08/09/2026
ATTENTION DOG PARENTS:: If you only read one post today, please let it be this one to save your dog’s life.
I want to bring awareness to a fatal threat that has recently been discovered in our area. It is called blastomycosis and it is a fungal infection caused by inhaling microscopic spores of a fungus found in soil, fallen leaves, sticks/branches/logs, and in fresh water like streams, rivers, lakes, and creeks.
On June 25, 2026, one of our clients, a healthy 5 year old German Shepherd named Beansie, that we hike with 4 days a week at the local parks and trails developed an open wound on his back/hip. We spent weeks working with his vet trying to figure out why this wound that came out of nowhere would not heal.
By Monday July 13, he started show slight signs of breathing changes. Through chest x-rays, we found his lungs were being overtaken by something still unknown at the time. It would be weeks until biopsies and cultures would be back to give definitive answers of what we were fighting and it was clear we did not have weeks for Beansie to fight.
On Saturday July 18, he was admitted to the emergency vet to be put on oxygen but whatever was eating his lung tissue had taken over. His parents and I said goodbye to him on Sunday July 19 and have been living with a hole in hearts ever since.
The next week, we got results back that were positive for blastomycosis - a fungal infection that every vet we spoke to swore was not found in our area. Even Google searches will tell you it’s not common to be found in PA. And this is an infection that can affect both dogs and humans alike. Dogs are much more susceptible because they’re always sniffing the ground, digging in the soil and swimming in fresh water.
Because Beansie’s sister did everything he did, we had her checked as well and found she is also positive for blastomycosis. Thankfully, we caught it in time and she is undergoing treatment now. Treatment that will likely be months long. Treatment that still has a very conservative survival rate.
I am making this post in hopes to make as many pet parents as possible aware that this IS a dangerous threat found in our area and we must advocate for our pets at the veterinarian offices to let them know it is not as rare as in years past.
Chest x-rays are the best way to see if the fungal infection has set in. For most dogs, especially large breed dogs, by the time they start to show breathing problems or other symptoms, it is too late for treatment to save their life.
Signs of blastomycosis are:
🦠 open sores that drain & will not heal
🦠 difficulty breathing or increased breath rate
🦠 cough
🦠 weight loss
🦠 loss of appetite
… and more
Beansie had zero signs until the open wound showed up at the end of June. But the fungus attacks the lungs first then spreads to the rest of the system. We likely didn’t have the time to save him by the time the wound was visible. Get your dog a chest x-Ray and urine test EVEN IF they aren’t showing signs. I cannot stress how important time is.
I am listing the places we frequented the most in the last 6 months so that if you and your pup visit the same places, you can start the process of getting them checked.
Our favorite places to hike and swim are:
🌲 Mammoth Park
🌲 Twin Lakes Park
🌲 Five Star Trail in Greensburg & Youngwood
🌲 Greenlick Dam (now called Jacob’s Creek Dam in Mt Pleasant)
🌲 Keystone Park
The following are not in the county but are in the state in Cameron & Elk counties:
🌲 George B Stevenson Reservoir
🌲 Sinnemahoning Creek around Emporium and Bennezzette areas
🌲 Elk State Forest
Educate yourself on this deadly fungus for your safety and your dogs’. Time is the best thing to have on your side. Money and science can’t get us more of that but knowledge and awareness can.
Please share this post as much as you can to help spread the word. The biggest hurdle was the vets not believing this fungus was found in our area. With the recent changes of this crazy heat and increased humidity, the dangers in our area are changing.
Here are some pictures of Beansie enjoying his life to the fullest along with copies of his chest x-rays at the end. The cloudy/smoky effect you see should not be there - it should all be black. That cloud/smoke is all fungus. As you’ll see, he had no healthy lung tissue left to fight this.
Hug your dog for us tonight. Then take them for chest x-rays tomorrow.
“If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever”. 🐾💜🐾
EDIT TO CLARIFY::
We are seeing a few common misunderstandings or confusions around blastomycosis that I hope to clear up.
1) Blastomycosis is NOT contagious, meaning it can not be passed from dog to dog or dog to human. It can only be contracted from inhaling a microscopic spore from the fungus.
2) The spores of blastomyces, the fungus that causes blastomycosis, are found in the soil, leaf litter, fallen trees, decaying organic matter, and fresh water sources such as lakes, creeks and streams. The spores are microscopic and do not produce a mushroom, mold or any physical/visible sign of its presence in the environment.
3) This fungus is more common in states such as Kentucky, Ohio, the Pacific Northwest and parts of Canada. It is not thought to be common in Pennsylvania, which is what can cause delays in diagnosis and was the main issue in Beansie’s case. PA is also not required for positive cases to be reported so veterinarians have no way of knowing if other dogs are being diagnosed in the surrounding areas.
4) We are working to notify local vet offices as well as the correct state departments and veterinary medicine hospitals in the state. It is our goal to spread awareness and also narrow down where exactly Beansie and Vala encountered the spores, if possible.
5) Everyone’s outreach and feedback has been incredibly supportive and positive. Beansie’s family and I thank everyone from the bottom of our hearts for the prayers, condolences, sharing stories and love. We have seen every message and every comment and hope to reply to everyone 💜 Thank you for helping to spread this message. It means more than we can express.
