What Are the Treatments for Fungal Pneumonia in Canines?

Fungal canine pneumonia, a serious and sometimes life-threatening condition, is caused by contact with fungal spores. Treatment for this condition takes several months and may include a hospital stay, depending on the severity of your dog's condition. Survival of fungal pneumonia depends on the overall health of the dog, with less than 70 percent of dogs responsive to the antifungal drugs necessary to treat the disease, which can be expensive, according to PetMD.

  1. Identification

    • Fungal pneumonia in canines is characterized by inflammation of the lungs due to an infection caused by a fungus. The most common types of fungi that can cause such a deep infection, also called a mycotic infection, include Aspergillus, Blastomyces, Coccidioides immitis and Histoplasma. These fungal spores can be found in soil, wood, animal burrows, and bird or bat droppings. If a dog inhales these spores and his immune system cannot handle the infection that they cause, the infection can spread to the lungs and cause pneumonia. Symptoms of fungal pneumonia occur typically 12 to 16 days after inhalation of the fungal spores, according to Mike Richards, DVM, from the VetInfo website. These symptoms include severe weight loss, fever, coughing, thick or bloody nasal discharge and difficulty breathing.

    Diagnosis and Stabilization

    • Always consult an experienced veterinarian regarding the health and treatment of your pet. A veterinarian must examine the dog to determine the cause of the pneumonia and stabilize the dog's condition. The doctor will perform chest X-rays, blood tests and a urinalysis, and in some cases will collect fluid from the lungs. In serious cases, hospitalization at a veterinary office is necessary. This includes treatment with intravenous fluids to treat dehydration and replete potassium levels, and antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections, according to the PetMD website. To ease the dog's breathing, the administration of oxygen therapy and nebulization to keep the air passages moist also may be included as a part of his treatment.

    Medications

    • To treat fungal pneumonia, antifungal oral medications, such as ketoconazole, iatraconazole and fluconazole, are administered for a minimum of two months to one year. Treatment times and dosages of the drugs vary depending on the type of fungus causing the pneumonia. A drug called amphotericin B also may be recommended, but must be given during hospitalization to monitor the dog's health and administer intravenous fluids to prevent kidney failure, according to the Glendale Animal Hospital in Arizona. The first 24 to 72 hours of treatment with antifungal medical are critical to the dog's survival, as the medications kill the fungal organisms in the lungs, which can cause an inflammatory response that can lead to death in some cases, according to the East Padden Animal Hospital.

    Home Care

    • Once the veterinarian treating your dog determines whether he is stable enough for treatment at home and is eating well, he will give you oral antifungal medications to administer at home, one to two times per day, usually with meals. A high-protein, calorie-rich diet helps prevent weight loss. Keep the dog comfortable inside and away from cold, wet outdoor conditions. Administer a nebulizer or vaporizer to the dog for 10 to 15 minutes at a time, two to three times per day to ease breathing, as recommended by the Mar Vista Animal Medical Center. Return to your veterinarian for chest X-rays as recommended by the doctor, weekly in some cases, and blood tests to keep track of your dog's treatment progress.