Pittsburgh-area family warns pet owners after beloved dog dies from rare fungal infection

A local family is warning other dog owners about a potentially deadly fungal infection that took the life of their beloved German shepherd in just days.

Beansie was a 5-year-old German shepherd who suddenly died last month after a short but aggressive battle with blastomycosis — a fungal disease found in soil and decaying organic matter, often around fresh water.

"Towards the end of June, he developed a small open wound on his back, and we thought it was just like a typical hot spot. After two weeks, it was not healing and getting much, much bigger," said Mylyssa Wilson, owner of Petite Feet Pet Care.

Wilson was Beansie's pet nanny and dog walker for years. She says once those first symptoms appeared, his condition deteriorated quickly.

"He started to develop signs of difficulty breathing, which happened fast," said Wilson. "It was on a Monday that he started to show those signs; by Saturday we had him down at the emergency vet and by Sunday he had passed away because the fungus had completely taken over his lungs."

Wilson says blastomycosis can be difficult to detect.

She believes Beansie may have been exposed to one of the local parks where they regularly walked. Other symptoms can include coughing, weight loss, loss of appetite, and fever.

Wilson says the veterinarians she has spoken with have told her blastomycosis has been considered exceedingly rare in Pennsylvania, with cases more commonly associated with other parts of the country.

But Beansie never left the area. Neither did his sister, Vala. And shortly after Beansie died, Vala was tested. She came back positive for blastomycosis and is now being treated and is doing well.

"It is heartbreaking," said Wilson. "We don't want anybody else to go through this and suffer needlessly; you know when treatment can be started soon enough to save another pet, that's what we want."

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