What is the best treatment for blastomycosis in dogs?
Drugs most often recommended to treat dogs with blastomycosis are amphotericin B and the azole antifungals, including itraconazole, ketoconazole, fluconazole, and voriconazole. Table 1 provides a summary of recommended dosages for commonly used antifungal agents.
What antibodies are produced by dogs with blastomycosis?
Dogs with blastomycosis produce antibodies directed against the Wisconsin-1 (WI-01) and A antigens of B. dermatitidis .4
What happens if Blastomycosis is left untreated in dogs?
Blastomycosis can be fatal if left untreated. Specific signs can develop depending on what organ the infection attacks: Lungs: Are most commonly affected; 65% to 85% of dogs show lung problems; you may see difficulty breathing, coughing, wheezing, exercise intolerance, and respiratory distress (this is an emergency).
What is Blastomyces dermatitidis in dogs?
Dog’s that are mostly affected are commonly in the environments where the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis grows. Young (2-4-year-old), large-breed male sporting and hunting dogs are the most at risk due to their lifestyle and frequent exposure to soil and water.
What is dog blastomycosis treatment?
Treatment of blastomycosis requires long-term antifungal medications (i.e. average 2-6 months of therapy). Itraconazole or fluconazole are most commonly used. Some dogs may need to be hospitalized initially to help control some of their more severe symptoms.
What is dog blastomycosis?
Blastomycosis is a multifocal fungal infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. The fungus is often found in soil or decomposing organic matter, such as leaves. Infection is characterized by pyogranulomatous lesions in various tissues, frequently the lungs or skin.
What is the survival rate of blastomycosis in dogs?
If treated promptly after an infection occurs, about 70 to 75 percent of dogs recover. About 20 to 25 percent of dogs experience a relapse, typically within six months of the completion of antifungal therapy.
Can dogs recover from blastomycosis?
Very few dogs with blastomycosis can recover on their own; most require veterinary care and aggressive treatment with antifungal medications.
How do dogs get Blastomyces?
Blastomycosis typically occurs when the dog inhales the airborne fungal spores of the genus Blastomyces dermatitidis after the contaminated soil has been disturbed. This can be from an activity as benign as digging in the dirt or following a scent trail. The spores can also enter through the skin.
Is blastomycosis in dogs painful?
The front of the eye is subsequently affected, leading to more readily observed blastomycosis signs in dogs, such as clouding, redness, pain and swelling of the eye.
How do you get rid of Blastomyces?
Most people will need antifungal treatment for blastomycosis. Most people with blastomycosis will need treatment with prescription antifungal medication. Itraconazole is a type of antifungal medication that is typically used to treat mild to moderate blastomycosis.
Is blastomycosis curable?
Blastomycosis can be treated with anti-fungal medications, which are usually continued for at least 6 months. Antibiotics designed for bacteria do not work against blastomycosis.
Is there a vaccine for blastomycosis?
There is no vaccine to prevent blastomycosis, and it may not be possible to completely avoid being exposed to the fungus that causes blastomycosis in areas where it is common in the environment. People who have weakened immune systems may want to consider avoiding activities that involve disrupting soil in these areas.
Is blastomycosis in dogs fatal?
Dogs often acquire infection by inhaling the spores through their nose which then travel down into the lungs where it induces a respiratory infection. After exposure, some dogs may be infected but not show clinical signs for weeks or even months, and if left untreated can be fatal.
What Is Blastomycosis in Dogs?
Blastomycosis is an infection caused by the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. Both humans and dogs can get blastomycosis by breathing in fungi spores from the dirt.
What Are Blastomycosis Symptoms in Dogs?
Blastomycosis symptoms in dogs are similar to symptoms in people. An infection looks a lot like other lung conditions and includes symptoms like:
How Is Blastomycosis Diagnosed?
Your vet will do a physical examination and ask about your dog’s history. If your dog has sores or cysts, a cough, and breathing problems, your vet might consider the fungus. To confirm, they will do some blastomycosis testing.
Where does blastomycosis affect dogs?
This fungal infection primarily affects dogs, cats and humans in several Southeastern and Midwestern areas, the Pacific Northwest and around the Great Lakes.
What is the most common cause of blastomycosis in dogs?
Infection by blastomycosis in dogs is thought to occur most commonly when the organism's infective particles, called conidia, are aerosolized. Certain weather conditions (such as dew, rain and fog) are believed to activate these fungal particles, which are either inhaled or absorbed by the skin.
Why do dogs need to be removed from the hospital?
Therefore, in some cases the infected eye may need to be removed either due to permanent vision loss or to help finish clearing the infection from the body. Dogs with blastomycosis are often discharged from the hospital with instructions to administer oral or ophthalmic medications for an expended period of time.
Why is blastomycosis so difficult to diagnose?
Diagnosing Blastomycosis. This disease can be very difficult to diagnose because the signs are often non-specific. The skin lesions often can be mistaken for a simple skin infection and infections of the bone or lung may look identical to certain types of cancer on imaging tests.
What organ system is affected by blastomycosis?
However, a variety of other organ systems — such as the bones, heart, central nervous system and lymphatic system — may also be affected. Read on to learn more about blastomycosis and how to spot blastomycosis signs in dogs.
Where does ocular blastomycosis occur in dogs?
Ocular blastomycosis in dogs tends to develop initially in the back of the eye. Tiny, nodular foci of infection called granulomas affect the retina, leading to retinal detachment and an inflammatory process called chorioretinitis (inflammation of the retina).
What are the signs of multiple organ system involvement in dogs?
Skin lesions (pimples/pustules, sometimes with draining tracts, and rash-like lesions) Many dogs show signs of multiple organ system involvement. According to DVM 360, cough and difficulty breathing occurs in 85% of canine patients. Skin lesions and lymph node involvement are each only observed in about 50% of patients.
What is the treatment for blastomycosis?
Although itraconazole has been considered the treatment of choice for blastomycosis, ...
Is itraconazole good for dogs with blastomycosis?
Although itraconazole has been considered the treatment of choice for blastomycosis, a 2011 study of 144 dogs found that there was not a significant difference in relapse rates or treatment response.
Is blastomycosis more common in dogs than cats?
Blastomycosis is a fungal infection that is being seen more commonly in our pet population, with dogs being more commonly infected than cats. Blastomyces dermatitidis, a dimorphic fungal organism, is the causative agent and is most commonly seen in the Ohio, Mississippi, and Missouri River Valleys, as well as mid-Atlantic states.
What is a dog blastomycosis?
Blastomycosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis. The infective form of the organism, the mycelial phase, is most likely to be found in sandy, acidic soil near bodies of fresh water. Blastomycosis is a systemic fungal infection ...
What are the clinical findings of a dog with blastomycosis?
Clinical findings in dogs with blastomycosis reflect the systemic inflammatory response and the site or sites of infection. Complete blood count and serum chemistry abnormalities are usually nonspecific and reflect chronic inflammation. Thoracic imaging should be done in all dogs with suspected blastomycosis.
How many dogs respond to blastomycosis?
About 70% to 80% of dogs with blastomycosis respond completely to treatment with itraconazole, amphotericin B, or the two drugs in combination.1,2,17,37 When the drugs are used in combination, they are administered simultaneously initially, and then the itraconazole is continued as a sole agent once the desired cumulative dose of amphotericin B has been administered.
How to diagnose blastomycosis?
Blastomycosis is most reliably diagnosed by demonstrating the organism in cytologic or histologic samples from infected tissues. Samples from infected sites usually show evidence of pyogranulomatous or purulent inflammation, which should prompt a careful search for yeast cells.11
What is the greatest risk for developing clinically apparent blastomycosis in dogs?
RISK FACTORS. Dogs at greatest risk for developing clinically apparent blastomycosis are 2- to 4-year-old intact male large-breed dogs living in endemic regions .1,2,3,5 This group of dogs has a greater tendency to roam and to sniff and dig in the soil, resulting in greater exposure to the organism.
Why are dogs predisposed to blastomycosis?
Sporting dogs and hound breeds are predisposed, most likely because of increased exposure to high-risk areas during hunting. 4,5 Residence near a river or lake and access to recently excavated sites have been demonstrated to increase the risk of infection.7,8 Most cases of canine blastomycosis are diagnosed in late summer or early fall.2,5.
How does yeast infection in dogs occur?
Infection most commonly occurs after inhaling spores from contaminated soil. 1-3 At normal canine body temperature, the organism transforms to a yeast that can infect the lungs and spread systemically. Although infection almost always begins in the lungs before being disseminated through hematogenous or lymphatic routes to other body tissues, lung lesions occasionally resolve by the time infection in other sites becomes apparent.1-3 The most common sites of clinically apparent infection in dogs include the lungs, lymph nodes, eyes, skin, and bone.1,2,4,9 Subclinical or spontaneously resolving infection is uncommon.1
What percentage of dogs have ocular blastomycosis?
Signs of ocular blastomycosis are seen in 30%–50% of affected dogs and include blindness, uveitis, glaucoma, and retinal detachment. Lameness associated with fungal osteomyelitis or severe paronychia occurs in approximately one quarter of affected dogs.
When was the first veterinary manual published?
The Veterinary Manual was first published in 1955 as a service to the community.
How many dogs have pulmonary involvement?
Signs of pulmonary involvement are seen in as many as 85% of affected dogs. Severe pulmonary involvement results in hypoxemia, which indicates a poor prognosis. Lymph node involvement is seen in approximately half of affected dogs, which is about the same proportion of dogs that have cutaneous involvement.
Can a dog have blastomycosis?
Blastomycosis should be considered in dogs with draining cutaneous nodules and signs of respiratory disease. In cats, respiratory tract involvement is seen most frequently, followed by involvement of the CNS, regional lymph nodes, skin, eyes, and GI and urinary tracts.
Can dogs take itraconazole?
Most dogs will respond to retreatment with itraconazole. Other azoles such as fluconazole and ketoconazole are not as effective as itraconazole, but a study evaluating cost-effectiveness of fluconazole showed it to be a less expensive alternative, despite longer treatment times.
What is the treatment for feline blastomycosis?
Treatment for feline blastomycosis is a prolonged course of oral antifungal medications. The prognosis for feline blastomycosis is guarded, but it is improving with the availability of newer antifungal medications.
Where can I find blastomycosis in cats?
Though the infective spores generally are found in soil near the water, blastomycosis has been documented in many indoor-only cats as well as cats with access to the outdoors.
What is the disease caused by a dog's skin?
Blastomycosis. Blastomycosis is a fungal disease caused by the organism Blastomyces dermatitidis, and is more commonly found in dogs and people than in cats. The fungus lives in soil and infection usually occurs through inhalation of infective spores, but it is also possible for direct inoculation through a skin wound to cause disease.
Can dogs get blastomycosis?
A urine and blood test for blastomycosis is available for dogs, but data is very limited in cats, so diagnosis in cats is generally made through visualization of fungal organisms in infected tissues under the microscope . Treatment for feline blastomycosis is a prolonged course of oral antifungal medications.
Introduction
Blastomycosis is acquired by inhaling fungal spores and causes a primarily respiratory or disseminated infection. If the inoculum is small, and the animal is immunocompetent, the infection may be limited to the respiratory tract and may cause few or no clinical signs. Alternatively, it can be fatal if not diagnosed early.
Epidemiology
While blastomycosis may occur in a wide variety of animals, most diagnosed cases are in dogs. Enzootic areas for blastomycosis include the Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri river valleys, the Eastern Seaboard, Southern Canada, and areas adjacent to the Great Lakes (Figure).
Clinical Findings
The most common clinical findings are nonspecific and include loss of appetite, weight loss, and fever (Table 1). Respiratory abnormalities also are common, and radiographs show nodular or interstitial infiltrates, often referred to as a “snowstorm pattern” [3].
Treatment
Amphotericin B.
Summary
Generic FDA approved itraconazole is the treatment of choice, 5 mg/kg twice daily for 3 days and then once daily (do not combine with terbinafine, unnecessary). See dosing for cats, differs from dogs.
Introduction
Several studies have evaluated fluconazole and itraconazole for treatment of blastomycosis in dogs and humans, but none have determined the best treatment or duration of treatment. Only two studies in dogs were prospective (Table 1).
Treatment
FDA approved itraconazole is recommended for treatment of blastomycosis in dogs and humans [4,5]. Generic FDA approved itraconazole is less expensive than Sporanox® and achieves similar concentrations in the blood [6,7]. Itraconazole capsules should be administered with food to achieve maximum blood levels.
Life-Threatening Illness
Euthanasia may be avoided by an aggressive approach to life-threatening illness. Lipid or liposomal encapsulated (Abelcet® or Ambisome®) is recommended at a dosage of 1.0 mg/kg, three times weekly (or EOD) by intravenous infusion, over 4-6 hours for a cumulative dose up to 12 mg/kg (cat) or 24 mg/kg (dog) (Table 2).
Treatment Ocular Disease
The best treatment for ocular blastomycosis is uncertain. Some veterinary ophthalmologists prefer fluconazole because of higher penetration than itraconazole into ocular fluids and tissues [8].
Treatment CNS disease
Information on treatment of CNS blastomycosis is not available in veterinary patients. Initial treatment with a lipid or liposomal formulation of amphotericin B followed by fluconazole, itraconazole or voriconazole is recommended in humans [5].
Combined Treatment with Terbinafine
Some veterinarians recommend terbinafine in combination with other antifungal agents in dogs failing treatment. In vitro activity has been demonstrated with MICs below 0.39 µg/ml in 90% of strains [16].
What is the best treatment for blastomycosis in dogs?
Once your veterinarian has made a diagnosis of Blastomycosis, your pet will likely begin treatment with antifungal medication. In mild cases, this can be done at home using oral antifungals; usually, a drug called Itraconazole.
How long does it take for a dog to show signs of a bacterial infection?
After a dog is exposed, it can take weeks or months for signs to develop. General symptoms of infection in your dog include fever, loss of appetite, weight loss, and lethargy. Blastomycosis can be fatal if left untreated.
Can dogs get blastomycosis?
Blastomycosis is a fungal infection in dogs that can be life-threatening in some cases. It can also affect humans and other animals. Blastomycosis in dogs is the disease caused by being infected by a fungus called Blastomyces dermatitidis.
