This is our experience with valley fever and what we learned about it. Isla came down with valley fever May 2022. It’s a scary disease that can affect humans and animals. It was new to us with moving to Arizona recently.
Valley Fever and Miss Isla
(Click here to find out Isla’s backstory and how she came to be part of the Insane Dogs!!)
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Isla's Journey with Valley Fever Begins
Our experience with valley fever began in May of 2022 with Miss Isla being diagnosed positive for the disease. The first symptom we noticed was she was developing a cough. At first it wasn’t a really bad cough and it seemed to come and go.
Next we noticed that she was starting to act a little lethargic. Not all the time. But things like going on walks and going to the dog park seemed to wear her out and they never had in the past.
Another sign was she was not eating as well. Isla has always been a bit of a picky eater so that in itself didn’t alarm us, but with the other symptoms it became concerning.
At that point, we decided the best option was to get a vet appointment to get her checked out. I called our vet and the earliest appointment we could get was three weeks out. Of course, I was hoping for something sooner but took this time since it was all they had.
After a few days, her cough was getting worse and she seemed to be having less and less energy. So, on a Saturday morning I called our vet again to see if I could get an earlier appointment. Although they didn’t have anything sooner, they told me they do walk in appointments on Sundays from 8am – 2pm. Thus we could bring her in then to have her checked out.
What is Valley Fever?
Subsequently, I have learned a lot about this disease after Isla’s experience with valley fever. This is my very abbreviated description of what it is:
Valley fever is prevalent in the SW United States and parts of Mexico and Central America. The proper name is coccidioidomycosis. Fungal spores that grow in the soil are the cause of the disease. Dogs will get valley fever by inhaling these spores once they are blown into the air or from nosing around in the dirt. These spores will grow in their lungs until they burst into endospores. Thereafter they will then continue to spread in the lungs and/or other areas of the body.
Symptoms can include coughing, lethargy, lameness, seizures, sores, and weight loss. Furthermore, it is not just a disease that dogs catch, humans and other animals such as cats can catch valley fever. Fortunately, it is not contagious.
Read here for more in depth info on valley fever.
The Vet Trip
Sunday morning, we headed to the vet with Isla. We left a little early, thinking that if we got there before they opened, we would be able to get in quickly. As we pull in, we can see that there is already a line outside. Consequently that meant we would be waiting a while.
Since it is May in Arizona, it is already extremely hot. So my husband waited in the vehicle with Isla and the air conditioning while I went up to wait in line. Once in line I was handed a sign in sheet. I added my name and phone number to the sheet, and they would call or text when it was close to our time.
We did not really have another option but to wait. Isla was not feeling well, and we needed to have her seen by the vet quickly. So, the three of us waited in the air-conditioned vehicle to avoid the crowded vet’s office.
The Diagnosis
After about 3 hours of waiting, they finally called us back to a room. First they took her temperature; it was just above 104. Normal for dogs is 101-102.5. We explained her symptoms and they immediately suspected valley fever. Next, they took her to the back and did a chest x-ray and took blood to test. The test would take about three days to get the results back, but the chest x-ray pretty much confirmed valley fever. Finally after six hours we were back home and in wait mode for the results of the blood test. In the meantime they had given us a weeks’ worth of fluconazole (an anti-fungal medication).
Three days later, we got the call from the vet. The test results were negative. However, they still believed with her symptoms and the x-ray, that Isla had valley fever. Since we had caught it early, that could be the reason for the negative result. Thus we were to keep her on Fluconazole and have her re-tested in 3-4 months. They also suggested milk thistle to help with her liver health, as fluconazole can cause liver toxicity.
Isla's Recovery
After about a week on fluconazole, Isla started to feel better. Even though she still had a cough, she was starting to enjoy going on walks and playing again. We had her re-tested for valley fever in November and it was positive this time, but it was the lowest possible positive reading. Overall, it took about 6 months for her energy to really come back. And it was about 8 months for her cough to be just about gone. We were able to cut her fluconazole dose in half. The next step is to have her re-tested in a little over a month with hopes that it comes back negative.
From everything I have read, we were very lucky that we caught it early and that it hadn’t spread to other parts of her body. It is something we will need to continue to monitor as even though she may test negative, and it appears to be gone, the symptoms can come back. Sometimes dogs end up having to be on medication for the rest of their lives. We are hopeful that she will continue to improve and stay healthy. It has been wonderful to have our little miss Isla back to normal.
Update on Isla’s story!!
Since writing this post, we had Miss Isla re-tested for valley fever. The test came back negative!! It looks like our experience with valley fever is over. We are incredibly happy and excited. However, we do still need to keep watch for any symptoms, as it is possible for her to get the disease again. But for now, she is negative, which is what matters today.
When we first received Isla’s positive diagnosis, we were a bit lost on what the disease was and what to expect. So, we hope that by writing about our experience it will help others that have a dog with valley fever. Please comment if you have questions or thoughts, we would love to hear about your experiences and what you have learned from them.
