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We lost our four-legged family member and best friend "Buddy" to Valley Fever on January 16th. It started in October out of nowhere. We went to bed as usual and by the morning he was having problems walking and eating. It was diagnosed as a neurological condition and he was sent for a ct scan. They found a bulging disc in his neck that seemed to be pushing on his spinal cord. He was given steroids for the inflammation but as a side effect it suppresses the immune system as well.
A couple weeks later, his leg swelled up and a small puncture wound was found. It appeared to be an injury and he was given antibiotics. Three weeks after that the side of his face swelled up with no explanation and again given antibiotics.
One month later, he was throwing up so severely along with a fever that he had to be hospitalized for dehydration caused by a bad urinary tract infection. We weren't sure he was going to make it at that time but he was a fighter. It was at this point the vet determined something else must be going on. He was tested for Valley Fever that came back negative but as a precaution was put on medication anyway.
At the beginning of January, his lymph node swelled up. They were able to draw fluid from it and sent that off to be tested for the fungus. That is when we had confirmation that everything he was going through was due to Valley Fever. During this whole time his walking was deteriorating, his eating had decreased and he was on too many medications to list. His last morning he had a seizure that meant this terrible fungus had spread to his brain. He had developed Disseminated Valley Fever and passed away. There was nothing more we could do!
We love and miss him very much and I'm sharing this because we do not want anyone to go through what we did. It has been very difficult knowing we tried everything and it wasn't enough for him!
"Thank you, Aryn and friends. A vaccine to prevent Valley Fever in dogs and humans is under development. It will help prevent long term treatment and tragic losses of dogs and people to this potentially deadly fungal disease."
- Lisa Shubitz, DVM, Valley Fever Center for Excellence
Help fight to save lives! With awareness, it could make a difference for you or someone you know! It not only affects dogs but other animals and people too! A vaccine already exists and once approved will be available for dogs within a couple of years and then ultimately for people!
All proceeds will go to the Valley Fever Vaccine Project!
For more information on Valley Fever and the Vaccine go to: https://vfce.arizona.edu/valley-fever-dogs/how-dogs-get-valley-fever
In areas like Southern Arizona, 10% of dogs are likely to become sick with Valley Fever each year.
About 30% of dogs who inhale Valley Fever spores experience symptoms of the disease and should be seen by their veterinarian.
About 70% of dogs who inhale Valley Fever spores control them quickly. These dogs are asymptomatic and are probably immune to the disease afterwards. This is very similar to what happens in people.
The approximate cost of a months worth of Fluconazole treatment is $200.
The average cost to diagnose a dog with Valley Fever, including examination, blood work, x-rays, and cocci serology is $500.
