lot. The home that Manny came from had 3 cats so I could see how he contracted it. (crossing my fingers that it isn't though!)

My mom had a cat (about 20 years ago) and the cat was never let outside, somehow the poor thing got ringworm and my sister got it on her scalp. That was a VERY MESSY situation. Needless to say, my poor mother has never felt the same about cats. My husband and I are dealthy allergic, so this family doesnt usually have cats. Which makes me very sad because my husbands sister in law's cat just had kittens. They are pure white, cutest little babies I've ever seen. Ahh poor me..like I really need another animal anyway LOL.

Charlee if I had more $ and room I would probably have a little animal farm with horses, suggies, cats, and dogs! My hubby jokes that we are just going to have an animal farm instead of kids, j/k. Funny thing is my husband hates cats.