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[Jen]

Hello to all -
   If you're here because of your pet or another loved one, please help us all to learn more about Blasto.
Lisa has added the Case Database, and it's a great way to see where we are, and adds kind of a snapshot of how each person deals with it.  It can only help.
Thanks-
jen
The database is here:
http://blastomycosis.ca/index.cgi?page=cases

[luvmyjacks]

Thanks Jen.  I see we have stalled at 21 dogs, one human and each one adds to a pattern that will ultimately help new victims become survivors. 

[luvmyjacks]

We have 27 dogs,

2 people right now. 
 
Please go to the case database and add your story if you haven't already.

[Music of the Night]

My dog Koala was diagnosed with Blasto on March 28th, 2008.  I have learned a lot about this disease on this website.  I would like to thank Larry and Wilson3 for all the iinformation you gave me over the phone.  And to all of you who have added your story here.

I live in Whitewater, Wisconsin.  I always took my dogs down the road for a walk everyday down by the creek and the wooded area.  That is where I feel my Koala picked this up.  I feel he has had it for a while (November) but it was not diagnosed until April.  I took him to the vet 3 times before they figured out what was wrong with him.  I first took him because he had a funny looking toe and a small limp.  They did exrays at that time and found nothing but he had a small fever of one degree over.  Not real sick and he never did coughed at all.  Just seemed listless and depressed.  Then I noticed he had a bright pink spot on his tongue. LIke a round tumor. The reason I noticed this is because he has an all black tongue, being half Chow Chow and half Akita. Then he had some lesions on this right front leg and also a small growth.  I took him to the vet again and they did a sample of the small tumor and a slide of his lesions and sent it to Marshfield, Wis. to be checked.  The vet had no idea what the pink growth on the tongue was.  The results came back that poor Koala had Blasto.  We started him on the meds right away.  It was so costly, $8.00 per pill and he take 1 1/2 cost $12.00 per day.  He takes 150 Mgs a day now.  So I spent $360 for the first month.  The vet said he should stay on it for at least 6 months.

Then I found this web site and talked to some nice people.  I decided to get my meds through CamParm.com out of Canada.  Sent all the necessary papers in and now waiting for the meds.  They say it takes 20 days.

So Koala has been on the meds (itraconazole) for 19 days now.  His swelling in his leg has went down and his lesions have stopped oozine and are healing and there is no more new ones.  The spot on his tongue is also smaller and flatter.  He is feeling much better.  But I dont know to what extent he has this because I did let them take the lung sample because of the cost.  He has never coughed once and his eyes are clear. 

I have two other dogs that dont have this.  Thank you all for posting the important info on Blasto.  It has helped so much!  Good luck with your dogs.  Thanks to all!

[Jen]

Thanks for letting us know about Koala!
Sounds like he's doing really well, but it's a shame the Itra was so expensive. 

We were postulating whether very many families could actually afford the cost of treating blasto, and the extra time and dedication it takes when they become really sick.
We were lucky in that we had the time and dedication, but if not for a compounding pharmacy we could never fit the Itra into our budget.
Keep us posted-
jen

[luvmyjacks]

It is wonderful to see how many people have been entering their information into the case database, as it is all so useful. Specifically, the new cases indicating exposure in Pointe au Baril on Georgian Bay just help me confirm where Will and Roxy were exposed.  We spend lots of time there each summer too.  I would love to be able to message those people through this website though and ask more questions.  If you have posted and are willing to give more detail, please post a topic here or email me directly.  Many thanks. Lee

[CLS]

Hi everyone. I will also be putting up my case very soon. Even though Sadie didn't make it, I agree with all of you, the more stories the more we can determine connections. Only that when Sadie passed, I paid the bill and I can't find my chart with everything that was done ( I was too upset and just put it away) Now, I can't find it anywhere, but once I find it, I will add my case.Sorry, it's taking so long.
Also, I'm not sure if ,or maybe who, but I have photos of Sadie when she was really sick and was sickly skinny with her IV and not sure if I should post them or if anyone is interested. I never got a copy of her lungs, but they were the tale-tell of all the photos I have seen of lungs with blasto.
I'm still saddened to see new cases, happy to see improvements and disheartened when I hear of side effects and recurring treatments. Even now, we have a new puppy Angel, 7 month old golden retriever, and I'm so paranoid. Don't dig here, get out of there...on and on... It's hard but I know I can't live with fear everyday, It's not fair to Angel or to me. But it's still hard.
All of you are still in my prayers. Take care.
Colleen

[Wilson3]

colleen glad to hear you and angle are enjoying life!!!
i wish their was a place to post our pictures for others to see i think i would help
i know i need to email lisa i have been trying to update wilsons about his lungs healing completly
good to hear from you!!!
wilson3

[luvmyjacks]

Looks like we have 28 dogs and 2 people in the case database now.  If you haven't added your dog's history please do. It's an easy way for a newbie to check out patterns that might help them get the correct diagnosis for their dog.  Bumped this topic up.

[luvmyjacks]

Wow. Just counted and we now have 34 case histories of dogs and 2 of humans on this site.  That is a wealth of information for people researching this disease and trying to figure out if their pet is affected.  The patterns that emerge through the collection and analysis of all this data have a lot to offer all of us. 
If you haven't added your case please do so, and for those of you who have done so, thank you.

[Wilson3]

i saw that also a few days ago
did you see the members 137
lots more just not really posting
kristin

[luvmyjacks]

I saw that the members have increased this past year and the number posting hasn't changed so I'm hoping that people are finding answers to their questions by scanning topics on the  forum.  I am worried about the people posting case histories who are in the earliest stages of treatment because we all know how horrible those first weeks are and going it alone would be scary.  I still remember how many of you helped me get through that awful period when I was sure Will would die from the treatment.  Until you go through it it is hard to imagine that dogs so sick can make it but look at all the survivors now!

[Wilson3]

but more are making it !!!
when wilson joined this group thier wasnt many if any that had made it that where posting or updating
i always had hope though barney made it and he was older then wilson although he was only on treatment for 10 wks but his treatment was very holistic
wilson3

[luvmyjacks]

Emmy has been added and her case is giving us some insight into relapse.  There are a couple of other new cases added in the last few weeks and I'm anxious to hear how the dogs are doing.  Please keep us posted after you add your case.  Jax sounds to be struggling....

[Wilson3]

it will be interesting....
i looke dover the case
i am wondering though it doesnt really sound like they know if emmy was %100 free of blasto when treatment was stopped and they do live on a waterfront so is it relapse?
re infected from living around it?
or was treatment stopped to soon?
or relapse?
hmmmmm.....
wilson3

i re read her case at the bottom it does say they did find that they did not treat long enough the first time around so is this what they (vets) consider a relapse?
confused?