Dogs primarily contract Valley Fever in the low desert regions of Arizona, New Mexico and
southwestern Texas and the central deserts of California. Dogs accompanying people traveling
through these areas or wintering in these warm climates have about the same chance as their
owners of being infected. ...
Symptoms
The most common early symptoms of primary pulmonary Valley Fever
in dogs are:
• coughing
• fever
• weight loss
• lack of appetite
• lack of energy
Some or all of these symptoms may be present as a result of infection in the lungs. As
the infection progresses, dogs can develop a severe pneumonia that is visible on x-rays.
Sometimes the coughing is caused by pressure of swollen lymph nodes near the heart pressing on
the dog’s windpipe and irritating it. These dogs sound like they have bronchitis.
Additional symptoms develop when the infection spreads outside the lungs
and causes systemic or disseminated disease. This form of Valley Fever is almost
always more serious than when it is only in the lungs. Signs of disseminated
Valley Fever can include:
• lameness or swelling of limbs
• back or neck pain
• seizures and other manifestations of central nervous system swelling
• soft swellings under the skin that resemble abscesses
• swollen lymph nodes under the chin, in front of the shoulder blades, or behind
the stifles
• non-healing skin ulcerations or draining tracts that ooze fluid
• eye inflammation with pain or cloudiness[/b]
