Every owner is sure that he will immediately recognize something wrong with his dog.
But what if the threat has already entered the home, remaining invisible for weeks?
Ringworm in dogs is a sneaky enemy that disguises itself as normal fatigue or seasonal shedding until it's too late.
Canine expert Reina Goebel points out that the first warning signs of ringworm are easy to miss. The pet's fur loses its shine, becomes brittle like straw, and barely noticeable pinkish patches appear on the skin.
After 10-14 days, the latent phase is replaced by a rapid deterioration: the hair falls out in clumps, revealing flaky, cracked patches.
The claws become deformed, and the lesions affect the face, stomach and paws.
Without intervention, the disease weakens the immune system, causing an exacerbation of latent pathologies.
The dog, playful and affectionate just yesterday, begins to behave like a stranger. At first, it furiously scratches the same place, later - it becomes restless and trembles from the itching that has taken over its entire body.
Apathy is replaced by aggression: the dog growls when you try to pet him, refuses food, and hides in dark corners.
These changes are not a whim, but a cry for help, which many attribute to a bad mood.
Ringworm leaves no room for error. The longer the owner delays a visit to the vet, the higher the risk that the pet will die from secondary infections or exhaustion.
Treatment is effective only in the early stages, until the fungal spores have penetrated deep into the tissue.
The first step to salvation is not to wait for "obvious" symptoms, but to react to the slightest deviations in behavior and appearance. After all, dogs cannot speak - they fight silently to the end.
