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[Jen]

Here's what I've personally seen in the last 2-3 yrs since the giant landscaping project I did at our house, and the homes of the Doc & his dad:

*Doc's dog, Curly: Coughing, gagging, wasting, lots of testing, but died before diagnosis.

*His dad's dog, Henry: Coughing, gagging, sores, wasting, lots of tests at the same vet, died without diagnosis.
These were both within 4 months of the gardens.

The rest of the mulch was brought to my house, where the dogs and I played in it for days on end.  A couple months later:

*Bud, a little terrier of ours: Coughing, seemed like he couldn't get his breath, died suddenly.

Then a couple of months more,
*Charlie, Sylvie's 2 y/o Aussie: Coughing, gagging, wasting, we treated him with B-S antibiotics, he seemed to get better, then died while getting a drink of water.

* I had pneumonia twice, but got antibiotics.  I came down with an inflammatory (Not rheumatoid) arthritis, and now there are no more gardens for me.  The doctor laughs if I mention fungal arthritis.

*Then last spring, Dirtbike moved in.  She was outside most of the time and we didn't so much notice the coughing, but saw the sores.  Then she started with the resp. problems and coughing/gagging, and we noticed she was losing weight. 
We tried to treat her with broad-spectrum antibiotics, but she didn't get better.
This time we rushed to the vet and found out that there was such a thing as Blasto. The rest you know.

*Obie was very old, and when he started coughing last Nov. we made him as comfortable and happy as possible. There were no sores, but he was very arthritic and frail.
We didn't take him to the vet. He spent his last days at home by the Fence, where he belonged. He died on Thanksgiving.

So, that's 6 dogs who coughed, gagged, and lost weight in less than 3 years, and I "came down" with an arthritis that has effectively crippled me. 
None of that is normal.

Only one hound is still here, and if I don't hear that "Brrwoooooo!!!" echoing through the valley every 15 minutes or so, I go find her.
The mulch has been bleached out, grown over, and for the most part, is gone.
We will never discount a hack, a cough, a sore, a lame foot, anything, ever again.

[mhitesman]

Thanks, Jen.   Wow.  Summarizes your history very clearly and is most helpful.  I am glad Com is back on itra. 
Strangely enough, he is full of energy and following me around jumping with excitement to go somewhere ... play ...  Can it start working so fast with just one dose so far???

[sequinnw]

Daisy showed immediate improvement.  She had been hopping on 3 legs, leashed every time she went outside to prevent her from running, and kept quiet for 7 weeks and not getting better.  I finally just knew it had to be a relapse.  I gave her a dose on a Friday night, and by Saturday, we unleashed her and she took flight, literally.  She was a new dog.  It did take almost 6 weeks for the swelling in her front joint to go back to normal, but the limping completely subsided once she started medication.  She is in her 3rd month of treatment so far.