Aspergillus is a fungus that lives in decomposed vegetation. Dogs rummage through rotten leaves and damp earth and can inhale fungal spores. These spores can incubate and infect the dog's nasal cavity, resulting in aspergillosis. Symptoms of infection consist of a yellow-green nasal discharge that does not respond to antibiotics, a swollen sensation of the muzzle or nose when touched, and nosebleeds. If left untreated, it can affect the central nervous system. Since home remedies are not recommended, you can treat your dog's aspergillosis with medical assistance from your veterinarian.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Recognizing the Symptoms and Getting a Diagnosis
Step 1. Look for the most common symptoms of nasal aspergillosis
It can present with symptoms such as sneezing, pain, a bloody nose, decreased appetite, a swollen nose, mucus, blood or pus from the dog's nose. There may also be a discoloration of the skin of the nose.
Step 2. Look for the most common symptoms of disseminated aspergillosis
Disseminated is a form of infection that is not limited to the nasal area. A dog with a disseminated form of aspergillosis may have spinal pain, paw tenderness, fever, weight loss, vomiting, and anorexia.
Step 3. Get a diagnosis as soon as possible
If you recognize any of the symptoms described above and suspect your dog may have aspergillosis, it is important that it be diagnosed as soon as possible. The vet may do an X-ray or computed tomography to diagnose a nasal infection, or even a rhinoscopy, which uses a camera to look inside the nasal cavity. Alternatively, the vet may perform a tissue biopsy, do a stool test for Aspergillus organisms, or perform a blood test to look for Aspergillus antibodies.
Method 2 of 2: Using Oral and Other Drugs
Step 1. Try oral medications as a first step to treat aspergillosis
Oral anti-fungal drugs are readily available and have some degree of success against infection. These act like a normal drug taken by mouth, by being absorbed through the stomach and spread throughout the body to treat the infection. An example of these drugs is itraconazole.
- Oral antifungals are not very effective against aspergillosis because they cannot effectively penetrate the fungal plaques and kill them. This is because the fungus grows in the cranial cavities and the only way to affect it is through the inflow of blood to the nose.
- In some dogs, itraconazole causes vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain. In rare cases it can cause various reactions, including severe skin ulceration and liver failure.
- It should not be given to pregnant bitches as it can cause fetal abnormalities and miscarriage.
- The indicated dose is 10 mg / kg to be taken orally for several months, or indefinitely. The drug is available as an oral suspension or in the form of 100 mg capsules.
- A typical 30kg Labrador needs three 100mg capsules once a day to be taken with food.
- Some dogs require treatment for up to 3 years before the therapy can be considered terminated.
- Make sure you have a clear idea of the potential costs before starting treatment. Itraconazole is an expensive drug. Your vet can prepare you an estimate of the expenses you will face.
- Tablets are best suited with meals, because the drug is better absorbed into the bloodstream when ingested with food, while the oral suspension should be given on an empty stomach.
Step 2. Try ketoconazole to cause the breakdown of fungal cells
This is an antifungal drug that works by destroying the membranes of fungal cells so that the contents are dispersed and filtered out of the body. However, the results of taking ketoconazole alone to treat aspergillosis have proved disappointing.
- Ketoconazole is metabolised in the liver and can cause liver damage in some cases.
- Thankfully, the damage is reversible if treatment is stopped, so it is important to monitor your dog's liver function regularly.
- Side effects can include nausea, vomiting, and a change in coat color.
- This drug should not be given to pregnant females because it can cause fetal abnormalities.
- It is recommended to administer ketoconazole with food, as this increases absorption and reduces side effects.
- It is available as 200 mg tablets and 100 mg / 5 ml oral suspension.
- The recommended dose for the treatment of this infection is up to 40 mg / kg / day and should be taken in combination with amphotericin B.
- A 30kg Labrador requires a dose of 2 x 200mg tablets, 3 times a day.
Step 3. Try amphotericin B to fight infection
It is an antifungal antibiotic. This drug is very effective in treating fungal infections of all kinds, even those that have become systemic in nature. However, it is not absorbed orally and is only effective when administered intravenously. Either way, it can be effective in treating your dog's aspergillosis, particularly using its newer formulations.
- The powder is reconstituted and dissolved in 5-20 ml of 5% dextrose solution and administered intravenously 3 times per week.
- The indicated dose is 0.25-1 mg / kg.
- The reconstituted powder contains 5 mg / ml of amphotericin B, so the 30 kg Labrabor in our example always requires between 1, 5 and 6 ml to add to the 5% dextrose solution.
- It is recommended to start with this dose to assess whether the dog tolerates the drug.
- Amphotericin B can cause kidney failure, so it is important to monitor kidney function before each treatment.
- The dose should be gradually increased to a maximum of 4-8 mg / kg. This dosage may be needed for a few months and in combination with another antifungal such as ketoconazole.
Step 4. Learn about nose curettage to get a more promising result
As mentioned above, it is clear that oral treatment is not the most effective. One method by which better results can be obtained is direct scraping (removal of tissue) of the nasal passages, in addition to the direct application of an antifungal drug.
- This procedure requires a general anesthetic to be inserted directly into the cavities of the dog's skull.
- The infected area is flooded with the antifungal, ensuring direct contact with the fungal plaques.
- The antifungal is left to work for at least an hour before being rinsed off.
Step 5. Consider giving your dog 1% clotrimazole to be given in combination with curettage
This is the most suitable drug to take during the curettage process.
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The dog undergoes anesthesia and its nose is connected to Foley catheters (soft rubber tubes with an inflatable balloon at the tip).
- This way you make sure that the clotrimazole does not come out through the nostrils during the procedure. Then small catheters are surgically inserted into the nasal cavity by creating small holes in the bone of the nose.
- At this point, a dose of 50-60 ml of clotrimazole is injected.
- The dog is changed position every 15 minutes so that each nostril comes into contact with the treat. After one hour the Foley catheters are deflated and removed, and the clotrimazole is drained from the nose.
- This therapy has an 85-95% success rate in a single treatment.
- Nasal discharge usually dissolves within 7-14 days, and a rhinoscopy (insertion of a camera into the nose) can confirm the absence of fungal plaques.
- If the plaques are still present, a second treatment can be done 1 month after the first, which usually guarantees success.
