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Valley Fever in Animals
Valley fever is caused by a fungus that lives in the desert soil in the southwestern United States
Dogs comprise the majority of valley fever cases in animals
Approximately 6-10% of dogs living in Pima, Pinal, and Maricopa counties in Arizona will become sick with Valley Fever each year.
Not all dogs who breath in the spores will become sick
About 70% of dogs who inhale Valley Fever spores are asymptomatic and possibly immune to the disease afterwards.
As part of its life cycle, the fungus grows in the soil and dries turning into strands of cells that are inhaled.
Once inhaled the spores grow and turn into endo spores. This process continues and spreads the infection in the host until the immune system surrounds and destroys it. The sickness Valley Fever occurs when the immune system does not kill the spores quick enough and they spread.
There is no way to prevent valley fever
You cannot prevent Valley Fever but you can limit the likelihood of exposure by avoiding activities that generate dust. Such as hiking, digging, sniffing.
A vaccine is under development a. It is possible a vaccine will be available in the future to prevent Valley Fever or make it only a very mild illness. Now that we know what Valley Fever is, how do we treat it?
