All About Canine Blastomycosis

Another serious systematic fungal infections dog owners should watch out for is Canine Blastomycosis. Caused by "blastomyces dermatitidis" which is a parasitic fungus that commonly thrive in molds, dog Blastomycosis may lead to death of the canine when left untreated or undiagnosed.

Experts say that the blastomyces dermatitidis fungus that causes canine blastomycosis can be found in soil that is moist and in vegetations that are slowly decaying. When the moist soil in vegetation is dug, the fungus will be released in the open air as spores, thus, easily inhaled by dogs or humans.

Compared to other animals, dog-especially those who belong to larger breeds and those used for hunting-are known to be extremely at risk to blastomycosis infection. As a result, they suffer from various immunosuppressive diseases and other immune system defects. Studies show that puppies that are always outdoors are prone to canine blastomycosis infection because they can easily inhale the spores from the fungi.

After the canine has inhaled the spores, it will develop into big and thick-walled yeast inside the lungs. In this form, it can multiply and easily spread into the other parts and tissues of dog's body that lead to fungal pneumonia. Aside from fungal pneumonia, canine blastomycosis can also result to extreme lesions in the skin and in the bones and various eye complications as well as diseases in the dog's central nervous system.

What the symptoms reveal

Canine blastomycosis easily develops because it is an airborne disease. After the dog has inhaled the spores, it can transform into yeast in the lungs and will result to lung disease such as pneumonia. The symptoms in the early stage of canine blastomycosis may include cough that is dry, mild to high fever, sweating, evident exhaustion or fatigue, and lameness.