Urogenital blastomycosis in a dog

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Mycology
• Canine Infectious Diseases

Background:

• Blastomycosis is a systemic fungal infection caused by *Blastomyces dermatitidis*.
• Diagnosis in animals often relies on identifying the organism in clinical samples or tissues.

Observation:

• A dog was diagnosed with blastomycosis based on the presence of *Blastomyces dermatitidis* in preputial exudate and urine.
• Prostatic involvement was confirmed through transrectal biopsy.
• Following euthanasia, a necropsy was performed to determine the full extent of the infection.

Findings:

• The causative organism of blastomycosis was identified in the dog's preputial exudate, urine, iliac lymph nodes, and lungs.
• Despite no organisms being found elsewhere in the genitourinary tract, the kidneys exhibited diffuse glomerulonephritis and tubular degeneration.
• This suggests a disseminated infection with significant renal pathology.

Implications:

• This case highlights the importance of thorough diagnostic workup for blastomycosis in dogs, including urine and preputial cytology.
• The findings underscore the potential for disseminated blastomycosis to affect multiple organ systems, including the kidneys, even without direct organism identification in all genitourinary sites.
• Understanding the full spectrum of blastomycosis in canines aids in clinical management and prognosis.