Cryptococcosis ( dog skin disease )

Cryptococcosis information

This disease caused by a Cryptococcosis neoformans, a yeast-like fungus found in soil contaminated with pigeon and other bird droppings. Cats get infected by inhaling the fungal spores. The disease affects more often cats than dogs and male cats are reported to be affected more often than female cats.

signs may include sneezing, coughing, snoring, spasmodic swallowing of the air, labored breathing, discharge from the nose and eyes. With the disseminated form of the disease when the fungus spreads over the body, signs may include blindness, circling and movement discoordination. In some cases, the infection involves skin (skin rash or lesion - pinpoint red spots), various tissues, and central nervous system where tumour-like masses called granulomas develop. The fungus is often fatal if it infects the nervous system where it causes an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

The disease is diagnosed based on signs and laboratory analysis of smears collected from the nose or from skin lesions. A complete recovery can only be guaranteed if the affected animal responds well to drug therapy such as itraconazole which is to be applied for several months after the clinical signs disappear. The prognosis for return of vision for eyes affected with fungal disease is still poor. Cats infected with FeLV or FIV are more likely to fail to respond to treatment.

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