Canine (Dog) Blastomycosis

Canine (Dog) Blastomycosis

CAUSES OF DOG BLASTOMYCOSIS:

Dogs can contract this disease by inhaling the fungus found in soil near wet areas.

The fungal spores can:

* Settle in the dog’s lungs and reproduce
* Spread throughout the body and infect other organs, such as the brain, skin, bones, lymph nodes, and eyes.
If left untreated, blastomycosis can be fatal.

An infected animal can not pass the disease to a healthy animal or to a human.

SYMPTOMS:

* Fever
* Difficulty breathing
* Loss of appetite and weight loss
* Depression
* Fever
* Heavy coughing

As the disease progresses, a wide variety of symptoms can occur, depending on which organs areaffected, including:

* Swollen Lymph nodes
* Eyes: inflammation, sudden blindness
* Brain: seizures, head tilting
* Bones: lameness
* Skin: lesions


Blastomycosis can be fatal is not diagnosed and treated right away. If you notice any of the above signs, go to the veterinarian immediately.

DIAGNOSIS:

Your veterinarian will suspect blastomycosis if you live near water. Some tests may include:

* Fungal titers
* Sample of fluids from skin lesions or lymph nodes
* Chest x-rays
* Blood tests
* Urinalysis

TREATMENTS:

Affected dogs need a few months of anti fungal medication, usually orally and through IV. This can cause liver and kidney damage, so your veterinarian will have to closely monitor your dog and test the blood often.

Severely affected eyes may not respond well to the medication and may need to be removed.

PREVENTION:

There are currently no vaccines available for blastomycosis. However there are some preventative measures that you can take:

* Feed your dog foods containing no yeast
* Avoid excessive time in the woods, especially near water (since blastomycosis is in soil near water)
* Vitamin C, E, A, and B as a supplement if your veterinarian recommends
* Garlic supplements if your veterinarian recommends

PROGNOSIS:

Dogs with poor liver or kidney function may not be able to tolerate the medication.
Blastomycosis is usually fatal if not diagnosed and treated right away. Treatment is long, complicated, and expensive, and many dogs do not respond to it.

If your dog’s brain or eye is affected, prognosis is worse.

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