I have just received the following and I don't have to tell you how upset I am by it. Is it possible to tell the source of ringworm? Surely if a dog has been running around in the countryside for 2 weeks it has had ample opportunity to pick this up. How is it possible for the vet to speculate it was my cottage?
I hope I don't have to say how much the place is cleaned, even if it looks perfect the cottage is given another vacuum, mop and the suite vacuumed with a powerful Dyson.
They had booked immediately for next year but I don't know what they will do now. I haven't actually got a dog and I'd welcome any advice as my knowlege of ringworm is zero apart from checking on google. I guess there is no way of checking out my cottage, I'll go heavy with disenfectant this weekend. I don't know....
p.s they stayed almost 2 weeks ago so I don't know what the "incubation" period is.
Dear Sue
I did not expect to be in contact with you again so soon. I wanted to let you know that we took **** to the vets last night and she was diagnosed with ringworm. I also have it. Fortunately the infection seems quite mild (**** has only one lesion and I have two).
As neither *** nor I have had any contact recently with sheep or cattle the vet thinks it possible that Lily Cottage was the source of the infection. The timing is right and she believes that this may well be the source of the infection.
I know that you have a dog of your own and I would hate to think that it caught it (or any other dog for that matter!).
Sue, the incubation period is 1-6 weeks, and is usually caught from humans, soil and animals including cattle, kittens, puppies, guinea pigs, mice and horses.
I wouldn't worry too much, bleach (a dilution of about 1 in 10) is one of the best methods of removing the spores.And throw away your hoover bag at the end of your cleaning.
They could have picked it up anywhere, not necessarily from your cottage.
Sue, I've just sent you a PM with some ringworm info. I just found it on Google so you may well have seen it already. If I were you I would send them a copy.
Their dog could have picked it up ANYWHERE. It only had to come into contact briefly with an infected animal or even soil. I can't believe any vet would say it came from a cottage! He may well have said that it picked it up on holiday, which would be entirely different.
Don't feel guilty about this. It wasn't your fault.
I agree with Kayley - it could have been picked up anywhere. I suggest you give the cottage a disinfect as advised here for your own peace of mind and write a note to the couple thanking them for warning you that ringworm spores may have been brought into the cottage - assure them that the cottage gets a thorough clean on each change over and that visitors since them have had no problems. Not a nice message to get but don't start feeling guilty!!!!
We had a ring worm problem when we had horses, heaven knows where the first one picked it up ....it was easy to deal with to stop it spreading..which we did , only 2 out of 8 got it and no humans had any problems..thorough disinfecting just in case...but how they can lay the blame at your door when your doggie doesn't have it I do not know.. people love to lay blame don't they.
Sue, you said you don't have a dog - your guest certainly got her wires crossed there; no doubt you have put her straight on that now! She probably told the vet that ...
We inherited a cat many years ago that we didn't know had ringworm until my then 2yr old caught it. If memory serves, we were told to shampoo all carpets and rugs twice, and wash any soft furnishings where the cat had been.
I agree that it's much more likely that the dog brought it into the house, rather than the reverse, so you might want to ask the owner whether the dog was confined to certain areas, or had the run of the house. Or maybe the dog didn't catch it until after it left your house.
It might be worth finding out when it first started developing symptoms, then call a local vet and the family GP for further information and advice. I think I would want to know whether or not there is any risk to future visiting pets, but I don't think it's a big deal, just a bit of a nuisance to shampoo everything twice.
