Ringworm Remedies for Pets

Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut Oil

Posted by Tigerbear17 (Cheektowaga, New York, Usa) on 05/17/2013

My cat has Ringworm. I have been treating him for a week with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar and Extra Virgin Coconut oil. He has it over his eye between the eye and the ear. I have also been spraying my entire house down daily with a 50/50 mix of ACV and water. Is there anything else I can do ??? The skin is red and inflamed and there is a smaller patch of BLACK scabby stuff near the larger red spot. He is a long haired cat so I clipped the hair to get to the spot. I have 2 other cats who seem to not be infected.... I also spray all the cats daily with the 50/50 mix. Any advise ???? Thanks, Karen

Replied by Gena
(Pasadena, California)
05/18/2013

If the ACV isn't helping, I would then try the remedy on this site for mange, which is peroxide and borax. You should read up on the feedback on that page first to see how many people have used it on their cats as it is a dog remedy from the few posts that I have read. The vet should be able to give you an anti-fungal remedy. If you can't afford it, see what Over the Counter meds people are using on cats with ringworm. Not sure this helps, but please let me know how it goes.

Replied by Om
(Hope, B.c., Canada)
05/18/2013

Turmeric works like a charm. Apply dry, do not wet. I have used it for years and maybe one needs to follow up, depending on the individual animal. If they lick it, it will benefit the liver. Very cost effective. It is being used now in a local shelter with great success. If an animal is full of ringworm, put the kitty in a small box and work the powder into the fur after which keep it caged so the powder is not spread everywhere. This should cost you pennies. Love, Om


Betadine and Cruex

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Bliss (USA) on 07/15/2006
★★★★★

Try Betadine or other iodine solution and Cruex on ringworm. Worked very well when my cats had it, and then I caught it.


Bleach

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Kathie (Houston, Texas/ Usa) on 12/02/2011
★★★★★

This is not "all natural" but it works. I got ringworm from my cat (he went to the vet for treatment, but I used my mom's home remedy). I dabbed bleach on the fungus twice a day and followed that up each time with athelete's foot medication (over the counter). Within 3 days it was gone, but I treated for four days to make sure!

Replied by Kathie
(Houston, Tx)
12/06/2011

I do want to add that when I put the athlete's foot medication on the affected area I then put a piece of medical tape over it to make a high concentration. I put the medication on thick (you could still see the white color of the cream).


Borax

3 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  67%
1 star (1) 
  33%

Posted by Tonka (Tifton GA) on 06/28/2022
★★★★★

Borax for ringworm on dog! Thank you Lord!

Finally healing and relief!


Borax
Posted by Mary (Oklahoma) on 07/17/2013

How much borax do you mix with water to spray carpets and furniture for ringworm? Our poor dog keeps getting infected again and I am not using bleach on carpeting.

Replied by Janet T.
(Sanantonio, Tx)
06/29/2015
★☆☆☆☆

Hi, The borax mixture is not great for carpeting or furniture. I too prefer to use natural products for family, home, and pets but in the case of ringworm which is contagious to people and animals I strongly recommend Lysol spray for use in the home. It will kill the fungus quickly. The fungus can be spread on your clothes, carpet and furniture. It looks like a gold dust under blue light so I presume it to be physically moved by contact and probably moved in the air. Your best bet is to buy several large cans to spray carpets, furniture, door knobs, light switches, phones, hair brushes, counter tops, kitchen cabinets, anything touched by your family or pet. Be sure to do the pet bedding and stuffed toys, brushes etc.. used on your pets cats or dogs. Do Not Spray directly on your animals. As for your laundry add your Borax, half cup to one cup, depending on the size of your load and use Hot Water to kill the fungus on your clothes.

I have done this at my own home and it works. I unknowingly fostered 5 bottle feed kittens a few months ago with ringworm. My daughter and I handled the kittens without protection and developed ringworm ourselves. It spread so fast we had to seek medical help. I was given oral medication and a topical cream. My daughter was to young for the oral med but was given the cream. We are still fighting the ringworm on the kittens and ourselves. It is under control using the treatments I described above. As for the prescriptions the oral med helped me a lot. The cream not so much. I prefer Tinactin OTC, cream and or spray. It is cheap and works quickly. It can be used on the kittens as well. When they were so tiny I used miconazole cream also a cheap OTC. It takes a while to work so I have used Teds Mange treatment with some success if treated daily with no missed treatments. I was looking to see if anyone else has had success with this treatment.

The 5 kittens are teenagers now. We have separated them into 2 condos. One with the mildest ringworm and one with more severe. They keep infecting each other but I don't have a way to kennel them individually which would be the best solution. The condos are cleaned weekly using Clorox and water solution and dried in the sun. I clean the liter boxes this way too, weekly. When the boxes and condos are housing the kittens I spray Lysol spray on the fresh or scooped liter and allow it to dry before putting it back in the condos. I wash their toys in Clorox water weekly and spray them with Lysol, allow to dry and put them back into the condos. So far so good. I also supplement their food with bene bac. to keep up their immune systems. I have been feeding store food but will be changing to homemade. Their coats feel dry and seem to be dull.

Good luck to anyone reading this post. Also remember to wear gloves when applying treatments to animals and or yourselves. We use cotton swabs/ cotton balls to apply to our selves and the kittens. Ringworm is very contagious and when you go out in public you may want to cover the sores with Band-Aids. Be aware of contact with others, hugging, hand shaking etc... Some people are more sensitive to the fungus than others. I had an allergic reaction to it and my sores looked like I had been burned with a cigar. The blisters popped and drained and would start another sore when I bathed or put on clothes. I had to take time off from my job because of the sores on my hands. Be careful not to spread this to yourself or others.

It is a nuisance and shouldn't be taken for granted. Even though the sores look bad mine were never painful and the itching was minimal.

Replied by Peggy
(Georgia)
03/20/2016

Can you use twenty mule team borax in the cat litter? I sometimes put baking soda in the litter to help with the smell in between changing.

Replied by Bonnie
(Orlando)
06/20/2016

It may be the way you clean with clorox....clorox is a disinfectant....it is not a cleaning solution...you have to clean with something else...not pine sol or lysol...nothing with sol ( dangerous) for cats....then it has to dry and after it is dry you can disinfect w a solution of 1:10 ( please check ratios) and it must stay wet for 10 minutes in order for the clorox to kill the ringworm spores. Should u rinse it then and let dry....that I don't know for sure. Note: you should not apply clorox to a wet cleaning solution because the detergent neutralizes the clorox. I did not know this either. And buy fresh clorox from the grocery store ...not the dollar store. Clorox breaks down after the bottle is open and also has a shelf life. This was all told to me by the sales rep for a cleaning supply company. Most people really don't know how to clean....including me until we had this issue. And I am still learning. Google the cat shelters for info. They do comparisons of different products as to whether or not they work.


Borax
Posted by Ann (Hurst, Tx) on 09/29/2012
★★★★★

My border collie has a thick, long coat and by the time I noticed that a big spot on her back was flaking badly, the ringworm had already gotten hold of several areas of her body. I believe she got it from swimming so much with my son this summer (being wet all the time).

I first tried organic coconut oil with a few drops of tea tree oil mixed in and liberally applied twice a day. I also bathed her in a tea tree oil dog shampoo every 2 or 3 days. She got colloidal silver in her water daily, as well. It helped, but was not knocking it out as fast as I thought it would and was messy with all that oil on her (she is a house dog).

After several weeks of this, I got on here and read about Borax laundry soap and decided to try that. So I mixed up about a half cup with a huge pitcher of warm water and dumped it on her in the bath, worked it into her coat, and let it sit on her for a few minutes before rinsing and then following with the usual dog shampoo I'd been using.

I was quite surprised to see that the spots looked much better the next day. The redness was pretty much gone and the swelling (the "rings") was down. So I decided to use that on her topically twice a day instead of the other stuff I'd been using. I put about a half teaspoon into a very small bowl, added about a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide (per this site), and the rest water. I applied twice a day and continued to bathe her every other day, mostly for the nasty flaking problem.

She is now much improved, with hair growing back, after a week of this, but I'm going to continue so that it doesn't come back. I also started giving her black walnut twice daily (one capsule mixed in with each meal) to treat from within.

I mix up some Borax with water in a squirt bottle and spray my carpet and rugs with it periodically, and I wash her bedding daily too, just in case. So far no one in my family has gotten it.

I told everyone I know about the Borax, especially those with kids, since ringworm is a common problem with them, and is so contagious. I wish everyone the best of luck!


Coconut Milk

1 User Review
5 star (1) 
  100%

Posted by Lea (Sydney Nsw) on 04/03/2017
★★★★★

Hi. I just want to say that I tried the coconut oil with my cat for ringworm by putting it on the lesions but it upset his stomach so I tried coconut milk it works just as good if not better and he didn't get an upset stomach so if your cat does getting upset stomach from the oil, do try the milk. It works 😸


Coconut Oil

6 User Reviews
5 star (6) 
  100%

Posted by Chris (Florida) on 04/23/2022
★★★★★

One of our dogs had ringworm which was not diagnosed bc he bit himself bloody b4 anyone could make out what he actually had. He had many lesions of oozing, bloody then crusty skin and stank. That poor dog. We tried so many different things like Aloe Vera topically and internally, special and expensive food for skin allergies ( that's what the 3 different vets kept telling us it was), white vinegar etc. Nothing really helped long term. After years of agony, I finally saw a spot b4 Zeus could get to it. Now I had a picture to go by and was able to find out that it was ringworm.

Back then there was a post on EC that recommended using coconut oil daily, washing all bedding hot with bleach every other day, and mopping all areas in the house where he might have been laying with a 10% bleach solution. It also stated that it could take an awfully long time to get completely rid of it and to be sure to keep the cleaning and washing up for a while longer even after the last lesion has healed. I thought to myself how crazy the amount of work this is but had no other choice. I also thought that it might take at most 4 to 6 months. Luckily I was a homemaker so with 3 dogs who all used all 3 beds it took me about 5 hrs. (! ) every other day to wash all the bedding, vacuum and mop the beautiful open Floorplan (no, I did not once consider locking my sick dog up by himself in a room of his own) and most importantly wash Zeus and take extra time to massage all lesions with coconut oil and get the crusty, bloody, oozing, hairy stuff off. After about 6 months he seemed to be doing so much better that I eased up on the regiment a bit but was faced shortly after with another outbreak. In the end, it took me about 2 years to get a handle on the ringworm....no way I could have done this if I would have had a day job. This WAS my day job.

In the meantime, I have learned that that is why vets supposedly don't diagnose ringworm as there is no fast cure and it's so time intensive to get rid of that hardly anyone can do it.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Miriam (San Diego, Ca) on 09/01/2012

Hello, My 3 month old kitten has ringworm on his face (whisher area, nose, and chin) so I have been applying virgin coconut oil to the sores. Tonight I accidentally got some coconut oil into his eye and his eye is now half-closed and looks teary. I feel so horrible and I don't know what I should do. I can't seem to find any information online about whether or not coconut oil is bad for a cat's eye. If someone knows what I should do, please help. Thank you!

Replied by Avery
(Oklahoma, Usa)
03/07/2015

Your cat's eye will be fine, I've gotten coconut oil in my own eye. It doesn't hurt, it just clouds your vision and makes your eye water and makes you feel like you have some eye boogies in it. But it will eventually wash itself out.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Maria (Plantation, Florida) on 12/21/2008
★★★★★

Best for dog fungus. Coconut oil or coconut milk. Awesome.

Replied by Katherine
(Pompano Beach, Fl)
07/07/2016

I have 4 cats and they all have ringworm I saw that you said coconut milk will help. Should I have them drink it or should I bath them in the milk?

Replied by Michelle
(Az)
08/12/2017

hi, my boxer has ringworm and I've been seeing that coconut oil or coconut milk works to treat it. But do I have him drink it or do I bathe him in it?


Coconut Oil
Posted by E (Boston, MA) on 11/14/2008
★★★★★

I had ringworm without knowing what it was for years. From the feedback listed on this site I started to take coconut oil internally and externally to treat the skin fungus. I have used coconut oil on it for just under a week now and the condition is rapidly clearing up. The skin condition is almost completely gone and I recommend this treatment to those with similar conditions.

Replied by Keyta
(Florence, Sc)
07/25/2009

I would like to know how much of the coconut oil did you take orally to rid your ringworm because this thing is driving me crazy. Please help!


Coconut Oil
Posted by Sharon (Pace, Florida) on 04/22/2008
★★★★★

I wrote in the past that I used coconut oil to treat my cats Rhino Virus and ringworm. For myself I take 1 Tbs orally. I have used in on my hair before I wash it. My hair is so soft afterwards.It's great for dandruff. As for my cats I treated the ringworm topically and the rhino virus was treated orally. My cats seem to really like it. They get about a tsp orally. They like it liquid so I run it under hot water. My dogs get about 1 Tbs and they love it too. It has helped Yeast on the skin and allergies. I work as a groomer so I try it for several skin problems.


Coconut Oil
Posted by Jennifer (Oakland, Oregon, USA) on 04/22/2007
★★★★★

Dear Earth Clinic My cat was diagnosed with ringworm by my Vet. We tried a prescription ointment but when we tried to put it on the cat ran and hid. Next we tried an oral prescription that didn't help and then two others. The last one seemed to work but was outrageously expensive. After about a year the cat again had the ringworm in the same spot so we invested in the outrageously expensive oral prescription again and it started working but failed to get rid of the ringworm. We had already gone through all the remedies that the vet could give us. We then did lots of research on alternatives. The end result was to try the Virgin Coconut Oil that we have here for us. I let the cat sniff it first then when she didn't run away I put it on every day and in about a week it was gone and it hasn't come back. Hopefully the cat will never get this fungus again but if she does we will be putting on the Coconut Oil.

Replied by Genienne
(West Palm Beach, Fl)
10/30/2010

My kitten has several spots of ringworm and we have tried everything the vet had to offer - pills, creams, dips - for several months but it just gets worse. So now I am searching for natural cure (should have started with this! ). I read about the coconut oil which I have right here so I put it on his spots, but he has been licking non-stop (it IS yummy, I know), but I'm worried that a) he licked it all off, and b)he now has all the spores in his belly - will that make it spread MORE??

Replied by Kate
(Adelaide, Australia)
06/20/2011
★★★★★

Apple cider vinegar orally diluted x3 ratio works really well, but although it works well topically I wouldn't suggest it over coconut oil. ACV can dry out their natural oils if perhaps you apply too much or there is a mis-diagnosis eg. Ringworm is often diagnosed in cases of mites and even just eczema! Don't worry about ring worm spores being digested either, stomach acids kill it off, regardless it would need to be a hugely serious fungal infection to spread internally and usually through their bottom anyway! Coconut oil is not only good for their skin, but it's really good for them to digest too... It reduces risk of a massive amount of things like cancer, digestion, and heart /thyroid/metabolism problems! And it's the same with humans :)

Replied by Janell
(Allen, Tx)
07/12/2011

In response to Kate from Adelaide, Australia: COCONUT OIL

I have been suffering with reoccurring ringworm for at least 5 years. When you took the coconut oil internally did that help you completely get rid of the ringworm? If so how much of it do you take? Your advice seems to be very helpful because I need something to treat myself internally. I need to get rid of this horrible plague! Thank you for all of your help!


Colloidal Silver

2 User Reviews
5 star (2) 
  100%

Posted by Heidi (Georgia) on 08/23/2017
★★★★★

I agree totally with the idea of collodial silver for ringworm. I make my own by the quarts and use it on both chihuahuas who were eat up with ringworm! We have been through hell with this for 5 years. I just put it into a spray bottle and spray them several times a day and then use medicated body powder on top of it and they are quickly recovering! Nothing seems to work for them except collodial silver spray and I have tried everything! I put an e-collar on them to keep them from licking themselves. As for myself, I have been to 10 doctors and I have gotten no help! It seems that they all want to diagnose me with everything but the ringworm so I have suffered a lot of pain and anxiety! I read somewhere online about fungal infections being a 10 million dollar business for the pharmaceutical companies! I now understand why they don't to help me because it is a big money maker....so sad for the people out there like me that have to suffer and receive no help.

Replied by Amy
(Ca)
09/23/2020

You mentioned you also used medicated body powder. What was the brand name and/or the ingredients?

Heidi
(Ga)
10/02/2020

I'm sorry that I forgot to mention that Gold Bond Medicated powder or either the one in the blue box at the Dollar General Stores. It is found with the foot powders.


Colloidal Silver
Posted by Bernadette (Chicago, Illinois ) on 04/06/2015
★★★★★

I adopted a feral cat with FIV. Within about 6 months he contacted ringworm from the carpeted hallway in my apartment building, which he likes to explore. My other cat also got it, and I applied apple cider vinegar a few times and he got better. My feral cat would not let me near him with apple cider vinegar, nor could I bathe him. His entire belly was scaly and bald and red, while his nipples looked extremely irritated. I bought some colloidal silver and sprayed it about 10 or 20 times into his wet food daily. After less than a month his hair started growing back and the itching and irritation subsided significantly. I did have to lower his doses because he developed nausea. Although all of his hair hasn't grown back yet after about three months, he is essentially cured.

Replied by Rachel
(Ny)
09/16/2016

Hi, what brand of CS did you use?

I have a kitten getting over it and now my other cat has it, I have been putting CS in their water bowl and giving them about a teaspoon a day in their wet food twice daily...Should I up it? I also wipe them down with ACV twice daily and spray my apt with CS every night plus vacuum daily.



NEXT 
1 2 3 4