Helping a dog with blastomycosis (blasto) requires prompt, long-term veterinary care, typically involving antifungal medication like Itraconazole for 4-6 months or longer. Treatment often requires managing symptoms with supportive care, such as oxygen therapy for severe breathing issues, and monitoring for relapses, which occur in about 20% of cases.

How do you treat blasto in dogs?

Itraconazole (5 mg/kg every 24 hours) is the treatment of choice for dogs and cats with blastomycosis. A minimum of 3 months of treatment is necessary, and the drug should be continued until active disease is not apparent.

Will my dog survive blasto?

Blastomycosis can be treated and most dogs have an excellent prognosis with therapy, especially if diagnosed and treatment is started early in the course of disease. However, long-term treatment (six or more months in many cases) is required and can be expensive.

What to feed a dog with blasto?

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

How long does it take to treat blastomycosis in dogs?

The infection can be treated in many cases using antifungal medication, but typically requires 4-6 months of treatment. The key is to diagnose the disease as soon as possible and start treatment right away. Approximately 50-75% of dogs with blastomycosis recover.

How we saved our dog from Blastomycosis

What kills blastomycosis?

The antifungal itraconazole is usually used to treat mild to moderate blastomycosis. Amphotericin B is usually recommended for severe blastomycosis. Healthcare providers may test patients' blood to check if there is enough antifungal medication in their body.

How long does blasto last?

Infection with Blastomyces species is asymptomatic in up to 50 per cent of cases. Incubation periods between exposure and clinical disease are typically 2 weeks to 3 months (median 43 days). Rarely, an incubation period may last many months to years due to reactivation or latent infections.

What are the first signs of blasto in dogs?

Fever, depression, weight loss, and loss of appetite are also common clinical signs. Draining skin lesions are seen in many cases. Infection of the eyes may cause sudden blindness. Lameness, orchitis (testicular inflammation), seizures, coughing, enlarged lymph nodes, and a variety of other signs may occur.

How much does it cost to treat blastomycosis in dogs?

Veterinary Cost

Blastomycosis is an expensive disease to diagnose and treat. Lab work, x-rays, and biopsy can cost anywhere between $500-$1500. Long-term antifungal medication can also be expensive. The monthly cost, depending on the dog's size and dose, may be between $150-$750.

What not to feed a dog with a fungal infection?

Examine your dog's diet.

Yeast loves sugar so avoid foods and treats loaded with refined carbohydrates like potatoes, corn, wheat, rice, honey, and high-fructose corn syrup should be cut out of your dog's diet. You should also avoid giving your dog any table food.

What is the #1 cause of death in dogs?

The leading cause of death in dogs overall is cancer, especially in older dogs, affecting about one in four dogs, with specific breeds like Golden Retrievers, Boxers, and Bernese Mountain Dogs being highly susceptible. However, causes vary significantly by age and breed, with younger dogs often dying from trauma, while older dogs and larger breeds face higher risks from organ system failures like neurological, cardiovascular, and gastrointestinal issues.
 

Can blasto go away on its own?

Although blastomycosis may go away on its own, doctors recommend that people with the condition receive medical treatment. This typically includes the antifungal medication itraconazole for mild to moderate cases, or amphotericin B in severe cases.

Can humans catch blasto from dogs?

Pets, particularly dogs, can get blastomycosis. Although it is extremely rare, it is possible for people to get infected by animals. Blastomycosis can spread from animals to people through bites. Veterinarians can also become infected from injuries caused by needlesticks contaminated from use on an infected animal.

Is blastomycosis painful for dogs?

Symptoms of blastomycosis vary depending on which organs are affected. They can include coughing, difficulty breathing, lethargy, loss of appetite, joint pain and fever. Blastomycosis can also cause unexplained skin and eye problems and may result in blindness.

What are the signs of blasto?

Symptoms

• Joint pain.
• Chest pain.
• Cough (may produce brown or bloody mucus)
• Fatigue.
• Fever.
• Night sweats.
• General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)
• Muscle pain.

How long can a dog live with a fungal infection?

Dogs with disseminated fungal infections have a poorer outlook, because they are often very sick at the time the veterinarian sees them. However, some studies have mentioned average survival times of greater than a year.

What if I can't afford chemo for my dog?

If you can't afford dog chemo, explore financial aid from pet charities (like The Magic Bullet Fund, The Pet Fund), ask your vet about payment plans or less costly alternatives, consider options like CareCredit/Scratchpay, look into vet schools or low-cost clinics, or research crowdfunding/clinical trials; if treatment isn't feasible, discuss quality of life and humane euthanasia with your vet, potentially surrendering the pet to a shelter if necessary.
 

Is blastomycosis painful?

Skin changes associated with blastomycosis often affect the face, chest, or back, and can be flat, raised, or crusted in appearance. Patients with genitourinary involvement may experience painful or difficult urination, testicular swelling, or pelvic pain.

How common is blasto in dogs?

Blastomycosis is most common in dogs residing in or visiting enzootic areas (Baumgardner et al. 1995). The incidence of blastomycosis in dogs is eight to ten times that of humans (Baumgardner et al. 1995; Herrmann et al.

How contagious is blasto?

This yeast may stay in your lungs and cause fungal pneumonia or spread through your bloodstream to other parts of your body. Blastomycosis is not contagious, meaning it is not spread from one person to the next.

What is the mortality rate for blastomycosis?

Prognosis. Published estimates of the case fatality rate for blastomycosis have varied from 4% to 78%. A 2020 meta-analysis of published studies found an overall mortality rate of 6.6%. This rose to 37% for immunocompromised patients and 75% for patients with ARDS.

What happens if blastomycosis goes untreated?

Untreated, these symptoms can progress to acute respiratory distress syndrome or an invasive infection. An invasive infection happens when Blastomyces spores travel via your bloodstream and impact other body parts including your skin, bones, spinal cord and brain. These complications can be fatal.

How to prevent dogs from getting blasto?

Because blastomycosis is more common in certain geographic regions, the best way to reduce your dog's risk is to be cautious in areas where the fungus is known to live, especially around moist soil, wooded areas, and water sources.

What is blastomycosis in the yard?

This disease is rare and mostly affects those who are involved in outdoor activities, as the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis, is found in moist soil of rotting plants, leaves or wood. People can get blastomycosis by disturbing infected soil or plants, which releases tiny spores into the air.

Can dogs get blasto in the winter?

For example, cases in dogs appeared earlier than humans in the St. Croix River valley, which helped define that area as endemic. As with human cases, blastomycosis is diagnosed more often in the fall and early winter.

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