Is Valley Fever contagious between pets? Valley Fever in dogs and cats is
not contagious between pets
, and can only be contracted through the inhalation of spores.
What are the symptoms of Valley Fever in cats?
The early signs of coccidioidomycosis include
fever, lethargy, lack of appetite, coughing, and joint pain
. The cat may develop lameness and/or weakness, as well as back and neck pain. In severe cases, if the organism spreads throughout the body, becoming systemic, the cat may develop seizures or blindness.
Is Valley Fever contagious in animals?
Yes. Pets, particularly dogs, can get valley fever, but
it is not contagious between animals and people
. Valley fever in dogs is similar to valley fever in humans. Like humans, many dogs that are exposed to Coccidioides never get sick.
Is Valley Fever contagious from dog to dog?
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. In other words,
an animal with valley fever is not contagious to other pets or your family members
.
Is Valley Fever fatal in dogs?
When Valley Fever spreads, it causes severe pain. In extreme cases, dogs can lose the use of their legs altogether.
Left untreated, it can even spread to your dog's nervous system, a development that can often be fatal
.
How do you get rid of Valley Fever in dogs?
Oral antifungal medication in the form of twice daily pills or capsules
is the usual treatment for Valley Fever. There are three common medications used to treat Valley Fever in dogs: Fluconazole (Diflucan) Itraconazole (Sporanox)
How is Valley Fever treated in cats?
The treatment for both dogs and cats with Valley Fever will typically include
an anti-fungal medication such as fluconazole (Diflucan®) or itraconazole (Itrafungol® and Sporanox®)
.
Can Valley Fever cause blindness in dogs?
Coccidiomycosis can cause a wide variety of clinical signs in different body systems, which may include the following: Eyes: Redness, cloudiness, discharge, swelling, squinting, elevation of the third eyelid, protrusion or enlargement of the eye, and
blindness may occur
.
Can a dog have Valley Fever without cough?
However, Valley Fever can occur in almost any bone or organ of dogs.
Sometimes a dog will not have any signs of a primary infection in the lungs, such as coughing
, but will only develop symptoms of disseminated disease, e.g., lameness, seizures.
Can Valley Fever affect the brain in dogs?
More than 90 percent of dogs that are treated for Valley Fever will survive, according to The University of Arizona.
Dogs with symptoms involving several parts of the body (particularly the brain) or that do not respond well to anti-fungal medication have a worse prognosis.
How long does Valley Fever last?
The symptoms of Valley fever usually last for
a few weeks to a few months
. However, some patients have symptoms that last longer than this, especially if the infection becomes severe. Approximately 5 to 10% of people who get Valley fever will develop serious or long-term problems in their lungs.
Can cats take Diflucan?
What is fluconazole? Fluconazole (brand name: Diflucan®) is an antifungal medication used to treat fungal infections, especially for infections in the brain or spinal cord.
Its use in cats, dogs, and small mammals to treat fungal infections is ‘off label' or ‘extra label'
.
Can cats get Candida?
Candidiasis is rare in cats
, but has been associated with oral and upper respiratory disease, lesions of the eye, infection of the space between the lungs and chest wall, intestinal disease, and bladder infection.
Can dogs get Valley Fever by eating dirt?
Experts say that valley fever is not contagious from one animal to another. Instead,
the fungal infection is spread directly from the soil
. Humans, dogs, and cats can all get valley fever by inhaling the released spores.
How do you test a dog for Valley Fever?
A Valley Fever test, Cocci test, or Cocci titer checks the blood to see if your dog is making antibodies against the Valley Fever fungus
. If the test is positive, it means your dog has been infected with the fungus. If the Valley Fever test is positive, the laboratory then performs a titer.
