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Treatment

If your dog is still eating, your veterinarian will prescribe medication to be given at home. If it has developed severe symptoms, such as drastic weight loss due to anorexia and dehydration, hospitalization may be necessary to stabilize your dog so that further treatment can be given. Administration of fluids, potassium, oxygen, and antibiotics should be given as necessary.

Note that less than 70 percent of dogs, and an even smaller percentage of cats are likely to respond to treatment for fungal pneumonia. Treatment is expensive and generally required for a minimum of two months -- the exact treatment and length of treatment, however, is dependent on the particular type of fungus that is responsible for the illness.

Living and Management

To avoid dehydration, the dog should be given plenty of fluids and its activities should be restricted. A high-protein diet of calorically dense food is recommended, and all medications will need to be given on a regular basis for the entire amount of time prescribed by your doctor. Checkups should be performed regularly, specifically, thoracic X-ray imaging, before the treatment program is completed.

Prevention

To avoid fungal pneumonia, it is advised you clean your dog’s living environment of feces or other toxic organic matter.