A dog infected with blastomycosis can show many signs. The dog may have a fever, lose weight, and go off feed. Respiratory signs are most common, including coughing and respiratory distress. The dog may also have skin lesions and draining open sores. These skin lesions are often ulcerated and have a clear to bloody discharge.
Blastomycosis can cause rapid changes in the eyes.
Pain, swelling, redness, excessive tearing, clouding of the corneas, and even blindness may result from this fungal infection. To detect blasto, your veterinarian may want to radiograph the lungs in addition to looking at samples of skin lesion drainage under a microscope. If the dog is lame or sore in any limb, radiographs may be helpful to show the bone changes that blasto can cause. Blastomycosis demands aggressive treatment. Two drugs are currently used, one given intravenously and the other orally.