[pyrnet] Fw: Valley Fever in Dogs

["Barb Bowes" <greatpyr@enter.net>]

Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2009 4:06 PM
Subject: Valley Fever in Dogs


According to the NYS DOH epidemiologist, the incidence of something
called Valley Fever has sharply increased with the number of dogs,
mostly puppies, being transported into the State from the Southwest.
Valley Fever is a fungal infection that afflicts animals and humans; it
is spread by spores in the respiratory tract.

The symptoms initially mimic kennel cough: coughing, fever, malaise,
inappetite, lethargy. However, the customary drug treatments for kennel
cough and pneumonia are ineffective. The resulting systemic infection
moves from the lungs to other organs, causing parvo-like diarrhea with
drastic weight loss and dehydration, pericarditis, and/or immune system
failures. Untreated, mortality is very high.

The good news is that there is a test for VF and effective drug
treatments if caught in time. The bad news is that few of any  Vets in
the Eastern States think to test for it, since it is only found in dry,
hot climes. Anytime we are contacted by someone with a sick dog or puppy
who was adopted from OK, TX, AZ, SoCA, NV, NM, either from a shelter
that has imported from there or directly through the internet, we should
suggest a Valley Fever test.

I recall the poor pups that have been brought to our attention in the
last year with intractable symptoms such as the above
and slap myself upside the head; why didn't we think of this in time to
at least try to help them!?! Please put the word out as widely as you
can...not to "close the barn door" against anybody but to open
provincial minds to important information that might spare further
heartbreak.

Thanks for your attention,
Nicole