Stupid question about dogs and Valley Fever (Phoenix, Tucson: houses, lease)

[mb919]

I am strongly considering moving to Tucson in the fall with my furkid (a 3-year old English bulldog). I know the heat won't be good for him, but I'm not worried about it because he simply won't allow himself to be peeled off the couch to go outside if he doesn't want to go.

However, this Valley Fever stuff, from what I've read here and elsewhere is bugging me. It's almost enough to make me reconsider my plans. That leads to my question- what are the chances that he is going to get sick from this? Am I worrying needlessly about this, or is it one of those things that if he gets sick, and I'm feeling guilty as hell about it, it's going to be like, "Duh- what did you expect moving him out here?" Is he less likely to get it in say an apartment complex with grass lawns as opposed to a house with a backyard desert landscape?

Educate me, good people...

[aj661]

Check with a vet familiar with valley fever. I don't believe you can keep dust in the air from getting inside. Of course your pet's exposure would be worse if he was outside most of the time, but I wouldn't worry so much. Your dog is only three years old and if his health is good, he'll probably be okay. Just do some homework. Google "valley fever". Like I said in the other thread, the following website is a good place to start: phoenix.about.com/cs/health/a/valleyfever01.htm

Also, this from: http://www.dlrrphoenix.org/vf.html

"Many dogs in this part of the country become infected with VF, but do not become visibly ill. In most cases, only a mild respiratory inflammation occurs as the dogs’ defense mechanisms wall off the organisms. However, very young puppies, older dogs, or dogs with weakened immune systems are at much higher risk to develop a more serious case of VF."

Just curious, did you find an apartment complex in Tucson with grass? I thought that city had a ban on that water-wasting weed!

[Beckerd]

When we first moved to arizona, we had our first bulldog. We didn't know anything about valley fever. She died from it about 6 months after we moved there. She was 7. We had then bought 1 more english bulldog from a lady in Tucson. She also got the disease. We had to put her on medicine called DiFlucan. She has to take it once a day for the rest of her life. Her vet said that she can never totally get rid of it. It really sucks. We didn't know she got it, until she had a calcium buildup on her back leg. The vet told us that is one of the signs of valley fever as well the respitory thing.
If you don't plan on being any where near where they are building stuff, your dog should be ok. The spores that cause valley fever are usually released into the air from the ground being torn up. We were living right in an area where houses were being built.
We have since moved from Arizona,and Bella(our bulldog) is just fine except for the once a day pill thing.
Humans can also contact that disease...I knew a coworker who had a father-in-law die from it. The father in law came out for a visit and then went back to the midwest. The doctor's in the midwest never heard of it and so didn't know how to treat it.

Good luck and English Bull Dogs are the absolute best!!

[eddie gein]

I got Valley fever within a couple of months of moving to Tucson.

The first symptom was a horrible full body itchy rash, followed by severe chest pains (pleuresy), followed by about 10 days and nights of sleeping only to get up and use the bathroom and occasionally eat. I lost all track of time.

Finally I had another 4 to 6 weeks of severe non productive coughing especially when attempting to exercise.

This all went on from about the beginning of September and didn't quit until well into November. I was 23 at the time and was the fittest I had ever been. Valley fever knocked me flat.

[aj661]

Must be a Tucson thing. I've lived in the Phoenix metro area for almost 45 years and neither I nor anyone I know has ever gotten very sick from it. We've all been exposed; it shows up on x rays as little spots in the lungs. Only one of about 20 dogs I've owned over those years has ever shown an adverse reaction to it and it wasn't fatal for him.

[MotleyCrew]

You might want to talk to a vet before making the move. We lost our English Mastiff 6 mos after we moved into our new home. There was a tremendous amount of dust from the new construction at the time. We have since brought two more Mastiffs into our home and they are doing very well. The vet explained to us that dogs bred outside the state may not have the antibodies built up in their system and will often not respond to the anti fungal meds. Our puppies were bred locally and are over a year old now. Very painful journey for us.

[mb919]

Thanks everyone for your replies. They are very appreciated.

I guess what I'm looking for I really won't find- which is some kind of hard and fast gauge on the chances of my little guy getting this disease. However, I sort of feel as I'd be playing Russian Roulette bringing him out here.