As we all know, there are countless diseases out there that can affect our pets, and it's part of our responsibility to guard against them. One that can have devastating affects on both man and dog is Blastomycosis – a
. Many people think that fungal diseases are nothing serious, and it probably only affects the skin. That's right, for most of their kind, but not for Blastomycosis. After giving you the lousy and boring speech, it's time to for me to educate you (if you don't know anything about the ailment) about the disorder. Blastomycosis looks like a white mold – you can see it in acid soil near rivers and other flowing bodies of waters near the “woody places”.
They can also grow on wood, specially those that are damp and rotten. With that in mind, it's safe to say they're in “season” during rainy times. Who and what is affected by this? Well aside from affecting man and dog health, horses and sea lions are known to have been possible candidates for contracting it. But we wouldn't give a rat's ass for that, we're dog owners, so we should be looking out for number one and two (you and your pet). How can you contract Blastomycosis? Well it can get into your system through inhaling it – that's why, according to statistics, canine are 10 times more likely to contract it.
So just what does it do anyway? When it gets into your lungs, the tiny suckers multiply and spread throughout the blood. Then, it hits the other systems and organs in the body, such as the skin, bones, brain, etc. That in turn will cause a variety of
, which may include cuts or open wounds developing on the pooch's skin and the inflammation of its bones (can you imagine how painful that is?). As it spreads to the other organs in the body, other symptoms will arise in your pet, such as blood in its snot. You'll also notice that it's being lazier than usual.
An example of that would be it staying in bed for longer durations of time, and refusing to exercise and even play. If it does walk, you'll probably notice that it has difficulty in doing so – this is because of the pain it feels in its joints and muscles. Another sign would be difficulty in breathing. You may also be seeing it cough from time to time. It may be making a general “moaning” sound, as if it were in pain. A sudden loss of appetite may follow, which leads to eventual weight lost – no matter what kind of dog food you'd give it, it wouldn't eat that much of it.
Take note of any changes in its body temperature – a fever is also a plausible sign. If Blastomycosis is left untreated, the affects it has on the body grows worse, and in time will develop “brain problem” symptoms. If you suspect you pet to have contracted the
, don't make any hesitations with bringing it to a vet for a check-up. The veterinarian will diagnose the severity of its condition, and then suggest the proper treatment program.
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