Don Jackson’s 3-year-old pit bull terrier Zeus is like a member of his family. Each day, the Scottsdale man takes the dog with him to the Starbucks on East Via Linda near their home.

The pair won’t be there today or in the near future because Zeus had successful open heart surgery Wednesday afternoon for a severe case of valley fever.

“I didn’t know dogs could get valley fever,” Jackson said. “He was 90 pounds and is down to 72 in two weeks. I knew something was wrong, but didn’t know what.”

Without the 3 1/2-hour surgery, Zeus wouldn’t have survived. The operation, done at Sonora Veterinary Specialists in Phoenix, was $4,891. Jackson spent more than $3,000 at two other vets trying to figure out what was wrong with Zeus.

He later found Sonora Veterinary Specialists, animal valley fever advocate Marta Saint-James of Gold Canyon and, from her, the Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Department of Veterinary Science and Microbiology at the University of Arizona, experts in animal valley fever.

“I love that dog,” Jackson said. “It’s broken me up. The folks at Sonora knew what it was. I was looking to find out more about the surgery on Google when I found Marta. I’ve never met her, but when I do I’m going to give her a big hug.”

Saint-James said she just wants to help others who are in the same position with their animal that she was.

“It’s incredible how much people are getting to know about valley fever in animals,” Saint-James said. “I don’t want to see Zeus or any other animal die of it. It can be treated.”

Saint-James lost an 8-yearold dog to valley fever in 2001 and suspected her second canine, Kramer, had the disease in 2004. An autopsy in 2005 revealed he had liver failure and Saint-James allowed the UA research facility to study him. Because of her experiences, Saint-James became an advocate for animal valley fever. She and her husband, Curt Fonger, volunteer at the UA. Her Web site, www.Gold-CanyonDOG.org, is filled with information about the disease.

Valley fever is primarily a disease of the lungs common in the Southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. It is caused by a fungus that grows in soils in areas of low rainfall, high summer temperatures, and moderate winter temperatures. These fungal spores become airborne when the soil is disturbed by wind, construction, farming and other activities. In susceptible people and animals, infection occurs when a spore is inhaled. Within the lung, the spore changes into a larger, multicellular structure. The structure grows and bursts, releasing endospores, which develop into spherules.

Dr. Sharon Dial of the UA research facility, an expert in the field who worked with Saint-James after Kramer died, sent her an e-mail about Zeus that read, “the procedure ... removes the pericardial sac from around the heart. If it is not done, the sac will fuse to the heart and Zeus will develop fatal restrictive heart failure. ... It is Zeus’ only hope of overcoming the disease. While 87 percent of the surgeries are successful, one can’t ensure the outcome ... without the surgery, there is a 99 percent chance of a fatal outcome.“

Zeus’ case moved the folks at Starbucks where Jackson’s wife, Susanne, works, as well as Kim Cermak of The Club House Sporting Good Store in the same plaza on Via Linda. Starbucks customers who saw Don Jackson and Zeus started fundraising to help defray surgery costs, as did Cermak. Susanne Jackson at Starbucks and Cermak, or staff members at either store, will accept donations. Donations to the Save Zeus Committee can be made payable to Kim Cermak at The Club House, 10135 E. Via Linda, Suite C116, Scottsdale, AZ 85258. Call (480) 391-0711 or e-mail kimcermak@hotmail. com for details.

“Kim has three dogs, so this meant something to her,” said Don Jackson, who added he’ll send funds not used for Zeus’ surgery to the UA for research. “I was at Starbucks (Tuesday) and a lady just handed me a check for $100. A Girl Scout troop wants to make this a project. It’s wonderful that people want to help.”