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[gunner]

We went to the vet yesterday.  It had been a couple of months since her last check up.  She seems better than ever other than her skin on her belly was getting dark and her tongue seemed way darker than normal, actually it looks like a pale piece of liver.  He did some blood tests and first thing he discovered is that her kidney function is way out of wack.  So far in fact that she is nearly into kidney failure.  Her white blood cell count is also slightly elevated.  The vet said he was suprised that she is acting so bright because she "should" be feeling very bad with the way her test results turned out. 

The vet wants me to immediately stop her medication.  He looked it up in his plum, but it didn't say that Itraconazole has adverse effects on the kidneys.  Gunner has only been on Itraconazole for 5 months. I am totally freaked out! He only wants her off meds for a week and then he wants to do a re-check to see how her kidneys are functioning. 

This morning I see that she has a strange rash on her belly.  Lord have mercy! 

Has anyone else's dogs kidneys been affected by Itraconazole?   I am going to give MiraVista labs a call this morning and see if they can help me at all, see what kind of tests they can do to see how well the Itraconazole has worked and how much blasto is left in her system. 

Oh dear, oh dear.  It is all just so overwhelming some times.  Just when you think you are doing so good, along somes another huge whack on the back of the head.  I'll get over feeling sorry for myself and dig in and start pushing for answers and treatment options here in a couple of hours.  Thanks for putting up with me. 
Joyce

[luvmyjacks]

Oh Joyce that is terrible..... and poor Gunner.  Good thing you are on top of things because when they act all bright and normal you can easily miss things.  Great idea to check with MiraVista and a week off the Itra shouldn't let the blasto get a strong foothold if there is still some lingering.  Will was off for a few days and then put back on and he didn't have any reaction at all when he resumed treatment.  Thinking of you this week end - sounds like your new vet is on the ball.

[evayola]

Joyce,
I am so sorry hun for you and Gunner. Stopping the meds for the week sounds like a fabulous idea. We did that with Marge when we first started treatment just to give her body a rest. We were regullary checking Marges kidney and liver functions just in case. Marge's white blood cells were also elevated but have since gone to their normal levels. The good thing is that she is acting normal. I remember Larry talking about a test that measures the level of itra in the blood so that you can be treating with an effective dosage instead of too much/ too little. We did the MiraVista urine titer and we used that as a guide throughout Marge's treatment. It is expensive but definitely well worth it. If you need anything please let me know and please keep us posted on Gunner.
Eva

[GSP_Mom]

I will be thinking of you and Gunner, sending all the positve thoughts I can your way. 

[Jen]

Oh Joyce, poor Gunner. The girl can't catch a break huh.

I remember when you finally had her diagnosed w/Blasto that she had also suffered from all kinds of other things as well, or they were at least suspected.
 
I also don't remember seeing anything about Itra causing kidney problems, but taking a break from it probably won't hurt to see where the problem is coming from.

Think of it this way: you've been treating for 5 months. She's in sooo much better shape than she was at the beginning.
You've also taken great care to keep her away from any other sources of infection. AND, from the links in the newsletter, we have Drs. Wheat and Legendre telling us the following, which also gives me the impression that it may be ok to use Itra as a prophylactic measure:

" Some recommend at least four to six months of itraconazole [1], to reduce the likelihood of relapse. In some cases that relapse despite four to six months of itraconazole, itraconazole suppressive therapy given two or three times weekly may prevent recurrence. The antigen test may be useful for diagnosing relapse, indicated by the two spikes in (Figure 3)."

This is the link to the entire paper, which  also addresses other aspects of their urine test as a tool for monitoring or deciding when to stop therapy.
www.miravistalabs.com/Files/pdf/BlastomycosisinDogs2007.pdf

It'll be ok. And we'll be thinking of you-
jen

[Wilson3]

oh boy oh boy oh boy!
you 2 just seem to always find a loop hole
i do remember wilsons dr always watching his liver and kidney counts really close if i remember right the pain meds can cause problems w/the kidenys
try the danelion root it can help, great for kidneys

you 2 have made it this far and will make it !!! it is just incredible what you 2 have made it through already
so chin up and gunner you keep yours up also
kristin

[gunner]

Thank you so much for your kind words of support.  I can't tell you how much it means!

 I didn't call the lab on Friday.  Quite frankly I was just so stressed out and couldn't think straight about what questions I should be asking.  Besides, there was nothing that they could do on Friday anyway, I think shipping over the weekend wouldn't be a good thing anyway.  I am hoping that I can talk to them and get all the information to make it as easy on my vet as possible.  He is always so over loaded because he is GOOD.  He doesn't mind my doing the reasearch for him and getting all the ducks in a row for him.  It makes me feel better that I can do something proactive anyway. 

Thank you for the dandylion root idea.  I will get some on Monday.  I knew it was good for the liver, but didn't know it was good for the kidneys too. 
Anyway, thanks again, I'll keep you posted.
Joyce

[luvmyjacks]

Please, please tell us what is happening with Gunner..... so worried.

[gunner]

Hi, 
Sorry to be so sparatic lately.  I have had my own health issues crop up.  It seems I have a gall stone the size of a wall nut.  It looks like "Oscar the Grouchy Gizzard" is going to have to go!  He is a pretty handy guy for keeping me on the fat free straight and narrow, but the sheer magnitude of him scared my doc. 

I took Gunner back to the vet again yesterday.  He did another blood test and her lousy kidney levels have crept up one notch.  So now it is going onto the second week of no meds.  I took him all the information for Mira Vista.  I called them.  What really nice people!  I got the paperwork for him to fill out and he got a blood sample to send but he chose to freeze it instead and wait till next week.  He said that if her kidneys are failing that there would be no point in sending off the test because it won't make any difference.  She would die of kidney failure before the blasto had a chance to come back. 

Other than the tip of her tongue looking just a 1/4 shade darker than normal and a little kinda wrinkled looking when you look really close, you would never know there was anything wrong at all.  She has a great appatite and tons of energy.  I don't know.  We both go back to our respective vetrinarians again next Thursday.  It is a tough patch just now, but we will muddle our way through.  Bulldogs (and their owners) just have no concept of "give up". 
Thanks so much for caring. 
Joyce

[Jen]

It just seems that you guys can't catch a break. and you really deserve one.  It's encouraging to hear that if nothing else, Gunner feels and acts great.  No word on why she's having a kidney problem?

[Wilson3]

joyce hang in their you 2 have been through soooo much and and you 2 will make this
have you started the danlelion rt?
you can use the leaves also
we are here for you always :O)
please do keep us updated
kristin

[evayola]

Well I hope you are okay and obviously the same for Gunner. Why is it that when one thing goes wrong... everything goes wrong? Thats the story of my life! Im really rooting for Gunner. I think of you guys everyday- I have the blasto newsletter on my desk at my store and everyone who sees it asks about her. Be strong! I dont need to tell you that though cuz we all know you are! Keep us posted.

Eva

p.s. what are they thinking for a course of treatment?

[gunner]

Gunner's Revenge!

Gunner went back to the vet yesterday for a blood test and another Immuno Regulin shot to boost her immune system.  The past few days, Gunner has seemed much improved.  Her tongue is back to a more normal color, though it still has some wrinkles, and her hair loss has slowed down a bunch. 

When I took Gunner in to the vet's office, of course she was shaking like a leaf.  Her association to vets is pretty traumatic.  The vet took her off down the hall to do the tests.  They are having renovations done and he stopped, with Gunner in tow, to give one of the contractors some instructions.  As he was talking, he reaized that he was stepping in something.  Gunner had pooped (what he claimed to be) gallons and he and she had stepped in it all over the place.  It had oozed through his sandles and on to his feet. He said he can handle most anything but dog poop for some reason isn't one of them.  So he was trying to wash his feet and throwing up.  It took two techs to clean her up and clean up after her!  What a mess!

Anyway, Gunner's blood test shows that her condition has stabilized.  Her numbers haven't budged from last week.  Like Will's vet, my vet is still studying up on Mira Vista Lab.  But regardless of what he thinks, he will send off a urine sample next week.  Since Gunner can't be on her meds any more, I just want to know how much Blasto is still lurking in her system, if any. 

The vet is very pleased with Gunner's improved condition.  He says he has never seen such a quick response from the Immuno Regulin.  Usually it takes a month before there is any noticeable improvement.  I told him that I have also been giving Gunner "Sav-A-calf" this past week as well.  Now he wants me to bring some in for him to study. 

I guess I am in for a long and windy road with this dog.  But it is not all bad, it has some really stinky highlights!   

[Wilson3]

to funny 

i really glad to here that things are a bit better right now
it is amazing what you 2 have all been through

everyone think postive
wilson3

[Jen]

Wow, would that it had been your last vet. That would've been suh-weeet!
Poor guy, it's still pretty funny.  Still, Gunner's such a trooper to come back like this over and over, good for her.

And what's to study about MiraVista? Guess you just have to take him to school huh.
Take care of yourself too-
jen