The following is a brief review of the ailments that have the greatest potential of being observed. The ringworm fungi primarily affects the outer layers of skin, hair and nails. The name of the disease refers to the discrete, circular or ring-shaped pattern of hair loss and redness caused as the fungus grows in the skin. The lesions are usually hairless and scaly in the center. It can be a self-limiting disease with spontaneous remission occurring within one to three months of onset.
Some animals can be asymptomatic carriers.
Ringworm is more common in dogs and cats than in small animals, but it has been recorded in ferrets and rabbits. The condition must be diagnosed and treated by a veterinarian. Diagnosis is based on skin scrapings, and one species will fluoresce under ultraviolet light. Some cases are resistant to treatment, lengthening the time until cured. A topical or oral antifungal medication is used, and the animal's environment must be disinfected with a 10 percent bleach solution.