• Fungal infection of the skin.
• Commonly called ringworm.
• Report in one ferret with pneumonia and an ulcerated footpad attributed to Blastomyces dermatitidis. Histoplasmosis and coccidiomycosis have also been diagnosed as causing subcutaneous nodules. For this section, the discussed is limited to primary dermatomycosis.
• Cause: Microsporum canis or Trichophyton mentagrophytes.
• Signs: alopecia, broken hairs, erythema, scaling, crusting.
• Diagnosis: microscopic examination, hair pluck, trichogram, fungal culture.
• Treatment: microconazole, miconazole, terbinafine, clotrimazole, enilconazole; oral griseofulvin in severe cases.
• Prognosis: good.

Presenting signs

• Alopecia.
• Broken hairs.
• Erythema.
• Diffuse scaling and crusting.

Age predisposition

• Commonly seen in young or immunosuppressed individuals.

Public health considerations

• Zoonotic potential.
• Causes annular or diffuse pruritic or non-pruritic skin lesions in humans.