The fungus is contracted through the dog's nasal passages and then passes into the brain, eyes, lungs, and other tissues. It is usually rare in dogs. The condition or disease described in this medical article can affect both dogs and cats. If you would like to learn more about how this disease affects cats, please visit this page in the PetMD health library.
Symptoms will vary and depend greatly on the organ systems affected by the fungus. However, animals may have a history of problems for weeks or months, be especially sluggish, and in less than 50 percent of animals have a mild fever. Other symptoms include:. The Cryptococcus yeast is usually inhaled through the nasal passages.
Occasionally, these organisms may reach the terminal airways, although it is unlikely. Any nervous systems shown in your animal may require inpatient supportive care. Dogs with generalized disease may have the following signs:. Spread to the skin with draining ulceration may occur primary infection through the skin is rare.
Coccidioidomycosis is diagnosed using x-rays and laboratory tests. In some dogs that develop signs, the disease will resolve without treatment. However, if chronic respiratory signs occur or the infection involves many body organs and tissues, longterm antifungal treatment is needed.
In cases where the infection has spread, treatment of at least 6 to 12 months is typical. With treatment, the likelihood of recovery from the primary respiratory form is quite good. Recovery in the disseminated case varies with the location and severity, and must be considered guarded. Also see professional information regarding coccidioidomycosis Coccidioidomycosis Coccidioidomycosis Valley Fever is a dustborne, noncontagious infection caused by the dimorphic fungus Coccidioides immitis.
Infections are limited to arid and semiarid regions of the southwestern Cryptococcosis is a fungal disease that may affect the respiratory tract especially the nasal cavity , central nervous system, eyes, and skin.
The causal fungi, Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii , are found worldwide in soil and bird manure, especially in pigeon droppings.
Transmission is by inhalation of spores or contamination of wounds. Immunosuppressed humans and animals are at increased risk for developing cryptococcosis. In dogs, the disease often spreads throughout the body, with central nervous system or eye involvement. Signs are most commonly related to dysfunction in these areas.
Central nervous system signs include head tilt, the back-and-forth eye movements called nystagmus, paralysis of the facial nerve leading to inability to blink, poor coordination, circling, and seizures.
Eye problems may include bleeding in the retina and inflammation of the eye. The disease is also often found in the nasal passages and the lungs.
Other tissues that may be affected include the kidneys, lymph nodes, spleen, liver, thyroid, adrenal glands, pancreas, bone, gastrointestinal tract, muscles, heart, prostate, and tonsils. Cryptococcosis is diagnosed with laboratory tests, usually by taking samples of the affected area or any discharge. Tests may also be performed on urine, blood, or cerebrospinal fluid. Various antifungal drugs may be prescribed for the treatment of cryptococcosis; but most affected pets require prolonged treatment up to several months , depending on the severity and extent of the disease.
Treatment for cryptococcosis may include surgery to remove lesions in the nasal cavity or on the bridge of the nose. The outlook for recovery is poor when infected dogs have widespread nervous system involvement. Also see professional information regarding cryptococcosis Cryptococcosis Cryptococcosis is a systemic fungal disease that may affect the respiratory tract especially the nasal cavity , CNS, eyes, and skin particularly of the face and neck of cats.
The causal fungi Geotrichosis is a rare fungal infection caused by Geotrichum candidum , a fungus of soil, decaying organic matter, and contaminated food. This fungus is part of the normal flora of the mouth and intestinal tract in humans. The organism can cause generalized disease in dogs. Signs of infection vary based on the organs involved and may include coughing, fever, poor appetite, excessive intake of water, progressive difficulty in breathing, vomiting, and jaundice yellow appearance of the skin and mucous membranes.
The disease may progress rapidly and is usually fatal. Treatment for disseminated geotrichosis may be attempted with antifungal drugs but most often is not successful. Histoplasmosis is a noncontagious infection caused by the fungus Histoplasma capsulatum , which is found worldwide.
The organism responsible for the disorder is a soil fungus that is widely distributed particularly by bird and bat populations in the midwestern and southern United States, especially in river valleys. Infection occurs when spores in the air are inhaled. The lungs and the lymph nodes in the chest are the sites of primary infection, although the gastrointestinal tract may be affected in dogs. The organisms enter the bloodstream from the primary site of infection and become dispersed throughout the body; they may localize in bone marrow or the eyes.
The signs vary and are nonspecific, reflecting the various organ involvements. Chronic digestive signs, especially diarrhea, are usually most obvious in dogs. Many dogs have a long course of weight loss which can progress to emaciation ; coughing; fever; anemia; enlarged liver and spleen, or lymph nodes; and digestive ulcers.
Difficulty breathing, skin sores, joint disease, and eye conditions can also be seen. Sudden histoplasmosis can cause death in 2 to 5 weeks. Diagnosis requires identification of the fungus in body fluids or tissues. Blood, urine, or cerebrospinal fluid tests may also be used. Treatment of disseminated histoplasmosis is difficult.
It requires the use of antifungal drugs and supportive treatment such as adequate nutrition, additional liquids hydration , and control of secondary bacterial infections. Antifungal treatment must be continued for prolonged periods of time and may be expensive. Also see professional information regarding histoplasmosis Histoplasmosis Histoplasmosis is a chronic, noncontagious, disseminated, granulomatous disease of people and other animals caused by the dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum.
The organism is commonly found Mycetomas are infections of the skin and underlying tissues that have the appearance of nodules or tumors. When such lesions are caused by funguses, they are known as eumycotic mycetomas. The fungus proliferates in the lesions and organizes into aggregates known as granules or grains. Granules may be of various colors and sizes, depending on the species of fungus involved.
Most eumycotic mycetomas are confined to the tissue beneath the skin, but some may be extensions of fungal infections in the abdomen. Inflammation of the membrane lining the abdominal walls or abdominal masses is typically seen with cases of white-grain mycetomas. Black-grain mycetomas are usually characterized by skin nodules on the legs and feet or on the face. When the feet or limbs are involved, the infection may extend to the underlying bone. A mycetoma is diagnosed by identifying the fungus within its contents.
A tissue biopsy may be necessary. The outlook for abdominal mycetomas is guarded because tissue involvement is usually extensive. Skin mycetomas, while not life-threatening, are often difficult to resolve. The fungus behind the disease is known as Coccidioides , and it tends to grow in areas with low rainfall and high summer temperatures, such as the southwestern U. The fungal spores become airborne when the soil is disturbed, such as by wind.
People and animals can then inhale them. Over 18, U. This marked an increase of nearly 3, reports from the previous year. In people, the disease can cause symptoms such as tiredness, a cough, fever, a rash, headaches and more. But it can also affect our pets. Dogs are very susceptible to Valley fever. According to the University of Arizona's Valley Fever Center for Excellence VFCE , dogs traveling through areas such as the central deserts of California, southwestern Texas or the low desert regions of Arizona and New Mexico are about as likely to contract the disease as their human owners.
Overuse of antibiotics or steroids is also one of the leading causes of yeast overgrowth. Here's why. A dog's gut has billions of beneficial bacteria the good guys that keep fungus in check. Antibiotics do an excellent job of killing the harmful bacteria, but, unfortunately, the "good guys" get wiped out too.
This leaves the door open for the fungus to take up root and grow out of control. Prolonged use of steroids causes a similar situation. Steroids suppress the immune system, again leaving the door wide open for yeast. Healthy dogs that are fed a nutritious diet don't usually succumb to yeast infections.
However, any dog can be affected by yeast overpopulation. The ones that are vulnerable are those that have existing health issues, are on antibiotics, or have been on steroids for a prolonged period. Also, certain breeds are more likely to suffer from a yeast infection than any others, these include:. Managing yeast infections in dogs is tricky because once the fungus starts to overpopulate, it's difficult to get under control.
The most effective way is to treat the digestive tract and skin simultaneously AND ensure the immune system is working optimally. As mentioned above, yeast starts to grow out of control when the immune system is compromised. Starting here helps your dog's immune system fight potential invaders such as yeast.
The first thing to do is to ensure the digestive tract has all the essential nutrients it needs to work efficiently. Adding a supplement that contains beneficial amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 is a good start.
Both omega-3 and omega-6 are essential fatty acids EFAs that are essential to dogs and support a healthy immune system. These EFAs are found in fish oils, salmon, in particular, has an abundant supply. Be careful when selecting salmon or salmon oil as there is a vast difference between wild-caught salmon and farm-raised salmon. Be sure to choose wild-caught over farm-raised salmon as studies have shown that farmed fish is full of contaminants. You can find my review of salmon oil , here which goes into more detail of why it'll help with a yeast infection.
Click on the image above to buy or use this link to go to the home page of my store that contains other natural products for dogs. Or, if you'd rather purchase on Amazon, you can use the below link. Or you can even purchase online from Walmart. Another excellent supplement for the digestive tract is adding a good source of probiotics to your dog's diet. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help to fight bacteria and crowd out yeast. Look for a brand that has been formulated for dogs and has at least ten different strains of live probiotics.
At a minimum ensure it contains L. Formulated for dogs by a Naturopathic Doctor it contains 14 strains of friendly bacteria and comes in an easy to administer powder. Click on the above image to purchase from my online store. Digestive enzymes assist in improving the absorption of nutrients necessary for a healthy immune system. They aid in balancing nutrients and enzymes in the gut. Many commercial dog foods put stress on a dog's digestive system as they lack the enzymes needed to breakdown the food.
Adding a quality digestive enzyme to their food enables their gut to digest the food. It also brings the nutrient intake closer to that of being fed a raw food diet. It works in harmony with Total-Biotics to strengthen the immune system and has 16 different enzymes to break down foods. The best diet for dogs that suffer from yeast overgrowth is either a raw diet or home-cooked meals based on meat and vegetables. Most commercial dog food, especially kibble, contain high amounts of carbohydrates and sugar, both of which feed yeast.
And you don't want to feed yeast, the aim is to starve it. Yeast thrives on sugar so any diet high in sugar will make a yeast problem worse.
That includes carbohydrates because carbs break down into sugar once in the system. Even most grain-free diets aren't free of carbohydrates.
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