The valley fever medication fluconazole has become costly, rising recently from $20 a month to
as much as $200
.
How long can a dog live with Valley Fever?
Your veterinarian will take blood samples and potentially x-rays to diagnose your pet, then decide upon the proper treatment and duration or care. Valley Fever is almost always treated through antifungal medication, and based on how far the disease has progressed, it can last anywhere from
6 months to a lifetime
.
Can dogs recover from Valley Fever without medication?
A small number of dogs, usually those that develop disseminated disease, will die from valley fever. However,
the majority of dogs that are treated appropriately will recover from this disease
. Your veterinarian will periodically repeat the antibody titer test to determine when the antifungal medication can be stopped.
How much does a Valley Fever test cost?
The cost for the blood test is
$65
. But if you want a valley fever blood test, you can't simply walk into the Public Health lab and be tested. It has to be ordered by a health care provider.
Can you prevent Valley Fever in dogs?
Currently,
there is no sure fire way to prevent Valley Fever in pets short of never residing in or traveling through the areas where the fungus grows
. Valley Fever endemic areas are among the fastest growing regions in the country, which makes encounters of animals and people with the fungus a likely event.
Is Valley Fever painful in dogs?
Although
healthy adult dogs may experience no symptoms of valley fever, puppies, senior dogs and dogs with a compromised immune system may experience symptoms ranging from coughing to painful joints
.
What are the side effects of Valley Fever in dogs?
- coughing.
- fever.
- weight loss.
- lack of appetite.
- lack of energy.
How do they test for valley fever in dogs?
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.
How long does it take to recover from valley fever?
Individuals who are otherwise healthy will normally recover completely within
6 months
. In patients with severe symptoms, complete recovery may take up to a year. Fatigue and joint pains may persist for longer.
How do you check for valley fever?
The most common way that healthcare providers test for Valley fever is by
taking a blood sample and sending it to a laboratory to look for Coccidioides antibodies or antigens
. Healthcare providers may do imaging tests such as chest x-rays or CT scans of your lungs to look for Valley fever pneumonia.
Can dogs transmit Valley Fever to humans?
Is Valley Fever contagious from animal to animal or animal to human? Valley Fever is considered a noncontagious disease. Even if multiple animals or humans are affected in a household, each infection was acquired by inhaling spores from the soil.
Coughing cannot spread it between animals or people
.
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.
