Treatment for Ring Worm

oliver1921 · Post by **oliver1921** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 10:38 am

I am advised by a local farmer that the best treatment for ring worm in cattle is creosote or a similar tar based product and not the expensive medications that are available now - is this true - maybe duncan has some thoughts - what about treatment near the eyes! thanks for any comments or thoughts - are there any other old wives remedies for any other ailments that are worth considering!

Sylvia · Post by **Sylvia** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:09 pm

There has been a lot of discussion about ringworm, try the Search facility. I wouldn't want my animals anywhere near a creosoted fence, let alone applying it to them but maybe others know better. In my experience ringworm clears up by itself and that animal does not get it again. But I suppose if it is very bad you'd need to do something.

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 12:24 pm

I have no doubt that creosote has been used in the past for treating ringworm, but it is poisonous, and unlicensed, so would not be suitable for treating food producing animals nowadays. Some will be absorbed through the skin, some will be licked both by animals which have been treated licking themselves and licking other animals which have been treated. In the last posting I hesitated to mention creosote even for treating wooden pens because of this.
I have had to stop using quite a few old treatments now because they are unlicensed.

Duncan

GRAEME · Post by **GRAEME** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 3:11 pm

Creosote was useful in the past for treating sheds to prevent ringworm, however if you have had creasote left on your own skin for any length of time you will know it is completely unappropriate for putting direct on to cattle. I have been interested to note this year when I have left some cattle out, that one or two have got ringworm and they have no contact with timber at all because they are in a field with electric fencing. Prior to this I always blamed the winter quarters but this year the cattle outside have a higher incidence than those outside. Interestingly it is always the same ones who seem prone to it while others never have a problem.

groubearfarm · Post by **groubearfarm** » Wed Jan 25, 2006 7:47 pm

I think the best healer of ring worm is nature herself, being outside in the spring sunshine, although you might have to wait a few weeks for the latter. I have never really had any success with any of the potions recommended for the job however as it is a fungus I have heard people having good results with athletes foot creams but remember you can catch it so be careful to wash hands etc. Of course you could get it charmed, along with the warts. Fiona

Penny · Post by **Penny** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 2:15 pm

My Father-in-law gave me some press clippings about "old-fashioned" treatments for ringworm. Creosote and old engine oil were mentioned, but as others say, they might help cure the ringworm but they are toxic for your animal too!
However, one mentioned seems fairly harmless, and that is to hang Holly in the barns!! I do not know the success rate of this!
On the bright side, your outbreak will mean that in the long run your stock be acquiring an immunity, so in the future it should in theory only be youngstock and any bought in stock that get it.

Kathy Millar · Post by **Kathy Millar** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 6:36 pm

As a kid, my job was to creosote the fence posts and I can tell you, it does burn! There is also concern about it's possible carcinogenic properties so best to keep away from it.

Kathy

oliver1921 · Post by **oliver1921** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:04 pm

Thanks for all your comments which were appreciated - i was not actually going to use creosote but looking for a similar solution which hopefully - not wanting to put our hard working vets out of business Duncan - would be a cost effective remedy for a number of potential ailments. our cattle are outside so the holly in the barn might not work but i will ask the cattle nicely to stand near the holly bush and see if that works.I don't mind the ringworm but it is a bit unsightly and i don't particularly wnt the kids to get it as i understand it is very itchy - don't the cattle itch?. i understood that it was a fungal infection - why then do cattle become immune?

Duncan MacIntyre · Post by **Duncan MacIntyre** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 3:24 pm

The immunity to ringworm happens because the infection is right down in the live layers of skin and hair follicles, so the immune system reacts to the presence of fungi as to any other foreign organism. Are you certain that it is ringworm? it is unusual for it to be much of a problem outside, though it can happen. It certainly is worth while treating it as it does the cattle no good, as you say can affect humans, and it is easily spread to other herds if you sell cattle so affects their value and sellability.

Duncan

mike D · Post by **mike D** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 2:56 pm

We had a calf born without any hair which became covered with ringworm; we applied a liberal coating of old engine oil to the affected areas, the ringworm cleared up very quickly Without any noticeable side effects

strawberriesclint · Post by **strawberriesclint** » Sat Feb 04, 2006 11:16 pm

Hi oliver

I had terrible trouble with ringworm, I have used Imavorol which is a thick solution you add to a hand sprayer and aply to infected area of animal every three days, I have also been trying homeopathy, look on the Ainsworth web site, they do a solution that you add 5ml every other day to the drinking water for ten days and the idea is to build up their natural immunity.

Waiting for the sun rays to kill ringworm is all fair and well in the summer and it does work but in the winter its best to get on top of the situation early.

Hope this helped

Cyndy