Coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) is a fungal infection endemic to the American Southwest and parts of Latin America that causes serious respiratory and systemic disease in dogs who inhale fungal spores from soil.
Valley fever causes significant welfare harm across its spectrum: primary respiratory disease causes prolonged coughing, fever, and malaise; bone dissemination causes severe pain that may persist for months before diagnosis is established; and neurological dissemination causes distressing neurological symptoms including seizures and difficulty walking. The prolonged duration of treatment — often over a year — means owners must maintain consistent medication compliance for welfare outcomes to be achieved. Dogs living in endemic areas may experience recurrent infections or require lifelong maintenance therapy, making ongoing welfare monitoring and medication management essential. Owner education about the early signs of valley fever in endemic regions reduces the diagnostic delay that allows dissemination to occur.