Can My Dog With Ringworm Sleep in My Bed?

There's an old saying, "If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas." Obviously, that adage was coined way before the development of effective canine flea control. However, "If you lie down with dogs with ringworm, expect to develop crusty scales." This fungal disease is quite contagious, so any dog or cat in your house requires treatment -- and humans might, too.

  1. It's A Fungus, Not A Worm

    • Dermatophytosis, the scientific name for ringworm, is a fungus. Ringworm received its common name because its lesions often form a circle. While it's contagious, for the most part it's more of a nuisance than a serious problem. Canine ringworm is zoonotic, meaning it can spread from one species to another. Transmission occurs via direct contact with the fungus, so just petting your infected dog will get ringworm on your hands. It can take one to three weeks before symptoms appear after exposure.

    Dermatophytosis Symptoms

    • If your dog develops circular bald patches or crusty skin lesions, especially on the head and paws, there's a good chance he's got ringworm. Severely affected dogs, usually those in poor overall condition, might lose hair all over the body. If you develop similar symptoms, there's a good chance you caught ringworm from Fido. While ringworm in pets usually isn't itchy, that's not true in humans. Even if you don't show any signs of ringworm, other people in your household could pick it up. That's especially true of kids, senior citizens and those with a compromised immune system. Your dog can spread the disease to other household pets, including cats, rabbits and guinea pigs.

    Treating Ringworm

    • Since other fungal or bacterial skin ailments can mimic ringworm symptoms, take your dog to the vet for a definite diagnosis. She might prescribe medicated shampoos and oral medications, or advise you to give your dog a lime sulfur dip to get rid of the fungus. If your dog is diagnosed with ringworm, it's a good idea to treat every pet in your house, even if they don't show signs of the fungus. Dipping a cat in lime sulfur is quite the experience -- you might want to pay your vet to do it. Even after treatment, animals are contagious for about three weeks. If you experience lesions, your doctor can prescribe topical medications to treat the infection.

    Getting Rid of Spores

    • Besides treating the infection, you also have to eradicate the ringworm spores in your home. That involves thoroughly vacuuming areas of the house to which your pets have access, along with disinfecting the animal's bedding, water dishes and other items. You should throw out your dog's toys and get him new ones. Getting rid of ringworm spores takes a lot of effort. If you don't succeed, you can reinfect your pets and your family.