MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. (WWSB) – It’s called Pythiosis. It’s a rare fungal infection caused by the aquatic mold Pythium Insidiosum. It can affect the skin or gastrointestinal tract of dogs, causing sores, weight loss, vomiting, and diarrhea.
So far ABC 7 has learned that in the last month alone, there have been at least 5 cases of Pythiosis in Sarasota and Manatee Counties. Four of those cases were fatal.
“It’s incredibly difficult to treat, and in that regard, it’s often a fatal disease in dogs,” said Owner of Vet Next Door and Veterinarian, Dr. Morgan Pearl.
Pearl has worked with the rare infection before. She told ABC 7 in one case she was able to save a dog, but in another case, just last week, the diagnosis for one dog was too late.
“If we don’t catch it early or if it’s in an area where we can’t surgically remove it then we are very limited on treatments we can do,” said Dr. Pearl.
Pythium is found in contaminated or stagnant water. One dog mom, Marisa Villars, a Manatee County resident, just lost her pup “Millie” to the disease. The specialist that diagnosed Millie told Villars it’s on the rise in the area and can be found in flood waters.
“I just want all dog parents just to be aware of the loss of appetite, the diarrhea, the vomiting, and the losing weight is the big one,” said Villars. “It’s heartbreaking that we can’t have her here anymore,” she added.
Dr. Pearl told ABC 7 people should not panic because “it is still an extremely uncommon condition,” but catching the symptoms early on is key.
Although it is hard to completely prevent the infection, the doctor says try to keep your pets out of contaminated water or drinking from contaminated water. That could be flood water after a storm, a swamp, puddles, and retention ponds.
Copyright 2025 WWSB. All rights reserved.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
