Those who adopted cats or kittens from the Pasco County Animal Shelter in the last month may need to keep an extra close eye on their pet after ringworm and feline distemper were found at the shelter.
Officials there say the problems were discovered that could affect adoptions that took place between May 21 and June 24, although no symptoms of the diseases have been found on the dog side of the shelter.
The ringworm started in a litter of abandoned kittens brought in by an animal control officer, but it wasn’t diagnosed until after the ringworm had spread within the cat adoption isolation area. The shelter has since isolated those areas, and is undergoing a deep cleaning and disinfection, officials said.
Ringworm is not actually caused by a worm, but instead a fungus that can infect the skin, hair or nails. It starts as a red, scaly patch or a bump, and may grow to look like a ring. It is contagious, and can be spread by direct contact from pets to humans, and from human to human.
Anyone who suspects they have ringworm should consult their doctor.
The shelter also received a kitten this week which tested positive for panleukopenia, or feline distemper. The virus infection is usually found in kittens or young cats, especially strays or even shelter kittens because they have not had a chance to be vaccinated.
Feline panleukopenia is so widespread that nearly all cats are exposed to it within their first year of life. It’s a leading cause of death in kittens simply because their immune systems are often too weak to protect them, and the cats themselves are too young to receive the vaccine that would protect them.
The virus causes vomiting, diarrhea, high fever, and sometimes sudden death in cats. However, it does not pose any threat to humans.
Those with any questions should contact the shelter at (813) 929-1212. The facility, located at 19640 Dogpatch Lane in Land O’ Lakes, is open Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from noon to 4:30 p.m., and Thursdays from noon to 6:30 p.m.
