Madison is a very pretty long-haired black cat who was picked up as an injured stray on 14th September after being hit by a car. She had a lot of soreness and bruising which has almost healed, except that she still can't hold her tail completely upright, but she also had dreadful skin trouble, with bald patches which we originally thought were grazes from the accident. After initial first aid at Vet24 and admission to the Vet School hospital it became obvious that the sores were skin disease, rather than injuries. She was infested with fleas, so the most probable underlying source of the problem was flea allergy, but (especially in a long-haired cat) another possibility would have been ringworm.
Ringworm is very bad news indeed for any animal rescue. University of California Davis' Shelter Medicine Program has some detailed information which explains just why we are so paranoid about it. A rescue facility which has had an outbreak will be out of action for a minimum of four months while all animals are treated (twice weekly medicated baths for all cats!).
Anyway, Madison's culture results came back today and she has NOT got ringworm — just very nasty flea allergy, which is responding nicely to treatment. Relief all round.
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