Introduction
Histoplasmosis in dogs is a disease that develops from exposure to a fungus named Histoplasma capsulatum. This type of fungus is found in soils that are rich in bird and bat manure; it is most commonly found in soils around the Mississippi and Ohio River valleys. Dogs are exposed to the fungus when they eat soil infected with the fungus or if they inhale the fungus through sniffing the soil. Histoplasmosis can cause serious and life threatening symptoms in dogs, and prompt medical treatment is necessary for a full and speedy recovery.
Symptoms of Histoplasmosis
Once the fungus enters the dog’s respiratory tract or stomach, the fungus moves into the bloodstream and spreads throughout the body. The most common symptoms of histoplasmosis that pet owners may notice in their dogs include: increasing weight loss, a chronic cough, problems breathing, depression, lameness, and diarrhea which won’t go away. As the fungus begins to multiply and affect organs in the body, symptoms on the skin may appear mainly in the form of ulcers and lesions which weep fluids.
Inside the dog’s body, the fungus can cause damage to multiple organs. As a result, the liver and spleen become enlarged, small lumps can occur on the lung tissue, ulcers may appear on the tonsils or inside the stomach, and lymph nodes become swollen.
Histoplasmosis can be fatal in 2 to 5 weeks if the disease is not treated. Fortunately, histoplasmosis can be diagnosed through fungal cultures and treated successfully with oral anti-fungal medications.