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[jaymep1]

Hi all,

I'm glad to have found this site and have been reading all of your forums.  I was hoping somebody could answer some of my questions.  My dog Remeington was just diagnosed with blasto one week ago today.  He started with a cough that went on for about two weeks before we ended up taking him to an Emergency Vet after doing a Chest x-ray and findig his right lung to be mostly consolidated.  Hes been on Intra for one week now and seems like he is getting worse.  Is this normal?  He don't only cough now but he acts like he is out of it all the time and just kind of stares into space like hes looking right through us.  He don't want to eat any more.  I've tried chicken and rice, tuna, hamb. he don't want any of it.  Starting yesterday hes been really weak and lame? has anyone else seen this? His legs just give out from under him. If so does it go away eventually?  We use to walk/run 3-5 miles a day and I'm just wondering if he will every have a normal life.  If anyone has any advice we would love it.  This is really scary hes like one of our kids.  He used to be such a happy, energetic, strong and muscular dog; now he seems like hes witthering away.

[Wilson3]

sooo sorry to hear you have to join us here
everything you are experiecning is pretty much in the norm read through the post the 1st week is the hardest and the 1st month is hard my wilson was on treatment for 8 months and now off for almost 3 months he was at deaths door and i think everyone else here to had it pretty hard to
have faith  and believe and give your strenght to remeington he will need it
i wil pray for you both
there is a ton of good info here lots and lots to read read it all there are lots of great ideas on getting yoru dog to eat food is very important
good luck
wilson3

[weluvmoose]

My dog's first symptom was actually lameness.  Some people actually carry their dogs around for a while that I have read about here on this website - but they eventually got better.  If you can keep your dog eating - something - anything even a little that would be good.  For several days my dog would only eat cheese and little bits at a time.  Many people say it gets worse before they start to improve because all of the fungus dying off is hard on them.  It took about a week for our dog to show improvement but when he did it was GREAT!  I am so sorry you are having to go through this - it is aweful!!!  If you have the time go back and read some old posts on this site from Jen, wilson3 are a couple I have read it will give you an idea what to expect and good tips during this hard period.  I am hoping for a good outcome for you - oh also watch the eyes.  My dog had one eye infected which is better now but we had to do eye cream and prednisone - for swelling - for a while.  Best to you -

[luvmyjacks]

Hi There.  Sorry to have you join us but you couldn't be with a better group of dog owners.  We have been down this same road and will help you every step of the way, but hold on it is a very rough ride.  My will was EXACTLY like your dog: coughing, lame, lungs full of consolidated mass.  That was Sept 21st.  On Oct 3rd he was well enough for me to carry him to the car and take him home: 12 days.  The Itraconazole is an appetite suppressant AND the effects of the Itra as it kills the fungus leaves them feeling exhausted and listless. 
As everyone else has said he must eat, a little at a time is fine, normal, but offer food often.  Warm food has stronger flavour and odour.  Cheese is easy to swallow.  I sometimes put a little piece in Will's mouth and gently held it closed while the flavours circulated in there.  He would spit the food out, think about the taste and then pick the piece up and eat it.  He would eat one or two little pieces and we would be thrilled.  Offer lots of water, even if you have to get it into him in a syringe.
I would make sure they are checking the eyes because the retreating and advancing fungus head for the eyes in a lot of cases.
And most of all, I read every single post for weeks and weeks back learning something from almost every message.
Wilson3, Jen, Evayola were huge supporters when I came on the board, then weluvmoose, cls, pandomania..... and lots of others joined in and together we researched, asked questions and posted our findings.  Collectively I know for sure we know more than my vet clinic here in Toronto and they have acknowledged as much. So, run things past your clinic but don't let them slough off your concerns about anything; especially the eyes.  It seems they were good about getting a quick diagnosis so that is very positive.  With blasto, timing is everything and when you do your best and are armed with lots of knowledge you have a good chance for a happy ending.  Good luck and stay with us.

[jaymep1]

How do you know if is in his eyes?  He has been just looking in a daze but when he does get up to eat(very little), he still seems to be able to see the cat approaching to check out his food and he growls.  if it is in his eyes does that garentee he will lose his vision?  What do they do to treat it?

[jaymep1]

I read in one of the ther posts that they were testing the urine for blasto, does this mean if we come into contact with the urine or  phlegm that humans or other animals can contract it?

[Jen]

Hi -
Sorry you're here, but glad that you found us. 

First, don't worry about contracting it. It's a spore, very hard to get from contact with your animal, even drool or pee.  It is, however, contractable from the same environmental source as your animal got it, likely the ground, mulch, loam, whatever. 

Everything you've described is familiar to all of us.  It gets worse before it gets better, but it CAN get better.  It takes lots of work, patience, love, and can be expensive. It's not a "get better in a week" kind of thing. Not all dogs have eye problems or neuro problems, it depends on what systems the blasto has spread to, so don't worry too much unless he really seems to have a vision problem. 

Read Dirtbike's story, she's a survivor, and it was all worth it.  Right now she's busy outside...lessee...she's up the road...looks like she's finding a spot to hide her latest "rack o' deer" from the other dogs. Ladylike, huh?

Keep us posted-
jen

[weluvmoose]

Moose's eye started out red and weepy and progressed very quickly to being swollen twice or three times its normal size.  The prednisone (pill - a steroid) and an eye cream helped tremendously.  He had to take the prednisone for two weeks we are tapering off now.  The first time we tried to take him off it swelled back up immediately but this time its going OK.  I am not sure if he can see out of it - I am thinking not.  But, his other eye was unaffected.  If his eye starts to look swollen or irritated then check it out.  I asked about catching it from saliva , etc and was told - NO - people get it the same way dogs do from the spores in the soil.  Very rarely, you can get it from a deep bite from an infected dog.  Moose never had the open sores that can come from blasto but two vets told me if he did develop them and I had to clean them, to wear golves.  So if you are dealing with that you might consider taking precautions.  Before I wised up and gave Moose his pill rolled up in cheese I was forcing it down with my finger and I did wear gloves.  Now he takes it in a slice of American cheese no problem and the fat is good to metabolize the meds.  I know it's probably no the best for him but all the other food he gets is very nutritious - just one treat a day!  Good luck and be persistent with your vet - don't let them decrease the doses of meds too soon just because he seems better.  Moose was on two a day sporanox for two weeks and will be on one a day for at least 6 months - good outcome so far no more symptoms a month after beginning treatment.

[luvmyjacks]

I am always concerned with the eyes and want to make sure they are checked by an opthamologist.  I think if it gets to the point where there are strong indications the blasto is in the eyes it's far along.  If you get them checked early you can start treatment.  Look at the posts about Bosun, a dog owned by a friend of mine.  He was officially blind (fungus had pushed the retina away and filled in the spaces) but after a new treatment he has regained a large percentage of his eyesight.  Don't leave anything to chance:  any questions you ask are just indications that you care and are aware.  Good vets are happy to be reminded of things they might have overlooked. Good luck.

[evayola]

I too am sorry about your new diagnoses of Remeington. The good thing is that it seems as though it was quick and you have started treatment. Marge was sick for so long and we litterally were on borrowed time with her! We are so lucky that we caught it. What you are experiencing is "normal". Marge limped for quite some time. She was like a seesaw. She wouldn't walk on her front right foot and it was really swollen and she also wouldnt walk on her rear leg. It was really heart breaking. Definitely read through all the posts because they are very informative. When I first joined everyone here I thought the worst and was so happy that everyone helped me through it. Marge was treated very aggressively at first and we belive that is why the blasto spread to her eye. Her one eye is blind but you would definitely see some major signs before that happened. Her eye was so horrible looking and oozing and everything. We did see an opto and he said her other eye is beautiful and no sign of infection in that one. My vet is looking into the treatment that Bosun had done so we will see what they say. And yes it will get worse before it gets better. We moved our whole bedroom to the main floor of the house so that Marge didnt have to walk up and down the stairs. If she wasnt so big we would have been carrying her as well. She was so weak and also had that blank stare that you are describing. She is so obsessed with our cats that she cant control herself when they are around because she gets so excited and when she lost that excitement it killed me. I layed in bed for hours praying to God to save my Margie girl and my faith in her really got her through it. Make sure that Remeington is eating and eating anything. It doesn't matter what just as long as you are getting food in that belly and make sure you are giving lots of fluids. I was freezing Pedialyte and giving that to her in ice cubes or using a turkey baster and forcing her to take water/Pedialyte. I held Marge's mouth closed until she would swallow what we were giving her. She did not want to eat. I really think that in Marge's case though she couldnt handle the form of meds she was on because once we switched to a tablet she started eating again. STAY POSITIVE and we are all here for you with any questions you may need answered and give Remeington a big old hug for me and tell him he has to make it and to fight really hard!
Eva, Dan, Marge, Homer, Snoopy, Prada, Kitty

[jaymep1]

Thank you to all, you guys are all so great.  It is really nice to have someone to talk to about this.  I feel so helpless  and heartbroke.  I try to stay positive but can't help but to cry when I look at him so helpless and lifeless.  I pray he will turn the corner for the better I couldn't bare to lose him.  On a good not I got him to eat some eggs and turkey gizzards tonight, i was so proud of him! Thanks again for all the love and support, it means so much to me and my son. 

Jayme, Jarod, Remeington and the rest of the tribe.

[Jen]

   Signs of improvement seem very slow, so it takes patience.  The first week or so with Dirtbike wasn't so bad, but she just got worse and worse with each dose.  Seems like it was a month or so before she started to improve. I expected her to die at any time. She lost so much weight I don't know how she lived.

Do the best you can. The most important things, like everyone says, are keeping him hydrated, and getting him to eat, esp. a bit of something with his pill. For some reason, Dirtbike would always go for a Little Cesar dinner, I don't know why.

Take care of yourself too.  It can be a very hard time, so ask questions, love your dog, and we'll do our best to help.
jen

[Wilson3]

jen is right and so is everyone else this group here has been lucky the ones in past 6 months it is such a looong road but eveyone is very helpful and we all understand what you are feeling
i look at wilson evryday thank god for letting me keep him him fought such a hard battle and hewon it it was all worthit evry penny jan found a place that has the meds for a freally good price wilsons went from $175 to 40.10 pet health pharmacy i thinkit was called its listed here in one of the postes
always stay positive remeington knows what you are feeeling and it will help him to get better i think back to our long journey we had this past year and it is hard to beleive it is over and i still have wilson it is very important to ask lots and lots of questions to your vet they know you mean business them and do not be afraid to ask them about anything you have learned on this site they do not alway know everything and most are willing to listen to what you mihgt have to offer for info always give remeington a big hug tell him you love him and sit with him hold him ina place where it is quite it does help them tell him you are going to do this together and he is going to make it think about happy things when you are with him things you want to do when he is better with him give him something to look forward to
wilsons was going on a pinic and the other 2 dogs running in and out of the out chasing the butterflies and everyone happy and together
wilson3

[CLS]

It breaks my heart when I see someone new on this site This is such a horrible disease. Stay positive and I will keep Remeington in my prayers along with all the others!

[jaymep1]

Thank you so much for yor kind words, it mean so much to have such awesome support.  I pray for Remi and the rest to get better and also for the families and the families who have lost their dearest loved ones.  I also pray for others to never ever have to go through this!  I feel obligated to make others aware so treatmet can come fast if it does happen to them.  Best wishes and love.  Jayme Jarod Remi and the rest of the crew.