This week’s segment features Buddy the 5 year old boxer!!! 🐾🐾 Buddy came to us through Southern Magnolia Boxer Rescue in April of 2024 after being found near the Mississippi river with a severe leg injury. At the time of his leg amputation, we also found a small nodule under his chin that was removed and sent off for biopsy. Unfortunately Buddy’s biopsy returned as Blastomycosis. Blastomycosis is a fungal infection in dogs caused by the fungus Blastomyces dermatitidis, often found in soil and decaying matter. Dogs can become infected by inhaling spores which are commonly found in warm, humid environments. Unfortunately given the environment here in Mississippi, there are several other fungal infections beyond just Blastomycosis that can cause disease in your pets. Symptoms of fungal infections can vary widely and may include respiratory issues, fever, skin lesions, gastrointestinal problems, and eye problems. Some of these fungal infections can be zoonotic, meaning they can be transferred from your pets into humans! Diagnosis often involves testing urine, blood serum, or cell samples. For Buddy we were able to send a urine sample to an outside laboratory that was able to give us a numerical value for his fungal burden. Dogs with Blastomycosis need aggressive anti-fungal treatment for several months and thankfully for Buddy after 6 months of Itraconazole, his urine levels were rechecked and he was negative for any lingering Blastomycosis!! We are thankful for our partnership with Southern Magnolia Boxer Rescue and that we were able to help save Buddy’s life and get him on the road to full recovery!! 🐾🐾