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.
Do you always test positive for Valley Fever?
While positive serological results almost always mean that a patient has Valley Fever, a third or more of patients with Valley Fever may actually have negative results. Therefore, it may be necessary to repeat the serologic test periodically.
How long can a dog live with Valley Fever?
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. The earlier you catch this disease, the shorter treatment will typically have to last.
What medication is given to dogs for Valley Fever?
There are three common medications used to treat Valley Fever in dogs: Fluconazole (Diflucan) Itraconazole (Sporanox) Ketoconazole (Nizoral)
Does Valley fever show up in blood work?
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.
Does Valley fever ever go away?
In some people who get valley fever, the infection will go away on its own in a few weeks. However, antifungal treatment is recommended for certain patient groups, such as those at high risk for developing the severe forms of the disease.
How much does it cost to treat a dog with Valley Fever?
The valley fever medication fluconazole has become costly, rising recently from $20 a month to as much as $200.
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.
Do you need a negative Valley fever test?
However, some very sick animals have low titers, or even negative Valley Fever tests. For these dogs, other diagnostic tests are necessary for diagnosing the illness. X-rays, blood cell counts, biopsies, and microscopic examination of cellular specimens are a few of the tests your veterinarian may need to run.
Do you need to test your dog for Valley fever?
If your dog lives in a region where Valley Fever is typical, your dog could need a Valley Fever test for any illness that manifests the common clinical signs – coughing, fever, weight loss, etc.
What kind of disease is Valley fever in dogs?
Valley Fever in Dogs. What is Valley Fever? Valley Fever is a disease caused by a fungus known as Coccidiodes immitis. Although the proper name for this disease is “coccidioidomycosis”, it is most often called Valley Fever, “California disease”, “Desert rheumatism”, or “San Joaquin Valley Fever”.
What does a titer mean on a valley fever test?
If the Valley Fever test is positive, the laboratory then performs a titer. The titer measures how much antibody your dog is making against the fungus. A titer is obtained by doubling dilutions of the positive blood (1:4, 1:8, 1:16, 1:32 . . .) until the test becomes negative.
However, some very sick animals have low titers, or even negative Valley Fever tests. For these dogs, other diagnostic tests are necessary for diagnosing the illness. X-rays, blood cell counts, biopsies, and microscopic examination of cellular specimens are a few of the tests your veterinarian may need to run.
How can I tell if my dog has Valley fever?
A blood test (titer test) can reveal if there are antibodies against the Valley Fever organism. This may indicate if your dog has the infection. I’ll talk more about diagnosis in a bit. Here is a list of the more common symptoms in dogs.
Is it possible for a dog to die from Valley fever?
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.
If the Valley Fever test is positive, the laboratory then performs a titer. The titer measures how much antibody your dog is making against the fungus. A titer is obtained by doubling dilutions of the positive blood (1:4, 1:8, 1:16, 1:32 . . .) until the test becomes negative.