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[DP]

My adorable golden retriever was diagnosed with Blasto last week. We think we caught it early and he's doing very well on his medication. However, I was informed that another dog that lives on the island that I believe my dog caught Blasto on is very ill. He was taken off the island and is being treated by a vet in St. Paul, MN. One of her symptoms was coughing when they took her off the island. At this time, she is being treated for congestive heart failure but I can't help but suspect Blasto my be the cause. Has anyone heard of a dog developing congestive heart failure from Blasto. I've read so many stories of misdiagnosis and delayed treatment and don't know how hard I should push the owner of this dog to get a Blasto test.

Diane

[Wilson3]

diane sooo sorry you also have to join here
( it looks like the new wave of victuims are coming )
I have not heard of it but i guess anything is possible maybe the dog had a heart problem in the beginning an dnever noticed
very lucky to have count it earily thank goodness you found this site
please add you cas on the casse data base
take care and stay positive
wilson3

[DP]

Wilson3, I tried to add my case to the database the end of last week but the site kept going down. I will try again. I have to admit I was horrified when I started reading the information on this site. However, I also feel blessed to have a such a good resource to help me make the right choices for Phoster (my golden). I was also very lucky that my vet suspected Blasto on my first visit (he knew that Phoster visited Lake of the Woods often and made the connection).

I'm bound and determined to inform as many people as I can in the Lake of the Woods (Norwest Angle, MN) area of this terrible infliction. I am going to ask that they include an article in their area news letter on the topic. I'm just so scared that the German Shepherd being treated for congestive heart failure may have Blasto and the heart failure is just a result of the infection. But, the owner had no interest in the Blasto information I provided.

Diane

[Wilson3]

you are so lucky to get treatment so fast  most do not i know it was a while for us
i know when wilson was on his 1st week of treatment and his breathing had gotten so bad i thought how good his heart keep going with all the stress on it but it did , it is very scary, but it almost seems like a million yrs ago when wilson was so sick
i have been on vacation and wilson is completly himself he looks like he was never sick he even was sticking his nose in a whole in a tree looking for the chimpmonk but no luck never got it the memory of blasto seems to leave in time i was so lucky with wilson that he made it i still have blasto in the back of my mind but it is diferent now we ahve lived it and know soooo much morethen in the past
if i would let my guys live the life they always knew with me they their spirit would die so i figure i might as well let them have fun
the news letter is greaat to hand out
i also go on the opening page on this site and click on the part dogs sings part and just print that out i do add that people can get this alos and the part about mulch i always have copies in my car to hand out put on cars every where we go but it will help someone
you should see if they have a local paper you could send them the news letter also your story
wilsons in in 3 different magazines the3rd one comes out in a week or so i figure it will reach tons everything helps
i think their was some trouble a while back withthe site
this is the best place to come to for support and ideas
any questions please ask their are many people here tons to read through but all have wonderful info
i always say to stay positve thank phoster for everything he does tell him just how much you love him and sit with him talk about things you have done and will do when he is better it helped us  they do really listen
every chance you get read the posts on here it will help

give yourself and phoster a hug from us it will get better!!!
wilson3

[sequinnw]

I would encourage pretty strongly for the dog's owner to have the test for blastomycosis.  I am sickened when I think of how long it took to diagnose Daisy last year.

[Jen]

If one dog on the island is coughing and was diagnosed with Blasto, and another dog is coughing...I'd strongly suspect Blasto. 
The sores are easy to miss when they're small, and there are ways to diagnose it fairly quickly now.  (As long as the vet is willing to believe it's a possibility.)
Please check out the newsletter, as it contains the stuff vets are too busy to look up.
Good luck, and hope for the best-
jen