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[Jen]

This is a link from our newsletter, and I thought I'd post it here as well.
I urge everyone who tells me that they're spreading their yearly mulch to at least wear a mask and keep their pets out of it. There's just too much evidence to ignore.

American College of Physicians-
Commercial Mulch as a Potential Source of Blastomyces Dermatitides:
http://www.acponline.org/about_acp/chapters/de/kambhamettu.htm

[luvnorfolks]

HI Jen,

this is interesting as I was thinking that this could have been a source of Lennox's getting blastomycosis.
. Lorraine

[gunner]

Comercial Mulch is the ONLY place Gunner could have possibly gotten blasto.  It is absolutely unheard of in this part of the state and she never left our yard.
Joyce

[Jen]

After bringing in tons of mulch for ourselves and 2 other familes, 3 years and 5 very suspicious doggie deaths later, I'd say it's not a guess anymore.

[Wilson3]

great thinking!!!
i might just make copies of this to to hand out
wilson3

[evayola]

So I have to tell you this... Dan's dad talked to his vet about Marge having blasto and how she is doing awesome- his vet said that there is absolutely no way that you can get it from that. Come on, the problem that a lot of people have is ignorance. They dont want to hear it. I have tried talking to people about blasto and they kind of brush me off. They think that its just me?! Did any of you all from the Chicago/WI area hear about the animal shelter that had a bunch of mysterious dog deaths? That's making me think. Today we took a day off work, and spread rubber mulch in the yard. We were going to take out the old mulch but were too scared to disturbe the area and get it in the air again. We spent a ton of money of it, but it makes me feel better. Again, if anyone considers rubber mulch make sure that it is 99.99% wire free. It has to be playground safe for kids or you will have wire in it. Sorry to ramble 

[Jen]

The vet. Said that?  Wow.
Glad I included that link in the newsletter.

[Lisa]

Remember back in 2005-2006 almost two dozen people got blasto in Merrill, Wisconsin and one of them (16 year old girl) DIED and it was all tied to the large pile of organic yard waste (mulch) that the town had collected:

http://blastomycosis.ca/forum/index.php/topic,43.0.html

Many of the people who have contacted me after their dogs were diagnosed, who weren't living in blastomycosis hot spot areas, told me they had put down new mulch in their yards that year.

[Wilson3]

boy i sure wish we could just convince people not to us it any more

i think i am going to send this info to health departments and maybe even the tv i know one of the stations had it on tv last yr (blasto so maybe they might be interested in it)
it can not hurt
wilson3

[Wilson3]

well went outside tonight it was dark out and guess what i could smell??
it even gave me a headache...
my neighbors just laid red mulch all long the fence line 5" deep about
i think i might just go out their with some bleach water in the middle of the night
doe sthe the bleach mixer chnge the color or anything?
wilson3

[Jen]

The mulch here is about 3 years old, and mostly leached of color and almost gone.
I've heard it's better to just leave it instead of trying to take it up, as it could distribute fungus.  So, I just sprayed it down.  Can't tell a difference, and my hostas look really good.
(Did it before anything came up.)