A study of skin diseases in dogs and cat. VII. Ringworm infection.

During 1973 through 1979 a total of 774 specimens from dogs and 227 specimens from cats were submitted for examination for ringworm infection. Ninety-six (12.4%) of the samples from dogs and 66 (29.1%) of the samples from cats were positive by culture (Tables I and II). Microsporum canis accounted for all infections in cats and for 95.8% of the infections in dogs. Four dogs (4.2%) were infected with Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Three fourths of the infections with M. canis were diagnosed during August through January (Fig. 1). Ringworm infections can be diagnosed by direct microscopy of hair and scrapings. Wood's lamp examination, skin biopsy, and culture. Of these, the latter method is the most reliable.