Blastomycosis, a fungal infection, is caused when your dog is infected by the Blastomyces dermatitidis fungus. Blastomycosis is more commonly found in found in areas of Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Tennessee and the St. Lawrence River Valley. The fungus thrives in these locations because they have many areas of wet and sandy soil.

Symptoms generally appear anywhere from several weeks to several months after the fungus has entered your dog. Generally, the infection first impacts the lungs and then spreads to other areas of the body. Symptoms include coughing, irregular breathing, diminished appetite, red eyes, fever, and, if your dog is male, enlarged testes. In general, your dog will likely experience pain in whichever areas the infection has settled. As such, because the infection tends to settle in the bones, your dog may be in pain and limp.

Your dog can contract blastomycosis by inhaling the fungal spores from the environment.