Does Valley Fever cause severe gum issues or gingivitis in dogs?

Your dog needs to be seen by a vet for diagnosis and treatment of this condition, if you have not already done this. If your dog needs a dental cleaning and/or extractions and is healthy enough for anesthesia, this will be the best help for her. Bad teeth and gums harbor loads of bacteria, as they swallow, these bacteria flood the rest of the body and will cause a number of health problems, the most concerning and critical of which is heart disease, called vegetative endocarditis. Bacterial infections in other locations of the body, such as the mouth (periodontal disease), the bones, the prostate or uterus, the kidneys, the intestines, or the skin, including abscesses and bite wounds may all be associated with the development of heart valve infection and inflammation. Invasive diagnostic or surgical procedures that force bacteria into the bloodstream, immunosuppressive drugs or treatments, and cancer also increase the risk of developing endocarditis. Most of the clinical signs are associated with left-sided congestive heart failure: coughing, difficulty breathing, exercise intolerance, and lethargy. Many dogs will develop a heart murmur as the condition progresses. High systolic blood pressure is diagnosed in many dogs with endocarditis. In the acute state, while the infection is active, a low-grade fever, general malaise and a history of infection, often in the mouth, is noted. In the acute stages of endocarditis, antibiotics are indicated and are commonly prescribed but they will not reverse the damage to the valves. Once valvular insufficiency and congestive heart failure develop, treatment is focused on treating the irreversible heart disease and the associated clinical signs. Because the condition is irreversible, prevention is essential. Routine oral care including thorough cleaning and polishing by your veterinarian and proper home care in the form of brushing and rinsing is one of the best defenses against endocarditis.

Hello. Valley Fever is a fungal infection that typically originated in southwestern United States. Dogs contract it by inhaling spores from the fungus which lives in the soil. There are different prognoses for Valley Fever depending on how severe or advanced the infection is. If it is isolated to the respiratory tract, lungs...the prognosis is good but requires long term treatment ....usually 6-12 months of oral antifungal medications. If the infection has settled in bones , lymph nodes or internal organs require treatment for up to a few years and the prognosis is guarded. The most advanced form involves the brain and/or spinal cord. This can require lifelong treatment. The medications are somewhat expensive and can have side effects. Your veterinarian may periodically want to do bloodwork to make sure the medication is not causing problems such as liver disease. This is not a quick fix disease and it would be important to know how advanced this dog’s infection is so you can plan on the future expenses and treatment plan. Best of luck in your adoption process. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

It's difficult to tell what's going on without seeing the behavior, but they often look like they have something stuck in the throat when they are coughing. In that case, then Valley Fever would be suspect in your area, but there are many other bugs that can cause similar signs. It's best if you can take Rosie to see the vet and get this problem diagnosed. We are often able to treat for these problems and stop the coughing right away. If you can record your dog doing the behavior that you are describing, then this will be a great help to your vet . I hope that helps and Rosie gets better soon.

Hi there! To answer your question, yes, dogs can get Valley Fever. Here is a handout about Valley Fever in Dogs from the VCA Animal Hospital: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Coccidioidomycosis.aspx Here is also a link to a CDC website that mentions the area of California where Valley Fever is endemic: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Coccidioidomycosis.aspx I hope you find this answer helpful! Best of luck!

Sorry to hear this! With valley fever the fungi that cause it tend to form groups in the lungs tissue that are then walked off. There isn't much in the way of educate produced so you get a dry cough as opposed to a wet one. It is therefore unlikely that an expectorant would help as the disease is not producing mucus and such. Furthermore valley fever can occur in humans so it's best to limit the amount of potential aerosolised organism.

That is a good question. Some dogs have pain and infection but lose the infected teeth and then the mouth heals. Others have pain and the infection can spread to the heart valves, liver and other organs and they can get ill and sometimes die from the complications. With improvements in anesthesia safety it would be best the have a blood panel done and an EKG to make sure the heart is ok, then have the teeth cleaned and any loose ones extracted. If a dental isn't done another treatment is called pulsed antibiotics. With this you give 5-7 days of antibiotics monthly. This keeps the infection under control so the side effects of periodontal disease are checked. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Cocoa.

Hello, sorry to hear about Vega. What you are seeing seems to be gingivitis which is associated with periodontal disease. To improve this, you can brush your dog's teeth daily and provide dental care products from your local pet stores (dental treats, dental chews, etc). Eventually however, Vega should have an oral exam by your veterinarian to assess if a dental cleaning needs to be performed as well. Hope this helps and best of luck.