Description: A fungal infection that can affect dogs and even people and caused by a mold, Blastomyces dermatitidis. Most hunting and sporting dogs are at higher risk for contracting Blastomycosis because they are usually exposed to acid soil in wet areas. The disease incidence is much higher in males than females. A dog is infected by Blastomycosis when it is able to inhale spores that abound on the soil. In the lungs, the spores create a self-limiting pulmonary infection. Puncture wounds in the skin can also be a portal of entry for the spores. The generalized form of the disease is the most common manifestation of infected dogs. From the lungs, the infection is spread via the blood circulation or lymphatic system towards the brain, skin, eyes, lymph nodes, subcutaneous tissues, and urogenital syste. Clinical signs are non-specific and may include coughing, enlarged lymph nodes, eye disease, exercise intolerance, bloody or purulent skin lesions, and a fever that does not respond to antibiotics.Diagnosis is confirmed when the causative organism is demonstrated in samples from lymph nodes or fluid from skin lesions. A dog with Blastomycosis is treated with Amphoterecin B which is administered intravenously.

Breeds Commonly Affected: hunting and sporting breeds