Ringworm home treatment

[Olliepoppy]

Hi, my boy has what looks like one patch of ringworm on his neck. Can anyone recommend any home treatment other than apple cider vinegar? Thanks

 

[HaffiesRock]

Tea tree is quite good or human antifungal cream. I would patch test both first though.

 

[Moomin1]

Please do not try and treat ringworm with home or alternative remedies. It is highly contagious and needs to be stopped by proper anti fungal treatment.

 

[minesadouble]

Canesten cream works on human ringworm so may be worth a try?

 

[Olliepoppy]

Thanks for all the comments, I was also told athletes foot cream worked

 

[twiggy2]

Please do not try and treat ringworm with home or alternative remedies. It is highly contagious and needs to be stopped by proper anti fungal treatment.

this.
it may not be ringworm at all

 

[Tnavas]

If just one spot use Canestan Cremello, rub in well beyond the area.

Ringworm though it can be transferred to humans is not a mega problem to deal with.

Wash whole horse, grooming kit, tack, inside of covers, you and your clothes with Nizoral Shampoo. You can buy Nizoral from the chemist. It is an anti fungal shampoo containing Ketaconisol and really works well, far better than Iodine.

It's important to wash well beyond the visibly affected area as being a fungus it ejects spores outwards producing the familiar circle.

Any horses that have been in close contact or share grooming kit will also need to be washed with Nizoral .

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Please do not try and treat ringworm with home or alternative remedies. It is highly contagious and needs to be stopped by proper anti fungal treatment.

for heavens sake ^^^ this. Ringworm can also become (albeit rarely) systemic and then much more difficult to treat.

oh, and ACV 'treat's' nothing and does nothing-I have this argument with chicken people all the time, if ACV could treat worms/bacterial and fungal infections then we wouldn't be so frantically worried about antibiotic resistance -we would just 'treat' everything with apple juice.

 

[cptrayes]

I wonder if I'm the only person reading this and laughing about the panic ringworm causes. In a healthy horse, it will sort itself. I have a headcollor with it on and I deliberately infect every horse who arrives here. It gives them some immunity. I didn't have to do it with the last one, he was covered in ringworm circles. It grew out, just like it always has before. Only horses with compromised immune systems have any problem resolving a bit of ringworm.

 

[Tnavas]

for heavens sake ^^^ this. Ringworm can also become (albeit rarely) systemic and then much more difficult to treat.

oh, and ACV 'treat's' nothing and does nothing-I have this argument with chicken people all the time, if ACV could treat worms/bacterial and fungal infections then we wouldn't be so frantically worried about antibiotic resistance -we would just 'treat' everything with apple juice.

Vinegar is actually very good at treating fungal problems.

 

[cptrayes]

if ACV could treat worms/bacterial and fungal infections then we wouldn't be so frantically worried about antibiotic resistance -we would just 'treat' everything with apple juice.

Mmmmmmmm, I'm sure I saw the other day research sayng we could resolve a lot of problems if we all ate willow bark ...... now where was that ......

(I think some people call it aspirin?)

 

[Moomin1]

I wonder if I'm the only person reading this and laughing about the panic ringworm causes. In a healthy horse, it will sort itself. I have a headcollor with it on and I deliberately infect every horse who arrives here. It gives them some immunity. I didn't have to do it with the last one, he was covered in ringworm circles. It grew out, just like it always has before. Only horses with compromised immune systems have any problem resolving a bit of ringworm.

That's great if you don't mind taking the risk of contracting it yourself, and any visitors to your yard don't mind that risk either. It also sticks about in the surrounding fences etc for years on end. I personally can't understand why on earth anyone would want to allow ringworm to 'treat itself'. Apart from the fact that it's irresponsible if people take that stance on livery yards, where other people may not wish their horse to be contracting it simply because someone doesn't want to treat it, it's not particularly pleasant for the horse to be riddled with an itchy fungal disease when it can be simply and quickly resolved with treatment.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

Mmmmmmmm, I'm sure I saw the other day research sayng we could resolve a lot of problems if we all ate willow bark ...... now where was that ......

(I think some people call it aspirin?)

really? thanks for that-I had no clue, the BSc and PhD in microbiology and none ever mentioned it!


I simply can't be bothered to discuss the benefits of taking aspirin in pill form and chewing on random willow trees-if people are too stupid to work out the difference, well thats Darwinism.

 

[Moomin1]

really? thanks for that-I had no clue, the BSc and PhD in microbiology and none ever mentioned it!


I simply can't be bothered to discuss the benefits of taking aspirin in pill form and chewing on random willow trees-if people are too stupid to work out the difference, well thats Darwinism.

I think CPT was meaning that tongue in cheek!

Speaking of things like chewing on willow bark etc - a midwife suggested to me the other day that I try to drink plenty of water during labour to help relieve the pain. I stared at her blankly and promptly requested I be given diamorphine when the time comes.....lol.

 

[Olliepoppy]

I wonder if I'm the only person reading this and laughing about the panic ringworm causes. In a healthy horse, it will sort itself. I have a headcollor with it on and I deliberately infect every horse who arrives here. It gives them some immunity. I didn't have to do it with the last one, he was covered in ringworm circles. It grew out, just like it always has before. Only horses with compromised immune systems have any problem resolving a bit of ringworm.

I'm not sure panic is the right word but in my humble opinion the majority of animal owners would not want to see their animals with an itchy fungal infection and certainly would not want to deliberately spread it to others.

 

[Olliepoppy]

Tnavas - thanks for the helpful post. My vet concurs that Canesten and Nizoral are both good to treat the lesion. She also recommened Coatex shampoo that you can buy without prescription.

 

[Tnavas]

Tnavas - thanks for the helpful post. My vet concurs that Canesten and Nizoral are both good to treat the lesion. She also recommened Coatex shampoo that you can buy without prescription.

You're welcome, Nizoral is also over the counter but generally is only found at a chemists. It's a human anti dandruff shampoo containing Ketaconisol which knocks the stuffing out of ringworm really fast.

Some years ago a rescue kitten gave me ringworm and when I mentioned to the doctor that I had treated it by using the Nizoral as an all over shower soap he was most impressed.

 

[cptrayes]

I'm not sure panic is the right word but in my humble opinion the majority of animal owners would not want to see their animals with an itchy fungal infection and certainly would not want to deliberately spread it to others.

None of my horses have ever appeared itchy with it. It's better for me that they get it when I don't care, than that they get it mid hunting season when I'd be thrown out of the field if I turn out on a horse with circles in its coat. Loads of old schoolers like me are reading this thread laughing like drains at how upset people get about a disease that's easier to cure than athletes foot in humans, and just as common.

 

[Moomin1]

None of my horses have ever appeared itchy with it. It's better for me that they get it when I don't care, than that they get it mid hunting season when I'd be thrown out of the field if I turn out on a horse with circles in its coat. Loads of old schoolers like me are reading this thread laughing like drains at how upset people get about a disease that's easier to cure than athletes foot in humans, and just as common.

And that's exactly the point - it's as easy to cure as athlete's foot in humans. So why not just treat it? It goes very quickly when you do, so I'm not sure what the point is waiting for it to self limit, risk yourself and other people getting it, and potentially causing your horse to be uncomfortable. Doesn't seem to be any point in it whatsoever.

 

[cptrayes]

That's great if you don't mind taking the risk of contracting it yourself, and any visitors to your yard don't mind that risk either. It also sticks about in the surrounding fences etc for years on end. I personally can't understand why on earth anyone would want to allow ringworm to 'treat itself'. Apart from the fact that it's irresponsible if people take that stance on livery yards, where other people may not wish their horse to be contracting it simply because someone doesn't want to treat it, it's not particularly pleasant for the horse to be riddled with an itchy fungal disease when it can be simply and quickly resolved with treatment.

I've had at least twenty horses with it in the last thirty years and I have never caught it myself and never taken any precautions not to. But if I did catch it, I'd put canestan or an athlete's foot treatment on it and it would cause no trouble. It's an insignificant disease whose only problem in healthy horses is that it makes a mark in the coat for a while.

Thankfully, I am no longer on a livery yard where people panic about it.

 

[cptrayes]

And that's exactly the point - it's as easy to cure as athlete's foot in humans. So why not just treat it? It goes very quickly when you do, so I'm not sure what the point is waiting for it to self limit, risk yourself and other people getting it, and potentially causing your horse to be uncomfortable. Doesn't seem to be any point in it whatsoever.

In healthy horses it also goes very quickly when you DON'T treat it I have never seen a horse uncomfortable with it, never mind left a horse uncomfortable with it.

 

[Moomin1]

In healthy horses it also goes very quickly when you DON'T treat it I have never seen a horse uncomfortable with it, never mind left a horse uncomfortable with it.

But what is the point not treating it? Some horses will and DO get itchy with it, and you aren't always going to have a healthy horse, so if an unhealthy one contracts it through it being harboured in the surrounding wood etc then you are just subjecting them to unnecessary discomfort.

 

[cptrayes]

But what is the point not treating it? Some horses will and DO get itchy with it, and you aren't always going to have a healthy horse, so if an unhealthy one contracts it through it being harboured in the surrounding wood etc then you are just subjecting them to unnecessary discomfort.

Oh please Moomin, you are better at arguing than this.

What is the point of treating something that in every case I have had has resolved itself with a very small number of lesions, usually only one. By treating it, you are possibly preventing the immune system from developing immunity.

If they are uncomfortable, treat it, if they aren't, don't. It's perfectly simple, none of mine have ever appeared uncomfortable.

 

[Moomin1]

Oh please Moomin, you are better at arguing than this.

What is the point of treating something that in every case I have had has resolved itself with a very small number of lesions, usually only one. By treating it, you are possibly preventing the immune system from developing immunity.

If they are uncomfortable, treat it, if they aren't, don't. It's perfectly simple, none of mine have ever appeared uncomfortable.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. It's like saying don't bother treating verrucas, they are self limiting. They may or may not cause discomfort, but the fact that they can spread to other people is the crux of the matter for me, and stick about in fencing etc for years and years, long after you may have left the property.

 

[cptrayes]

We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one. It's like saying don't bother treating verrucas, they are self limiting. They may or may not cause discomfort, but the fact that they can spread to other people is the crux of the matter for me, and stick about in fencing etc for years and years, long after you may have left the property.

Well since ringworm causes so little problem for horses and is endemic in cows and sheep, I'm not going to worry myself that someone else's horse might get it from a fence post in twenty years time after I've left here I would not visit a swimming baths if I knew I had a verrucca, though, so your comparison isn't valid, for me

 

[Moomin1]

Well since ringworm causes so little problem for horses and is endemic in cows and sheep, I'm not going to worry myself that someone else's horse might get it from a fence post in twenty years time after I've left here I would not visit a swimming baths if I knew I had a verrucca, though, so your comparison isn't valid, for me

Some people prefer not to get ringworm. For me, it would mean time enforced time off work, therefore I would be pretty narked if anyone on my yard didn't treat their horse simply because they don't think it necessary because they don't mind catching it. Cats also get it, and can be a pain in the backside to treat if they are highly strung. Kids get it, and can get it in their scalp, resulting in hair loss. Not very pleasant for them, and meaning time off school also.

 

[cptrayes]

Some people prefer not to get ringworm. For me, it would mean time enforced time off work, therefore I would be pretty narked if anyone on my yard didn't treat their horse simply because they don't think it necessary because they don't mind catching it. Cats also get it, and can be a pain in the backside to treat if they are highly strung. Kids get it, and can get it in their scalp, resulting in hair loss. Not very pleasant for them, and meaning time off school also.

I'm not on a yard Moomin, I have no one to please but myself and my horses. My comments were in relation to the people calling for the OP to get a vet out immediately, when any anti fungal human treatment will do fine as a first resort. And those giving the impression that it was some horrific disease, potentially making more novice owners panic, when it's not.

 

[Moomin1]

I'm not on a yard Moomin, I have no one to please but myself and my horses. My comments were in relation to the people calling for the OP to get a vet out immediately, when any anti fungal human treatment will do fine as a first resort. And those giving the impression that it was some horrific disease, potentially making more novice owners panic, when it's not.

I don't think anyone has given the impression it's a horrific disease at all. They have just pointed out exactly what it is - zoonotic, and highly contagious. And suggested that it's not treated with the likes of ACV or other such rubbish.

 

[cptrayes]

Even if the rubbish works

 

[Olliepoppy]

Goodness me guys! I never though my innocent question would turn out to be so controversial..!

Tnavas - canesten and nizoral were purchased yesterday, canesten applied last night and this morning, a shampoo and set is booked for after work The lesion is on his neck under his mane so he has also got pretty braids to allow the sunlight (if we get any) to help heal it. The biggest problem it causes my boy is it means separation from his buddies the cows..