Ring worm

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Wow - those are some nastie pics there!
That is NOT the ringworm that I am familiar with. I agree / and I also do not think it is ringworm. A dermatoligist should know a presentation of ringworm. It's only been around for a million years!
I actually saw the phyician assistant for two months, but I cannot tell you how many times I told her we have rats and every time I get scratched they swell up and look infected. I tried to show her just to continually be dismissed. I see her again on the 11th cannot wait!
 
We did some scrapings on a couple of the boys and should know next week if any fungus grew. We're testing the weird spot on Wally's tail and the "Boris boys" nails since they are the only ones that always scratch me open and their nails just grow like crazy and are a strange yellow color. That "rat rash" is ringworm - I gave her the article to read. Since no one is showing obvious signs (I wonder if the girls patchy hair was a symptoms) she wants to hold off on treating them all since the medication (given for a month) is hard on their organs especially the liver. Hubby has had one more possible spot pop up and as for me - it just keep spreading across my hands and I have one on my lip now (or a cold sore). I think I'll ask for the oral med on Monday. I think I'm spreading it across my hands because its so damn itchy!
 
Results are in - they have ringworm.... All ratties will be treated orally and with a sulfur lime dip? Let the fun begin
 
Holy cow! That sucks! I've had ringworm once or twice myself, too bad it takes so much to get rid of it on the ratties (when I had it I just had to rub some OTC cream on it like twice).
Good luck, I'm sure that'll be a crazy day. Very curious on how they will dip them.
 
Holy cow! That sucks! I've had ringworm once or twice myself, too bad it takes so much to get rid of it on the ratties (when I had it I just had to rub some OTC cream on it like twice).
Good luck, I'm sure that'll be a crazy day. Very curious on how they will dip them.
Ha ha, WE have to dip them! Apparently its only once a week. We have been using cream for us, I resently started oral meds since the cream isn't curing me....
 
This just keeps getting better. Oral meds will be for 3-4 weeks. We will then bring some in for more scrapings. Sulfur lime dip will be for 3-4 months once a week to start then maybe once every two weeks. Total cage cleaning AGAIN - I think I read somewhere vinegar and water will work, but I also read diluted bleach. Opinions welcome.
 
dspch, my uber hippie foster-mom sucessfuly treated ringworm on a girl's forehead with food-grade hydrogen peroxide(hydrogen peroxide that has had all the additives removed, by freezing the bottle upside down and then draining the remaining liquid that is pure hydrogen peroxide).

That's all the advice I have!
 
dspch, my uber hippie foster-mom sucessfuly treated ringworm on a girl's forehead with food-grade hydrogen peroxide(hydrogen peroxide that has had all the additives removed, by freezing the bottle upside down and then draining the remaining liquid that is pure hydrogen peroxide).

That's all the advice I have!

That's interesting, wonder if that would work on my hands?

do you see marks on any of them?

Wally has that scabby area on his tail and that is one thing we scrapped for testing and the "Boris" boys nails are odd and we scrapped those too - those are the samples that grew the ringworm fungus. Tucker also has a strange spot on his tail. The girls had that patchy fur, but not sure if that is related or was from their poor nutrition. Other than that no - just me and the hubby.
 
I found this and it says to towel dry them, where the directions say to let them dry. I would prefer towel drying since I think the fuzzies will take awhile to dry and I don't want them licking it since they cannot vomit should it make them sick... Oh this is going to be fun.... Dipping the nakies is going to be like coloring easter eggs...
http://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/dermatophytosis.php
 
I found this and it says to towel dry them, where the directions say to let them dry. I would prefer towel drying since I think the fuzzies will take awhile to dry and I don't want them licking it since they cannot vomit should it make them sick... Oh this is going to be fun.... Dipping the nakies is going to be like coloring easter eggs...
http://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/dermatophytosis.php

according to that page, you should only be treating the rats who have symptoms

honestly- and this is just my opinion so take it for what that's worth- I think your vet is going a bit overboard with this, and I worry that the horrible fumes of the lime dip are going to cause more harm than any good they may do- esp for your rats (its' not going to be pleasant for you either, this stuff smells like rotten eggs)

You can kill ringworm fungus on surfaces with vinegar and water. Bleach may kill it too, I don't know but bleach is very toxic and vinegar is not.

Ringworm really has to breach the top several layers of the skin for an infection to start.
if you keep the rats who are infected in a different cage than those who are not, you really shouldnt' have to be doing all this.

I know what you read on the internet is all about how hardy this fungus is, but I trust the dermatologist who told me that it is not easy to get, because if it was, we would ALL have it. Ringworm spares are everywhere you cant' avoid them.

it needs very specific conditions to grow, two of which are warmth and moisture.

I hope you all get this cleared up quickly.
 
I am worried about the dip that is why I'm researching more before dipping. I know 2 colonies have it since those two were tested. If/when we dip we're doing it outside. Perhaps I'll just dip the nakies those are the ones testing positive.

I've been on oral medication for two weeks now and still have the rashes on my hands. They are getting better.

I don't think its highly contagious since I've had it since December and no one I work with has gotten it and no one that rat sat for us in April has any symptoms.

Its not a big deal orally medicating them we have a system.

We always cleaned our cages w/vinegar and water until a few months ago when we started using only baby wipes and/or ivory soap in the tub with water - now we have this. Guess we shouldn't have stopped the vinegar.
 
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You sure got a lot on your plate! I am only dosing 3 of mine w/ Baytril right now. : Luke for the cyst, Matthew for his UTI & Gracie for her jacked up toe that swells every now & then.
Knock on wood! Luke has a vet appt. this coming Saturday for his Keratin Cyst. Pretty sure that is what it is. He keeps licking @ it & I keep hoping he gets it open...Not sure if it is painful - so I occationally give him infant Motrin. Gotta buy some more of that stuff, it works rerally well. Plus it can help swelling. Gotta keep the rattie medicine cabinet stocked @ all times.
 
It probably is painful - no telling how big it is inside or what its pressing on - give him a kiss from me.... poor precious nakie
 
Oh god, this is horrifying. My boyfriend was complaining about his back itching the other day, and when I checked it out for him, I knew right away it was ring worm. I rubbed it down with vinegar a few times, and it went away, but I'm terrified that it'll pop up on me, or that the rats may have it. I do clean their cage with vinegar, so hopefully that helps.
 
Not about rats but when I was a child I had ringworm on my leg and the dr said to wash it daily with a liquid surgical scrub.
I did and it cleared it up.
 
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