Arlington TX SPCA bust - General Discussions

[suzi1780]

what about cats? My new girl is in a totally different room from my other chins. I know that my cats/me could get it from my hands so I am being careful to wash them but could my cats get it airborne if my new chin girl has it? There is no way I could separate the cats from the new chin. So far the new chin has no signs of ringworm

 

[jags]

Disinfecting does nothing to the spores of fungus, they can be around in the air for years.

 

[Essentia]

So what do you do?

 

[jags]

Hope you never get it and once you do be prepared to deal with it on and off forever.

 

[Dolyphinm]

I would like to know some thoughts and opinions.

Would trying to give them a little bit of alfalfa hay cause too much stress to their G.I.'s since the food they are transitioning away from is timothy based?

 

[menagerie]

Ringworm is spread by contact. All of the information that I have found says the spores can live for up to 24 months, not 7 years. There is no need to panic, but precautions and quarantine are certainly going to go a long way with these chins. You have to accept the fact that they have all been exposed and proceed with caution. It is much easier to quarantine and treat a few chins than to have it spread and have to treat every chin in your home.

I found a couple of sites that go into detail about treatment and cleaning the environment. They are slanted towards cats, but the information is still valid for cleaning chin environments.

Linky

Environmental Treatment

The problem with decontaminating the environment is that very few products are effective. Bleach diluted 1:10 will kill 80% of fungal spores with one application and any surface that can be bleached, should be bleached. Vigorous vacuuming and steam cleaning of carpets will help remove spores and, of course, vacuum bags should be discarded. To reduce environmental contamination, infected cats should be confined to one room until they have cultured negative. The rest of the house can be disinfected during this confinement period. Cultures are done monthly during the course of treatment.

The following specific recommendations for environmental disinfection come from the Dermatology Department at the University of Wisconsin veterinary school. This cleaning protocol should be used on the room where the affected individuals are being housed:

* The hairs and skin particles from the infected individual literally forms the dust and dirt around the house and are the basis for reinfection. The single most important aspect of environmental disinfection is vacuuming. Target areas should receive good suction for at least 10 minutes and hard surfaces should be cleaned with a Swiffer or similar product. (Many people like to use an inexpensive vacuum like a Dirt Devil that can simply be thrown out when the ringworm episode is over).
* Affected animals should be confined to one room.
* Areas that have been contaminated should be cleaned with soap and water and rinsed with water. This process is performed three times at least three times weekly. For carpeting, a steam cleaner can be used. The steam is not hot enough to kill ringworm spores but should help clean the dirt and remove the contaminated particles.
* After the triple cleaning with soap and water, a 1:10 solution of bleach should be used on surfaces which are bleachable. The surface should stay wet for a total of 10 minutes to kill the ringworm spores. Bleach will not kill spores in the presence of dirt so it is important that the surface be properly cleaned before it is bleached.

To determine if an area has been properly decontaminated, the following process can be used: A piece of Swiffer cloth is used on the area to be tested, dusting for 5 minutes or until the Swiffer cloth is dirty. Place the Swiffer cloth in a plastic bag and bring to your vet's office for culturing.

Linky 2

Environmental Decontamination

Ringworm spores can persist in the environment for a long time, perhaps 18 to 24 months. The spores are microscopic and can be spread easily by air currents and contaminated dust, and through heating ducts and vents.

To minimize environmental contamination in households where only one single pet cat is infected, the cat or kitten should be kept in a small, easily cleaned room (such as a bathroom) that does not have carpeting. The cat should be quarantined in this room until it has received oral antifungal medication for two weeks, and a minimum of four medicated baths. At this point, the cat can be given greater access in the home, ideally in uncarpeted and easily cleaned rooms.

Thorough and repeated vacuuming, and wiping of surfaces on a daily basis, should prevent the home from becoming contaminated. Cat beds and blankets should be washed daily in hot water and bleach. Bathrooms and smooth surfaces can be disinfected with a bleach solution (1 part bleach, 9 parts water). Routine cleaning and disinfecting should continue until the cat is considered cured of ringworm.

One veterinary dermatologist with extensive expertise in ringworm recommends the following decontamination protocol:

Initially…
• Discard all cat rugs, blankets, collars, brushes, and fabric toys
• Discard any cat objects that cannot be repeatedly scrubbed, vacuumed, and disinfected easily
• Purchase a new, inexpensive vacuum cleaner with hose attachments that can be thoroughly cleaned.
• Remove and clean all drapes and decorations. In multicat households, remove and clean all heating duct and vent plates, and install disposable house dust filters behind the duct plates before replacing them. This will keep spores out of the heating ducts
• If possible, put a fan in the window so that it draws air out of the room to the outside
• Vacuum all surfaces of the room
• Dust all surfaces and ledges with a disposable electrostatic cloth (like “Swiffer”)
• Scrub all surfaces with a detergent that is safe to use around cats. Rinse all surfaces well. Apply a 1:10 dilution of bleach to all non-porous surfaces. Leaving the bleach solution on the surface for 10 minutes is ideal.
• Using a portable dehumidifier is beneficial, because humid environments allow spores to remain viable.

Then, daily…
• Vacuum all surfaces and use the disposable electrostatic dust-trapping cloths to remove dirt and spores

And, weekly…
• Apply disinfectant to all surfaces. Disinfectants can be used daily, but they are harsh and irritating to people and cats. Weekly application is acceptable.

 

[starleomach]

I dealt with ringworm way before the chinchillas when I volunteered in an animal shelter, Thank god itnever spread to my pets. I have also seen it with cows always watched for it when I was cattle penning in the summer. Hopefully it won't be an issue but no need to panic

 

[Stackie]

where do you get sulfur?
unfortunately my chins ARE in the same room. just not next to each other. and the room is big but since all the chins were in my house last night i just would like to take precautions. i do not plan on having the new guys out for playtime for a few days, want them to settle in. once they are they will dust and i will disinfect the play area.

I would not let them have playtime in the same area of your chins, nor would I let them dust anywhere near your chins, or anywhere your chins will be for at least a month of no signs of ringworm.

With them being in the same room, you are running risk of the spores coming in contact with them, but preventing as much contact as possible will give you better chances.

 

[Spoof]

You can pick sulfur up from a feed store, it is used as a fungal wash. It's the yellow flowers of sulfur kind.

Hope you never get it and once you do be prepared to deal with it on and off forever.

This is the plain truth. I went 7 years with out it, been dealing with it on and off ever since. It's not the type you get from cats and dogs, it comes in from a herd that has had it, and the chins may not even be showing it, just carrying it, they get stressed out and bam, your entire herd is now passing it around.

Just some reality for thought.

 

[NOLA Chins]

The last 2 chins were delivered to Gloria in Pensacola about 5:30 yesterday.

The rescue effort is 100% funded.

If you cannot find Cavy Cuisine, Oxbow's Bunny Basic-T is the same pellet
without the vitamin C and is what probably should have been used in the
first place.

A summary will follow in a day or two.
Thanks to everyone who made this happen.

As to ringworm, all the above may be possible, but it is just as likely that not even the infected one's cagemate will get it.

 

[Kalandra]

Is ringworm the only problem you are seeing so far with the chins? For the hedgehogs there are reports of URI, giardia, mites & round worms so far.

 

[NOLA Chins]

There is no need to give them alfalfa hay. Stick to the transition program only, please. 3/4-1/4, 1/2-1/2, 1/4-3/4 pellets. 2 tbsp. pellets/chin/day; unlimited timmy hay.

>Would trying to give them a little bit of alfalfa hay cause too much stress to their G.I.'s since the food they are transitioning away from is timothy based?

 

[NOLA Chins]

>Is ringworm the only problem you are seeing so far with the chins? For the hedgehogs there are reports of URI, giardia, mites & round worms so far.

As far as I know, excepting a few soft stools, that's it.

The wire on the carrier screen was very thin hardware cloth and -may- account fro some of the nose hair missing. Of course, it should still be considered suspect. To date, I don't know if any of these cases have been confirmed by culture. I had the first done and will check with my vet today if it is done.

I would prefer all cases of suspected ringworm be seen, diagnosed and treated by a vet. No tinactin in the dust, no OTC stuff unless absolutely necessary. This may seem silly to those with hundreds of chins and dozens of years experience, but these are pets, and we have the right to our standards just as ranchers do to theirs.

If anyone has a problem with affording the vet, let me know.

 

[NOLA Chins]

Just talked to my vet, Dr Gregory Rich, a collegue of Dr Brown's.

The culture grew a fungus but it is not ringworm. It may be a look alike in symptoms but the medium did not turn color to indicate ringworm. The fungus grown may be from a contaminant.

Anyone concerned may call him, although I would prefer your vet did. Contact me for his info.

 

[Stackie]

Just talked to my vet, Dr Gregory Rich, a collegue of Dr Brown's.

The culture grew a fungus but it is not ringworm. It may be a look alike in symptoms but the medium did not turn color to indicate ringworm. The fungus grown may be from a contaminant.

Anyone concerned may call him, although I would prefer your vet did. Contact me for his info.

They already got the culture back? I'm surprised it was so quick...I remember my professor of my Microbiology lab stating that ringworm growth usually takes about 7-10 days before it could accurately be stated as to whether or not it was growing on a culture. We did a whole month studying fungi. I know when we grew ringworm, we had to look at it every day for at least 21 days before we could state as to whether or not we had ringworm growing.

Another good test is using ultraviolet light (some strains of ringworm glow) and microscopic examination.

I'm not familiar with any other types of fungus that affect chins, so could your vet maybe take a look at the skin scrape under a microscope and try to identify the organism that way? The pictures I have seen definitely look like symptoms of something- if they were rubbing the fur off with the mesh wire that was used, the skin would be smooth and pink, not flakey like I have seen.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I agree with "Stackie' - my vet said it could take up to 3 weeks for a culture to show that it is ringworm. Sorry Nola but I still think it is wise to use preventative measures, I will definately use the sulfur - it helps clear up fungus

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

sorry I should have said Rick instead of Nola - sometimes my head and my typing hands don't work together

 

[Stackie]

Also, it may be a good idea to ask the vet to keep the culture and see if the lab can I.D. what fungus is growing.

As for taking them to the vet to treat the fungus- it is your decision. But I will voice my opinion. Taking them to the vet, honestly, is just wasting precious time that can be used to treat the fungus head on. Like I said, it can take weeks for them to diagnose the fungus, and that time can be used to treat the fungus. Tinactin is a tried and true preventative/treatment, and apparently the sulfur works great as well. There is no harm in using preventatives, even if you do take the chin to the vet and wait for the diagnosis, you can still use the preventative measures. I have never heard of a chin being harmed from using the preventatives in their dust. They have been so stressed already, I think just taking them to the vet for more exams would add much un-needed stress.

Like I said it's my opinion, I am not trying to tell people what to do and it is their choice what they do. I'm simply trying to educate and help these chins.

I don't want to start an argument here. I want this to be productive, and let people learn about what they could be dealing with. Ultimately it is their decision as to what they do.

 

[RDZCRanch]

I would prefer all cases of suspected ringworm be seen, diagnosed and treated by a vet. No tinactin in the dust, no OTC stuff unless absolutely necessary. This may seem silly to those with hundreds of chins and dozens of years experience, but these are pets, and we have the right to our standards just as ranchers do to theirs.

Tinactin and sulfur are both very good treatments that can be used as preventatives and cut down on the cases that are bound to pop up. While fungus is no reason to panic, especially for people with only a few chins, precautions do need to be taken. I have dealt with fungus myself many times (even ringworm!) and as stated, so has Tara. We have seen many cases and can positively ID a fungus on a chinchilla through pictures. To suggest that only a veterinarian can see and recognize a fungus is absurd. I can't tell you if the chins have ringworm or another fungus but the preventative measures are the same. Add sulfur or tenactin to the dust baths for your chins for the next month and it will help keep your chins from appearing with the fungus.

Also, a fungus culture, a TRUE fungus culture should be sent to a lab and done by the professionals trained at a veterinary lab. I know from personal experience that it takes at least 2 weeks for results to come back...sometimes 3 weeks. You said you picked up the chins on the 4th of February and today is the 9th. So unless Dr. Brown noticed the fungus long before you picked them up, I cannot see how you would have positive results about a fungus this quickly.

To everyone who received chinchillas..PLEASE practice normal quarantine measures and preventative measures for fungus. Fungus is no reason to panic, just take the precautionary methods described by Stacie and Spoof. They are giving very good advice that will not harm a chinchilla...even if they don't have fungus.

 

[mishellyshel]

I would not let them have playtime in the same area of your chins, nor would I let them dust anywhere near your chins, or anywhere your chins will be for at least a month of no signs of ringworm.

With them being in the same room, you are running risk of the spores coming in contact with them, but preventing as much contact as possible will give you better chances.
__________________

OK thanks. good idea. that dust does get everywhere, so i will find a new play area away from all other chins. with the big storm coming i dont think i will have time to get to the feed store for sufur, but i will try to get tinactin. since it isnt harmful, i will just follow the advice on quantities here. and hope for the best.
thank you all. i have learned more about fungus than i ever knew!