Print

[weluvmoose]

Do very many dogs fully recover from this??  I have read so many posts where the dog either passed away or recovered only to relapse and then pass away.  Just curious.... thanks 

[Jen]

You ask the loaded question.  There is no guarantee, ever.  Wilson and Dirtbike are off treatment and doing well, Marge and Will are being treated and doing well, but there have been many many sad stories, and it breaks your heart to see them.  I said if Wilson could make it, surely Dirtbike could.  His story was a huge help to me, and it helped to get me thru DB's treatment. 
You do the best you can, love your dog with all your heart, and lean on us all when you need it.
Best to you-
jen

[Wilson3]

jen is right never give up truely beleave in yourself and your dog love heals a lot and faith does to
wilson should not be hear with us he truely is a miracle it is almost a yr now from when he really started to show signs i would have done anythoing to savehis life i even praye asking to to give me his pain or to take me not him
i justcouldnot see him leaving this world yet
i do know 3 other people that there dogs had blasto
barney blasto free and off meds i think just about a yr now
danny i beleive is still doing very well lost his eyes but well the other one off meds now for 4 months about and doing very well
wilson off almost 2 months
so they can make it and they will
keep us posted
wilson3

[luvmyjacks]

Well now I am weighing in on this one too.  I think the reality is that a lot of people find this site too late.  They are frustrated by symptoms that get treated but not cured and find themselves doing research while the clock is ticking.  The secret to survival and the long term cure is definitely timing.  If Roxy had not died I would never have known that Will was so very sick.  I know I would have lost him.  So really, Roxy's death saved Will for me and I honestly believe he is out of the woods now.  Relapse is another story and I know I am beating the same old drum, but I think that if we can put together a chart from all the posts here we will see a trend of some sort.  Either we will see relapse when the treatment is too low a dosage and/or too short a time, and the minimum number of months of treatment might just stand out; or we will see that dogs on the meds for over x number of months are all doing well.  For myself I can only tell you that like Wilson3 I am going to question every decision my vet makes and make sure she has the names and numbers of the vets noted on here as people who regularly treat blasto.  And, once the treatment is stopped I promise I will always suspect blasto first if Will or my other two dogs seem "off", aging or whatever.  Treat first, test later once you've survived the first round of blasto.  The other aspect of relapse is that it might not be relapse, but in fact re-exposure and that is something we all have to consider unless we are certain where the dogs inhaled the spores.  I'm guessing cottage country so I won't be taking the dogs with me to visit that friend next year.  If it's Collingwood I won't be letting them roam the ravines off leash.  For those who aren't sure the risk is much higher and they may never know if in fact it is a relapse: unless the chart indicates a standard cure rate and points to re-exposure.  What a gift this information is for everyone.  You are so lucky your vet started treatment right away and I'll bet your Moose has a much better chance of survival thanks to those extra early days.  Give Moose every bit of love you have, it will help him.  Sorry for being so long winded, just got wound up!