![]() The majority of the fungal growths sit on the surface of the affected tissues and are not susceptible to treatment using injections or oral medication. What are the treatment options for aspergillosis/fungal rhinitis? If there is any uncertainty, or we do not see any fungal plaque lesions, then we may await the result of biopsies before giving treatment. In some cases, the degree of certainty given by a CT scan can be sufficient for the specialist to recommend treatment of the fungal disease under the same anaesthetic used to perform the diagnostic tests. In some cases, a camera is used inside the nasal cavity (rhinoscopy or endoscopy) in order to allow us to see the inside of the nasal cavity and, where necessary, to take biopsies in order to confirm the diagnosis. CT will also help to rule out other conditions such as nasal tumours that can cause similar clinical signs. The findings on a CT scan can often be typical for nasal aspergillosis and allow a provisional diagnosis based on the images alone. If we are suspicious that your dog may be suffering from nasal aspergillosis then we are likely to recommend that he/she has an advanced imaging scan (a CT scan) performed of their head, to include the nasal cavities and the sinuses. If you are seeing a specialist, the likelihood of fungal rhinitis or aspergillosis will be discussed with you at the time of the consultation, along with our recommendations for confirming the diagnosis. Swabs taken from the nasal cavity may be grown in the laboratory and give a positive culture, but since the fungus is found so widely in the environment, its presence within the nose does not confirm an active infection.a dog can be affected by aspergillosis and not have any antibodies to the fungus in the blood False negative results can also occur i.e. Blood tests for antibodies to aspergillus fungus can only show that a dog may have been exposed to the fungus, and not necessarily be associated with an active infection.Conventional X-rays are very insensitive at detecting the disease within the nose.nasal foreign body, nasal tumour, allergic rhinitis) and there are significant limitations to some of the tests that are available: How is aspergillosis/fungal rhinitis diagnosed?įungal rhinitis can be difficult to diagnose because the clinical signs can appear very similar to a number of other nasal diseases (e.g. Discomfort on palpation of the nose or signs that the dog is becoming head-shy.Pale discolouration of areas of the front of the nose (‘depigmentation of the nasal planum’).Blood can sometimes be seen within the nasal discharge Nasal discharge which can be creamy or green in colour and can affect either one or both nostrils.The most common clinical signs of nasal aspergillosis relate to signs of nasal disease: What are the signs of aspergillosis/fungal rhinitis? In rare situations aspergillosis can become a systemic problem (affecting many different body systems), but this tends only to occur in dogs that have a problem with their immune system or that are receiving treatment to suppress the immune system. It is not uncommon for the infection to spread from the nose into the frontal sinuses where it can be more difficult to treat effectively. It is not known why certain individuals develop the disease, when most animals never suffer from the condition.Īspergillus infection in the nose can cause destruction to the normal bony scrolls (turbinates) that are present in the nose, and the fungus can form mass-like lesions called fungal plaques. The nasal infection is more common in dogs with long noses (so-called ‘dolichocephalic’ dogs), although all breeds are susceptible. Fungal rhinitis in dogs is usually caused by a fungus species called Aspergillus fumigatus, and this common association has led to the term ‘aspergillosis’ often being used interchangeably with ’fungal rhinitis’.Īspergillus fungus is found everywhere in the environment, particularly in soil, with the result that all animals and people are regularly exposed to the organisms and their spores.Īspergillus most often causes infection in the nasal cavity and in the frontal sinuses of dogs, although it has also been reported as a rare condition in cats. Aspergillosis/Fungal Rhinitis What is aspergillosis/fungal rhinitis?įungal rhinitis is an infection involving the nose and sinuses (air spaces within the skull). ![]()
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