1/6/2024 0 Comments Mud river valley kennel clubInfection can occur in the eye causing inflammation and sometimes blindness. Other signs are non-specific and may include lack of appetite, lethargy, or depression, a persistent fever, and weight loss. The joints may become swollen and painful. The bones and joints are most commonly infected, and lameness is the most common sign. In the disseminated disease the fungus has disseminated or spread to other parts of the body. These signs usually occur about three weeks after infection although sometimes, the organism can lay dormant in the body for up to three years before signs occur. Signs of primary valley fever include a harsh dry cough, a fever, a lack of appetite, and lethargy or depression. The primary disease is limited to the lungs. Valley fever can take two main forms of disease in the dog, the primary disease and the disseminated disease. In these patients, the spherules continue to grow and eventually burst, releasing more infectious organisms to spread throughout the lungs or to other organs in the body where the cycle repeats itself over and over. However, in dogs that have a weak immune system because of age or underlying illness, serious illness can develop, therefore, both very young puppies and senior dogs are more susceptible to illness from valley fever. "Once the spores are breathed into the lungs, they develop into larger structures called spherules." In these cases, the signs of disease are usually very mild, and often the dog does not even become visibly ill. In a healthy adult dog, the dog's immune system will wall off the organisms in the spherules and there will be no further problems. Once the spores are breathed into the lungs, they develop into larger structures called spherules. What are the symptoms of valley fever in dogs? In other words, an animal with valley fever is not contagious to other pets or your family members. The disease cannot be directly transmitted from person to person, nor can it be transmitted from people to animals. The disease is contracted by inhaling fungal spores. "The disease cannot be directly transmitted from person to person, nor can it be transmitted from people to animals." If the spores are inhaled, they transform into a yeast-like organism that infects the lungs. The tiny spores readily become airborne when the soil is disturbed by winds or by construction, farming, or digging. Once the rains come, the fungus grows and produces long filaments of mold that contain infectious spores. During dry spells, the mold goes dormant in the soil, and can remain dormant for prolonged periods of time. When it is in the environment, it exists as a mold. It has two completely different forms, depending on whether it is in the environment or has entered a host animal. This disease is common in humans, and has been isolated in dogs, cattle, horses, deer, elk, mules, llamas, apes, monkeys, kangaroos, wallabies, tigers, bears, badgers, otters, fish, and marine mammals.ĭogs appear to be very susceptible to infections with valley fever, probably because they sniff the ground and dig in the dirt, potentially inhaling large numbers of spores at a time. What species can be infected with valley fever? Valley fever tends to occur during certain seasons. Infections rates vary greatly by county, and not all the factors that contribute to the rate of infection in an area have been determined. It has been also reported in south-central Washington State. This soil-dwelling fungus has adapted to survive in desert climates and is prevalent in certain parts of Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah, northwestern Mexico, and parts of Central and South America. Although the proper name for this disease is coccidioidomycosis, it is most often called valley fever, California disease, desert rheumatism, or San Joaquin valley fever. Valley fever is a disease caused by a fungus known as Coccidiodes immitis.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |