Clubs Offering:
Somehow the idea of contracting a parasite seems far worse than catching a virus or bacteria. If worms freak you out, there is good news—ringworm is not a worm, it is a fungus. The bad news is that ringworm is highly contagious and can spread from dogs to humans.
Ringworm in dogs usually looks like a circular patch of hair loss that may be inflamed or scabbed, or just bare, dry looking skin. The hair around ringworm lesions is brittle and breaks easily, and while the lesions do not usually itch on dogs, the same is not true for humans.
Ringworm in humans typically looks like a circular, red rash on the skin. It can be quite itchy, and even if you haven’t heard of ringworm before, you’ve probably heard of it by its other names: athlete’s foot or jock itch. In other words, ringworm is one of the main reasons why people wear shower shoes in public locker rooms.
Ringworm is a fungus, which means it is spread through spores. People and dogs pick up these spores through direct contact with an infected animal or person, or by indirect contact with a spore left in the environment.
For instance, if an infected dog sleeps on the couch, she will leave behind spores, which are attached to her brittle, ringworm-infected hair. The next time you sit on the couch, you unwittingly expose yourself to the infection. Bedding, carpets, grooming tools, food bowls, and clothing can all be contagious in a house with ringworm. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the spores can stay contagious for up to 18 months.
Can Dogs Get Ringworm From Humans?
YES! Your dog can get ringworm from you, and you can get it from your dog. It is much more common, however, for humans to give it to other humans, and dogs to dogs. Infection occurs from direct contact with skin or infected materials, such as towels, locker room surfaces, or bedding. If you, or your dog, contract ringworm, the good news is, that it is quite treatable, without complications, and you can take precautions to limit transmitting it between you and your pet.
Ringworm is a contagious fungal infection that, unfortunately, you and your dog can share. It is not serious, however, and when symptoms appear you and your furry friend can get treatment to relieve the condition. Symptoms of ringworm include:
Ringworm is very contagious and spreads by direct contact or contact with items that the infected dog has touched. It can linger on bedding, furniture, food bowls, carpets and surfaces, chew toys, personal items, and grooming tools for several months. Ringworm fungus especially likes warm, moist places where it thrives. It is commonly acquired in kennels where many dogs are present, usually including asymptomatic carriers. Mature dogs and people may be resistant to the infection, but a large exposure, a break in the skin, or an impaired immune system may result in an infection taking hold. Puppies and children are more likely to develop the condition.
Incubation period from exposure to infection ranges from a few days to a few weeks.
Your veterinarian may diagnose ringworm infection in your dog based on symptoms, especially if the characteristic ring pattern is visible. Ringworm infections may be diagnosed with ultraviolet light that causes the infected skin to glow yellow-green under the light. The best tool for diagnosis is to take a sample of skin and culture it to see if the ringworm fungus grows. Ruling out other causes of rash may also be required, and additional blood and urine tests may be necessary.
Read more on this condition and get advice from our in-house vets at
Unfortunately, the answer is yes, ringworm in dogs can be very contagious. Luckily for owners, these infections are curable. In order to prevent ringworm from spreading, it’s critical to always monitor your dog’s overall health. The last thing you want is for your dog to unknowingly become infected with ringworm and then have it spread to yourself or other members of the family.
Despite its name, ringworm is actually a fungal infection that can affect all domestic animals. Due to its commonality among the pet community, dog owners begin to wonder, “If one of my dogs becomes infected with ringworm, can they spread it to the other dogs in my household?”
This infection can be caused by three different varieties of fungus- Microsporum Canis, Microsporum Gypseum, or Trichophyton mentagrophytes. This fungus lives deep inside the hair follicles, and will continue to grow there and flourish as long as the dog is infected.
No pet owner ever wants to hear that their furry companion has been infected with ringworm. Even though it is not life-threatening, ringworm in pets is still an infection that can cause severe skin complications if gone untreated. That’s why it’s imperative that pet owners recognize the signs and symptoms of ringworm in dogs, so they can treat their pet as soon as possible.
In order to properly diagnose your dog with ringworm, your veterinarian will conduct a physical examination as well as a diagnostic test (this includes taking a fungal culture of a sample of hair and skin cells). Your veterinarian may inspect the infected hairs under a Wood’s lamp as the M. Canis species will glow fluorescent. If the test results are positive for ringworm, your veterinarian will then prescribe an oral antifugal medication as well as a topical antifungal treatment.