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[Wilson3]

wilson has developed a gaging cough like and is favoring his left back leg off and on

so he will be getting the blasto test done once again

it could just be that he is hurting his foot or leg when in the river walking on the the slimmy rocks and maybe from the stuffing from the toys is causing the cough but he will be going to see his dr. this week

wilson3

[gunner]

Oh dear! 

I just hate the thought of that!  I sure hope it isn't and I will be praying for Wilson.  You two have been through quite enough! 
 
(((hugs))) for Wilson.
Joyce

[luvmyjacks]

Makes me feel sick for you Kristin. 

[evayola]

I will be thinking of you guys and definitely keep us posted. I am going to take Marge in this week as well because she was limping on Saturday and then coughing at night. Could be a fluke but just in case....

Eva

[Jen]

Aw jeeze guys!
This is frightening to hear, please keep us posted?
j

[luvmyjacks]

As I told Jen, Sadie is now coughing, that same hacking hairball sound and I just got an e-mail from Rick, owner of Bosun, saying he thinks Bosun is having a relapse.  i promIse I am going to find time to put two laptops together and try to capture all this forum information in the form of some massive spreadsheet.  i know we have enough information from posts, case database and private e-mails to come up with some reasonable conclusions about treatment times if nothing else.  In going over the database I found 5 cases that mirrored Jenna in Kingston.  We definitely have some good stuff now I am going to dig through it ...... with jen's help??? Anyone?  i have poor time management and organizational skills but I will try.

[sequinnw]

I'm worried.  Daisy was diagnosed in June 2007 after 4 weeks of misdiagnoses.  She had skin, lymph node, and joint involvement with coughing/gagging.  She was on 100 mg. Itraconazole, given once daily, for 6 months.  She finished the medication at the end of December 2007. 

Daisy began limping again on the same affected leg (right front wrist) on May 2, 2008, with an occasional cough after heavy exertion.  Even though I was fearful and quick to suspect blastomycosis, we spent 7 weeks back and forth to the vet, believing it was a sprain.  By June 21, I couldn't take it anymore and gave her one dose of Itraconazole.  She stopped limping by the next afternoon.  Convinced it was a relapse, I requested she be put back on medication.  Thankfully she is improving, but I worry once she comes off the medication.  How long should she stay on it?  I have read that dogs may relapse if they haven't been treated for long enough.  I have just learned of the MiraVista testing from this site, thank goodness, thank you.  What is the recommended testing schedule?  Should they remain on some sort of maintenance dose of medication once treatment is completed? The thought of waiting around for symptoms to recur is terrifying.

[Wilson3]

thanks everyone  joey is sure that wilson is fine and he probalie is just me going throufgh flash backs but he is due for a recheck any ways i waas hoping to make it until sept when his rabies shot is due

see the werid thing is the only time wilson favors his leg is when he has been in the river a lot and the cough well same thing i think he swallows water and they still love to rip apart their stffys and that stuff does get cought
i look at it this way if he has it again thats "TF" we start meds again he looks way to good so i know i am being overly worried sometiems and he is getting older they all are i know the artis has set in 0n wilson

anyways he willl seee his doc this week and i am hoping to not here back from him
wilsons strong eso he will be just fine oey says
i think sometimes he misses all the babing he had gotten
thanks again
wilson3

[Jen]

I've thought much about what Ginger said about "Relapse vs. Re-exposure".

What we've learned is that most dogs don't even get it when exposed.
This is supposedly due to lots of factors, but one in particular being that the ones who do get infected may have a compromised immune system at the time.
We treat it for 6 months or more in some cases, and how many of us really know whether it's actually gone without antigen testing? Or whether they've been re-exposed?

In October I was very afraid to take Dirt off the Itra, even when the vet said it was ok, so I "tapered" her dose for at least another month.  She has been ***knockswood***  symptom-free for 9 mos. now, but I have given her what I considered a "prophylactic dose", a pill every two days, for about 2 weeks just because she had been slogging through the swamp and chasing (okay, eating) beavers. I cannot allow her to come down with another full-blown case.

For me, the important thing will be recognizing it and not allowing it to take hold like the 1st time. It's possible that as the Blastomycosis in Dogs paper states, some may need to keep some Itra floating around in their system at all times to prevent relapse.
Link here:
http://72.14.205.104/search?q=cache:eKbrO5FcPn0J:www.miravistalabs.com/Files/pdf/BlastomycosisinDogs2007.pdf+blastomycosis+in+dogs+miravista&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us

" 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)."

We really don't know anything for sure.
It's entirely possible that some dogs may need a suppressive dose their entire lives.
If that's what's necessary, I could live with it.
Perhaps vets need to re-think the idea that it can be completely cleared from the body in 6 or 12 months, or ever, in some animals.

jen

[Wilson3]

well this is our plan with wilson
all stuffys are gone and cough stopped ( going to keep it away for awhile)
leg is fine but has not been to the river so tomorrow we go tothe river and find out what happens he can handle other running and jumping
i need to remind myself to stay positive that he is fine
also i thin i am add grapefriut seed and ACV to his deit it can not hurt
i was also thinking on getting goldenseal/echinacea blend  (liquids always work best for dogs with these things)
not sure i am going to look into it more
wilson looks to good to have blasto again
joyce what hav you read about cats claw i was reading somthing that it helps the immune system i want to change wislosn immune booster for a while they say it is good to change it or go off for a week or so
any thougt
wilson3

[gunner]

Hi Kristin,

It seems that we are all struggling trying to find a way to keep our babies from slipping back into the Blastomycosis nightmare. 

I have been doing the ACV and Grapefruit Seed Extract thing religeously for the past 2 weeks.  (Before then it was kind of hit and miss).  I don't know if it had anything to do with slowing the advancement of Gunner's kidney issues or not but I really hope it is helping. 

I have been researching as much as I can for more natural suppliments for dogs, and there just is not a whole lot of information available.  There are those that will sell you their "secret combination" of stuff at high dollars but won't tell you what all is in it.  What frightens me is that dogs cannot take all things that humans can.  Some things can be down right dangerous to be giving to your dog so all of this is dreadfully confusing.  I did find the following tidbit.  It is one more thing that I can do religiously for Gunner that will do more good than harm. 

"Probiotic: A microbe that protects its host and prevents disease. The best-known probiotic is Lactobacillus acidophilus, which is found in yogurt, acidophilus milk, and supplements. Probiotics counter the decimation of helpful intestinal bacteria by antibiotics. Probiotics given in combination with antibiotics are therefore useful in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. The yeast S. boulardii and three strains of Lactobacillus have also been shown to be useful in this regard."
I hesitate to use Cats Claw with Gunner because I have read repeatedly: "Like other immune stimulants, cat's-claw should be avoided in diseases of the immune system itself, such as tuberculosis, multiple sclerosis, and HIV infection."  And since Gunner's immune system is already compromised I don't think it is a good one for her.  It was a good thought though. 

I guess the search will go on.  Keep me posted on what you find and I will do the same. 
Joyce. 

[Wilson3]

i know with wilson and the other 2 i had gooten "lazy" "forgetful" to give the supplements inthe past month or so but back on them
and they did need a brake from them
i was using the plant emzynes and probotics for a long time but stoppped
the cats claw i was thing the same thing might not be so good
at least this time of yr the fruit is good so they will be getting more yogourt w/friut mixed in they love it
thanks for your thoughts
kristin

[Wilson3]

well i think my good old boy is just starting to show his age

i am on vacation again and the boys are out lots more then normal and well wilson has really been trying to be like he was a couple yrs ago with the frissbee and welll he has take a few good falls and limping once more
and yesterday chance &him went for a VERY long swim side by side and bandit running along the shore (bandit isnt to crazy about the water only enough to get cooled off) with them it was a site they sure are happy boys but tonight wilson is hurting i even gave him a pain pill i think i need to realize he is older entering his senior yrs and cannot do it like he us to

i also ran into dannys (he lost his eyes) owner yesterday and barneys the day before
both are doing wonderful!!!!
Dannys doggie brother also had blasto 13 yrs ago and still doing well!!!
danny is also involed in a study at madison so they are still learning more and yes more are living

so we  all have hope!!!
i hope your 4th was safe and fun!
wilson3

[Wilson3]

ok i am driving myself crazy here 
wilson is still faving his back leg some just like when blasto all started for him and i just figured it was from the puncher wound


well he goes in tomorrow at 9:30 to get tested he hasnt been in since march and to ease my mind i decided to take him now instead of in september (when he would get his rabies shot)
i am sick with worry , this is how he acted 2 yrs  ago so
i know he will be fine either way but .....
he will go in anywyas to make me feel better

he is eating like always and no fever no lesions no nothing other then his back leg is bothering him

it could be he has just been over doing things ( i have had a lot of time off) and he is older and has tired joints and it has been really hot (we do have air but the heat still really bothers him)

so wilsons needs positve thoughts going his way

thanks
wilson3

[Wilson3]

boy i sure wish i would have taken wilson sooner...

he has a sprained knee  go figure

it seems with his aging and bone/joint envolment w/blasto frisbee is out for wilson his body can longer do all the crazy flips and high jumps 

i will just have to compromise and find a way for him

it will be hard since even when we throw them low he jumps forward for them
but he is health as can be
wilson3