Did you know that when you treat a cat or kitten for ringworm in the shelter, you end up saving money? By doing so, you’ll reduce the length of stay, whereas letting an animal self-cure takes three months.  

You’ll learn all this and more in Ringworm: the Role of Staff and Volunteers in Fighting the Fungus, a session from 2019’s ASPCA Maddie’s^® Cornell Shelter Medicine Conference.  

In this presentation, Dr. Melanie Benetato, you’ll learn how to reliably screen for ringworm using just an inexpensive Wood’s Lamp and a dark room. It’s her opinion that all animals should be screened upon intake for ringworm.  

In Dr. Benetato’s experience, having staff and volunteers that are capable of identifying ringworm is a huge help to the medical team. While cats are more at risk (specifically longhaired cats) to contract the fungus, Yorkshire terriers are more likely to get it than other dogs.  

It’s also important when determining to treat ringworm, that you take into consideration the well-being of the animal. Since the treatment requires confinement and frequent handling, an unsocialized cat that is afraid of humans may not be the best candidate.  

 It’s also vital, said Dr. Benetato, that socialization be part of the treatment, especially when it comes to kittens. For this reason, volunteers are an important part of treatment.  

 Another tidbit you’ll learn is that bleach is not necessary when doing laundry. Hot water is sufficient in cleaning contaminated clothing and linens. 

 Learn more about how to spot, diagnose, treat and disinfect ringworm by watching this session. If fungus isn’t your thing, check one of the many other 2019’s ASPCA Maddie’s^® Cornell Shelter Medicine Conference recordings.