Epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment of blastomycosis in dogs and cats

Clin Tech Small Anim Pract. 2005 Nov;20(4):233-9. doi: 10.1053/j.ctsap.2005.07.004.

Abstract

Blastomycosis is one of the most common systemic fungal diseases in dogs in North America, but it is rarely diagnosed in cats. The typical route of infection is inhalation of aerosolized conidia of Blastomyces dermatitidis. From the respiratory tract, the developing yeast form may disseminate throughout the body and affect multiple organ systems, most commonly the lymphatic, skeletal and central nervous systems, eyes and skin. Disseminated disease often is associated with nonspecific signs of illness including lethargy, inappetence and fever, as well as signs referable to specific organ systems like chronic cough and dyspnea, peripheral lymphadenopathy, endophthalmitis, and central nervous signs. Diagnosis is typically made by detection of Blastomyces dermatitidis yeast in affected tissues by fine-needle aspiration cytology or histopathology. The treatment of choice is itraconazole. Prognosis is fair in dogs without central nervous disease and guarded in cats.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Blastomycosis / diagnosis
  • Blastomycosis / veterinary*
  • Canada / epidemiology
  • Cat Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Cat Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Cat Diseases / drug therapy
  • Cat Diseases / epidemiology
  • Cat Diseases / pathology
  • Cats
  • Dog Diseases / diagnosis*
  • Dog Diseases / diagnostic imaging
  • Dog Diseases / drug therapy
  • Dog Diseases / epidemiology
  • Dog Diseases / pathology
  • Dogs
  • Radiography
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents