Blasto, the short term for this fungal disease has grave repercussions not just for dogs but humans as well. This disease has been dreaded by many, many dog breeders and farmers in the endemic areas of the country as depicted in the Center for Disease Control (CDC) map below. First, what is it? The CDC reports:
“Blastomycosis is an infection caused by a fungus called Blastomyces. The fungus lives in the environment, particularly in moist soil and in decomposing matter such as wood and leaves. Blastomyces mainly lives in areas of the United States and Canada surrounding the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys and the Great Lakes. People can get blastomycosis after breathing in the microscopic fungal spores from the air. ”
What should be understood is that, if left undiagnosed, the spores can spread from the infected lungs to other parts of the body, such as the brain and spinal cord. People have fever, chills, drenching sweats, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and coughing. Other symptoms include:
- Muscle aches or joint pain
- Weight loss
- Fatigue (extreme tiredness)
According to the CDC, Blasto is NOT contagious from animals to people, however, recently, a dear friend was advised by a Pulmonary Specialist that, indeed, in his opinion, Blasto can be transmitted from dog to human as interestingly, my friend had a dog with Blasto. I suppose it could be possible that in the event of confirmed diagnosis, the infected dog had spores on their coat and perhaps while interacting with the dog they may have breathed them into their lungs. Or, while handling a dog with skin lesions -- a typical symptom of Blasto -- that those secretions then transmitted the fungal disease onto the person.
Nonetheless, dogs contracting Blasto face very serious health issues. Merck reports that large breed male dogs, especially hunting and sporting breeds, are most commonly affected. Blastomyces fungus thrives in wet environments like swamps, lakes, and on riverbanks where damp soil and lack of direct sunlight encourage its growth.
The fungus is also found in locations that harbor decaying organic matter like wooded areas, forests, and farms. Blastomycosis infections are prevalent in locations near water, and apparently studies have shown that most dogs who do contract the fungal disease live within a quarter mile of a river.
Symptoms in Dogs are very serious. Healthy Pets by Mercola provides the following:
“Blastomycosis infection in dogs include loss of appetite, fever, weight loss, depression, inflammation of the iris of the eye and discharge from the eyes as well, coughing, wheezing, and pus-filled skin lesions. More serious symptoms can include sudden blindness, lameness, inflammation of the testicles, enlarged lymph nodes, and seizures.
Unfortunately, blastomycosis is often misdiagnosed — even by the best veterinarians —sometimes as cancer and sometimes as a bacterial lung infection. Needless to say, treatments for cancer and antibiotics for bacterial infections will not address the fungal infection and can lead to permanent damage or even death, if your pet doesn’t get an accurate diagnosis.
If your dog has been showing any of the above symptoms for six weeks or more with no noticeable improvement, and if he could have been in an environment that harbored the Blastomyces fungus, your veterinarian should test for a fungal infection.
Blastomycosis is best diagnosed through examination of a lymph node, a fluid drain from skin lesions by a transtracheal wash, or by examining lung tissue. Tissue samples may need to be taken to check for fungal organisms.
There’s also a blood test called an AGID test or antigen ID test for exposure to Blasto. But a positive result doesn’t mean your dog necessarily has the infection, only that he’s been exposed.
Chest X-rays of a dog with blastomycosis often reveal a sort of snowstorm-type pattern. Urine screening tests can also be very beneficial for diagnosis.”
Take heed. If you have a dog that is diagnosed with Blasto, then proceed with cautionary measures while treating. I would assume that immediate bathing of the dog is in order and as skin lesions present themselves, gloves are necessary during treatment as spores can enter through the skin. The experts state that after infection, the disease transforms into a modified phase and is no longer contagious. I wonder though because Blasto occurs as two different forms. It grows as a mold with spores and as yeast in the tissue and lungs.
Yes, there is a treatment, however, in cases of dogs with advanced Blasto, it is usually fatal. Mercola's recommendations appear to be the most updated and are as follows:
“Traditional treatment for a blastomycosis infection is oral administration of an antifungal drug. These medications all require long-term treatment, sometimes for many months. They are very expensive. And of course, all of them carry serious potential side effects.
The preferred antifungal at the moment for dogs diagnosed with this infection is Itraconazole, which is better tolerated and has fewer side effects than older antifungal drugs. I also recommend a nutraceutical called quantum nucleotide, which helps to stimulate an immediate immune system reaction, as well as oil of oregano in capsule form, which is excellent support for a body fighting a fungal infection.
For many dogs, the critical period during treatment is the first 24 to 72 hours, as the antifungal drug begins to kick in and kill off the fungi. Since there are typically a large number of organisms in the lungs, there can be an overwhelming inflammatory response that can result as the fungi die off. Respiratory distress can be a big problem during the first few days of treatment.
Whatever drug is used, it must be given for a full month past all signs of infection. Dogs with severe breathing difficulties may require supplemental oxygen until their lungs return to normal function.”