Valley Fever in Kern County Dogs

Signs to watch for

• A dry, harsh cough that lasts weeks and does not respond to the usual treatments
• Fever that comes and goes, lethargy, poor appetite, weight loss
• Lameness or swelling in a limb, sometimes shifting from leg to leg, which happens when the infection reaches bone
• In advanced cases: eye inflammation, skin sores that will not heal, seizures

Why it gets missed

The early picture looks like kennel cough or a soft-tissue injury, so it is often treated as something else first. The tell is duration: a cough or a limp that is still there after a course of treatment, in a dog that lives in this county, is worth testing for. Diagnosis usually involves blood testing and often radiographs.

Treatment

Valley fever is treated with antifungal medication, and the course is long, commonly six to twelve months, sometimes longer, occasionally lifelong. Most dogs do well, but stopping early is the main reason cases relapse. It is a marathon, and it is worth knowing that going in.

Reducing exposure

• Discourage digging, which puts a dog's nose right in the spores.
• Keep pets indoors during dust storms and high wind.
• Damp down loose dirt in areas your dog uses heavily.
• There is no vaccine currently available for dogs.

When to call

If your dog has coughed for more than two weeks, is limping without an injury you can point to, or is losing weight without an obvious reason, have them seen. Living in Kern County is itself a piece of the diagnostic picture.