Valley fever, or coccidioidomycosis, is on many owners' minds in the Central Valley. This page covers what is known and what is not.
How dogs get it
The fungus lives in soil in parts of the southwestern United States, including California. Dogs inhale spores when wind or digging stirs up dust, and dogs that dig and sniff the ground are at higher risk. The California Department of Public Health says it cannot spread between pets, or between pets and people, though a pet and owner may be exposed to the same dust.
Where it occurs in California
CDPH names the Central Valley and Central Coast as high-risk areas, with most reported human cases in the southern Central Valley and cases also rising in the northern Central Valley. Dixon is in the Sacramento-area part of the valley. The sources used here give no county rate for dogs, so the practical answer is to treat it as a possible cause of a cough that does not clear up and to tell your vet where your dog has lived and traveled.
Signs
According to the AKC many infected dogs show mild signs or none. When signs appear they can include a dry cough, fever, lethargy, loss of appetite and weight loss, and if the infection spreads, limping, joint pain or swelling, and sometimes neurologic signs. Signs typically appear 7 to 21 days after exposure.
Diagnosis and treatment
A veterinarian usually runs a blood test for antibodies called a titer, and the first result may be negative, so repeat testing three to four weeks later is sometimes needed. Treatment is an antifungal medication such as fluconazole or itraconazole, often for months and sometimes up to a year or lifelong, with liver monitoring. All medications are given at no extra charge at the kennel if your dog needs them during a stay.
Reducing exposure and boarding
- Keep dogs from digging and sniffing in dirt and rodent holes in dusty places.
- Avoid construction sites and windy, dusty fields where practical.
- Grass, gravel or mulch ground cover cuts dust.
- Cough after a stay is more often kennel cough than Valley fever; see kennel cough symptoms, and call your vet if a cough lingers.