The Short Guide To Understanding Fungal Infection In Cats

Fungi infection does not only occur in humans. Did you know that it can also happen on cats? Yes! A Cat is prone to getting a fungal infection once it inhales any fungi present in the environment. It may as well get infected if the fungus finds its way into the cat system. Fungi affect cats of any age or breed. Some fungal infections may attack cats that are sick or those that have an immune disease. Other infections may be mild and could clear up with the right medication. But how do you identify a fungi infection in a cat?

Symptoms of Fungal Infections on Cats

A cat shows specific signs when affected by skin fungi. However, since the skin has hair cover, it may be difficult for just anyone to tell. Even so, the symptoms are discoverable to a veterinarian. In several cases, a veterinarian will be able to spot:

• Scaly skin
• Redness of the skin
• Lesions that emit a foul smell
• The cat may have wounds inside the nose
• Low energy and high fever on the cat
• Thick and greasy skin
• Swollen lymph nodes
• The skin surface may have patches of hyper-pigmentation

For a veterinarian to give a proper diagnosis on the health condition of the cat, he will need first to get a medical history of the cat and perform a thorough examination. The doctor may either use blood samples, urine samples or even a scraping from the skin to conduct further tests and accurately diagnose the right kind of fungal infection affecting the cat. It is important to note that some fungus infection may easily be transmitted to humans. Therefore, it is imperative to get a doctors diagnosis and treatment as soon as possible.

Types of Fungal Infection

All the symptom above represent not just one kind of fungal infection but several types that can affect a cat. The most common examples of fungal infections include;

• Rhinosporidiosis
• Mycetomas
• Cryptococcosis
• Malassezia pachydermatis
• Cutaneous sporotrichosis
• Phaeohyphomycosis
• Candidiasis
• Disseminated sporotrichosis

Once the veterinarian identifies the type of fungi infection affecting the cat, he will be in a position to administer treatment dependent on the results of his tests. The treatment administered may be through special anti-fungal creams or oral medication. If the cat has an infection brought about by yeast, the veterinarian may recommend the use of special shampoos and dips. If the cat has cysts and lesions in the nose or under the skin, surgery may be required. However, some cysts reoccur with a frequency that makes it hard to manage or treat.

If the cat is noted to be too sick or contagious, the veterinarian may recommend keeping the animal under observation just until the symptoms improve. The doctor may as well give you tips on how you can stay safe while you administer treatment to the cat without getting infected. Depending on the type of infection and how serious it is, your cat may take a few weeks to heal. Even so, it is important to always inform the veterinarian of any changes in the cat’s condition.