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[lexarosa]

Hi.. I'm so glad I found this site.  Here is a quick rundown on our situation.  Our 6 yr. old springer spaniel was diagnosed w/ blasto 4.5 months ago.  We live in Fl. so this is apparently very rare.  We took him to our vet due to incontinence and depression, plus excessive panting and he was diagnosed w/ a bladder infection.  A couple weeks later he crashed and I took him to emergency vet ( he had a 107 fever,had a very distended stomach, and was in respiratory distress...the diagnosis was blasto as he had enlarged lymphnodes in his abdomen.  This diagnosis and hospitalization cost us 2400 dollars, then another 400 for a recheck after 6 weeks.  He was put on flucanazole and a round of prednisone and seemed to be doing better at first, then3 wks ago started the heavy panting again.  We took him to our local vet and she gave more prednisone and then he started dragging his back paw, can't jump, very lethargic, etc.  Our vet will not see him anymore and says we must see the er vet who is booked for weeks.  So we had to pay for for an er visit and even though the specialty doc was in, he didn't even talk to us, we have to wait until the 22nd for our appointment w/him.  They ordered an xray of the spone and believe the infection is in the spinal cord, but not bone.  They are saying we need to use amphoceratrinB but the cost would be about 5,ooo.  There is no guarantee this will even work and I am getting No answers.  They wanted to hospitalize him for another 1600 last night and we just said we will have to digest all this... This would cost 10,000 altogether and no insurance of having ahelathy dog... I am sick... Please give me any advice.

[Wilson3]

WOW you have been through a lot to!!
This stuff is just horrible!!! Wilson started panting more in the last couple weeks to. I am asuming the weather has gotten warmer. He hates the heat. I stared to take his temp again to watch that. He goes to the vet in 2 weeks for a check up and will have his lungs x-rayed again.
did your vet recheck your dogs lungs? If so was there change?
Your dog is very lucky tohave you!!! You  have come a loong way.
How can a er vet be booked? why did your vet stop see him?
So blasto is now in his spinal cord?
would your vet let you try itraconazole?

wilson3

[lexarosa]

Apparently, this is so rare in fla. my vet is more comfortable sending him back to the er hospital and the doc that saw him 1st is the only one who has been researching this and has his records. The lungs sounded "terrible" according to the er tech, though and a surgeon looked him over and found no sign of orthopedic damage that could be causing his rear leg dragging, but xrays showed no signs of bone infiltration, but they said the infection is probably inside the spinal cord itself.  It's called discoplasia sp? or something.  The specialist doc didn't even call me today, it was the vet tech and I asked her if itracanazole would be worth a try and she said he said it was still in the canazole family and he believes hes  becoming resistant to it so no use...I am just frustrated because no one will help me unless I am willing to spend almost 10k...and from what I'm reading about spinal involvement prognosis is poor.  I just want a second opinion or maybe try some supplements or anything. His name is Guinness by the way if anyone wants to say a little prayer...yours will be in mine.  This is just horrible, and esp. in Fl. there seems to be no one that understands it.  P.S My husband and I are on hi protein diets so tonite Guinn had scrambled eggs and ham..we'll see if it helps to lower his sugar intake a bit... He loved it!

[Wilson3]

i do know someone whos dog had the spinal cord involed he was on treatment for 10 weeks now being watched every month they used the itracanzole. from what it sounds like it depends what is envoled to which one to use you can this far i would give it a try
i do know the expence is horrible i make $10.08 and hour and it is hard to find the money ever month. it is just my son and i and the 3 dogs My son is great he has given up sooo much so ther e is money to treat wilson
i have found when treating blasto or anything to do with it you almost have to demand what you want  you are the paying costumer i know at my vets office there is 2 vets 1 i like 1 i hate if they would have given me the vet i like in the first  place that i asked nicly for in the beginning wilson would have started treatment 1 month sooner but no i was being nice finially i told the vet i like that i wanted only him to touch or look or treat any of my dogs i am paying the bill
we have the right 
i do know that dogs can have a relaps during treatment and i beleave i read that if they made it through the first round they should make the 2nd round i know doesnt sound hopful
go to the home page click on links read all the links i made copies on the one related to dogs/animals and kept reading them it has been a while but i do beleave they can relaps but should makke it through it

try calling the madison vets here in wis. tell them your story they migh be able to help some hpw be PUSHY with yoru vets the only way they will do anything  Guinness made it this far and that is pretty far..... I would try changing the meds to the itr one
 you could call my vet Dr.Reynold,414-762-5650 he migh be able to help just a thought

keep us posted

good luck!!

[Jen]

So sorry to hear that you've been through all of this. I've heard of other dog owners whose vets gave wrong diagnoses and the animal suffered far too long. This shouldn't be costing you so much! Dirtbike's treatment was only 68.40 for 2 months supply (but about 20.00 more with overnight shipping) plus the supplements, extra foods, etc. we've been trying to get her to eat.

Our vet knew it was blasto right away, but ruled out heartworms, which made her visit cost about $95.
She did not appear to have lymph, CNS/spine, or bone involvement. He told us there was about a 50/50 chance with any case of blasto so there was no reason to spend  into debt and that all we can do is give the medicine and supportive treatment. That's not really encouraging, but we're starting her 4th week of treatment now, and I cautiously say that she may be getting better. We could take her back to the vet but there's nothing they can really do that we're not already doing.

   Remember that it's a fungal pneumonia that you're dealing with as well, and the breathing is going to be BAD. We've tried tussins, prednisone, antihistamines...just have to let the itraconazole work. It's a very stressful treatment for you and for your friend.
 I wish you the very best, and know that you're in our thoughts.

   We were able to get the Itraconazole from
Pet Health Pharmacy
12012 N. 111th Ave.
Youngstown, AZ 85363
Their website is: www.pethealthpharmacy.com

Best-
jen
obie
millie
dirtbike

[Jen]

One note:
Dirtbike also began acting lame and off-balance, but it seems to resolve after she's up and moving a bit. I've read that the Itraconazole can sometimes cause this, along with swelling and pain in the limbs.
jen

[Lucky]

lexarose:  If your vet will not help due to inexperience with this disease then I would call around to other vets to see who does have any knowledge and or experience.  I would also call the closest university vet school since they have specialists available all the time, plus sometimes they are willing to work with you on cost and can also educate your local vet.  Good Luck to you both and I will say a prayer for you.  Lost my dog in March due to blasto and other complications.  Terri (deceased Lucky) and all my other rescued critters

[lexarosa]

Thank you thank you to all,
You may have collectively saved my Guinness.  We were about to give up due to cost, we are being told that our only hope is basically amphoB injections, but hardly anyone else is having to do this.  I have an actual "in person" appointment with what appears is the only vet in town that will see my dog, on the 22nd.  I think I will demand to try itracanazole.  He claims it will do no good as he is already on a canazole but I am reading quite different things here.  It seems some work better than others in different cases...why not?  Also, we unfortunately will be out of town on a cruise(paid before this all happened) on the 1st of June til the 13th, so timing can't get worse... we will board him w/ an in-house boarder that was reccommmended by my vet, and she can geve his meds....very worried about all this...what if he goes downhill while we're away.  I would like to see some improvements sooner than later.  Due to our our private vet giving him stroids the er vet was not happy.. said it could have caused his decline in last few weeks so he is off them and seems to walk better and no more incontinence or pooping in house, as of today, but very lethargic and depressed.  It's weird though that he also is not breathin rapidly at all.  Mayb good?  but who knows w/ this crazy disease...
Also, does anyone know if I can transfer his x-rays, records, etc. to another vet.. if neccesary..they are paid in full...and, how long  can this lay dormant, we took him to upstate mass. on a lake 2yrs. before symptoms, but he did have a lesion that showed up as fungal not too long after, but then nothing for 1.5 yrs.  Just wondering , we have an acre and a half lot here in fl. and am scared to get another pup and also worried about my 4 yr old daughter that loves to romp around w/ the dog out there.  There is a swampy area in the lot behind us but we are fenced... Anyways thanx for letting me vent.. sorry Lucky.. please know that you are a beacon of light for all of us still in the dark regarding this dreaded illness.  I thank eveyone posting... it has greatly helped my family at least feel more empowered in our decision-making... which seems to be everything w/ blasto.

[Deb]

Hi,
I'm going through the same thing....Perry has been on Itraconazole for 1 month now.  He no longer coughs, but is lethargic and moans and groans at times.  It seems he's in pain so I started giving him tramadol...this seems to help.  He doesn't care to eat or dring, so I use a water bottle with Dogsure (human version is Ensure).  I mix the Dogsure with a version of pedialyte.  I also give him peanut butter...I feed him by hand with this.  He also gets baby food ham, which I also feed him by hand.  He also gets a form of Nutri-Cal...this is a high calorie food supplement.  I have tried human food, he will eat a hot dog once in awhile.  We just had a tissue sample done of the lungs today to make sure that this is blasto and not cancer.  Our vet did look at the sample before he sent it to the lab and said he thought he saw blasto cells, but time will tell.  He's not responding to the Itraconazole like he thinks he should be.  We also had his lungs "tapped off twice for pleural fluid.  Once it was 1200 cc's and today it was 500 cc's.  His red blood count has also dropped.  It isn't looking pretty for our Perry, but I will remain by his side until he either gets better or he leaves this world.  Prayers work wonders, just keep saying them.  Hang in there and don't give up...they depend on us!  The prices that was quoted to you sound awful high to me.  I had Perry in the Animal hospital for 2 1/2 days and the bill was almost $2100.00.  This including the 1st "tapping" of the lungs and oxygen...without this he surely would have died.  Again hang in there.

Deb for Perry

[Lucky]

FYI:  YES, You can ask for a copy of your pet records and also borrow the x-rays to take to another vet for a 2nd opinion.  Some vets get mad and take it personal but most encourage owners to do that if they feel that they are not helping your pet much or do not have the experince.  If my dog "lucky" had been diagnosed a lot sooner than 1 1/2 yrs then I think that she would have survived but unfornately that did not happen.  Eating was never a problems with my dog just everything else.  She ate canned dog food and also Hill's presciption diet I/D.  I would read EVERY message on this web site because there is a lot of great suggestions!   Once again, good luck to all with dogs having blasto.  Terri

Thanks again Lisa for this wonderful and informative web site!  My 16 yr old diabetic dog is now doing much worse with her lungs so I will have to be putting her to sleep soon.  Not over losing Lucky yet.

[Jen]

   We also gave Dirtface prednisone when she first started her TX, along with tetracycline for secondary infections. We stopped both because it's just too hard on them, esp. the liver. Signs of improvement are very slow, no guarantees.

    My husband was convinced yesterday that she was going blind. (I mentioned to Wilson3 that he has a way of fixating on a worst=case scenario and convincing himself that it's true.) She was sitting in the yard and I tossed a hot dog outside and showed him how she watched it fly thru the air and hit the ground.  He just worries himself to death, and it's very hard on him.

   We  have a Merck veterinary manual from 1979 - it talks about blasto but at that time there was no treatment whatsoever and it was considered 100% fatal, so it looks like we haven't really come all that far in treating the disease for 28 years. Our best friend is a doctor, and when he heard that it was blasto, he said it was bad news in people or animals.

We are lucky to have the antifungal medicines now so that we can at least try to save our pets.
Good luck to everyone- I keep you all in my thoughts.
jen

[lexarosa]

Hi everyone, just an update.. Guinness is still very lethargic, not breathing rapidly, but shallow, still dragging back paw, still eating.  He goes thru spurts where he won't even lift his head to us calling him...I am emotionally exhausted.  He finally will get to see the er doc that is researching his case on tue., but I know he is going to tell me we need more diagnostics, and amphoB which is lots of money...aargh.... hope all other dogs are doing better this weekend.  He is also due for vaccinations before we can board him while on our cruise(two weeks away).  I don't even know if that is safe in his condition? anyways good luck to everyone.

[Jen]

Lexa-
   I don't understand the reason for more and more diagnostics, unless they just see you as a deep pocket. If you're using the ampho and it's not working they don't have a better option, so why would they discourage Itraconazole? It's not that expensive anymore.
   Your dog has been through a lot, especially having been diagnosed that long ago. The treatment often takes a very long time before you can even tell if the dog will make it.  (Like Harv's poor Zip: on TX for 3 days and gone, so sad.)
    Don't want to second-guess your vet, but ours did tell us that the very best we can do for her outside of constant hospitalization (which is traumatic) is to just give her the medication and keep her comfortable, eating and drinking as best we can, with supportive therapy. He said there was really no reason to keep bringing her back and testing her unless she either crashed suddenly (in which case we'd either have to spend a ton of money with no guarantee of saving her, or the "alternative"...) or if she gets better and the symptoms clear up, then we can go from there. He says it's 50/50 either way, depending on the dog and their reaction to the medicine, and whether you can keep them nourished/hydrated. 
   It's a constant struggle, mentally and physically- a roller coaster of good days and then bad ones. All you can really do is be patient and wait it out. It's hard.
   Take care of yourself too- it can wear you down very quickly. Doing your best is all you can do, and hope that Guinny will fight it out.
Best to you and yours-
jen
obie
millie
dirtbike

[lisa marr]

  Fluconazole and Itraconazole (itraconazole is generic Sporonox) are both antifungals, but have different strengths.  Ask your new vet tomorrow to switch Guiness to Itraconazole.....There are some reports on this site that case studies suggest that the " compounded" (powder in a capsule) form of itraconazole is not as effective as the "spherical" (little spheres in a capsule) ..I tried to do more research on this and concluded that the spherical results in better absorption. Nonetheless, my dog is on his 7th month on a powdered -capsule itraconazole (I ordered from canada and it was shipped from England....when I next order, I will buy the brand name Sporonox.)
Probably best to start closer to the 10 mg/ kg/ day than 5 (treatment range is 5-10)
    I understand the difficulty of cost...My dog (beau) was hospitalized for what they thought was aspiration pneumonia --it took over 1 month to get a correct diagnosis, and I was terrified those first weeks on itraconazole...And now my 2nd rescue dog ( a little jack russell/ sheltie 1 yr old from a puppy mill) was just diagnosed with " short radius syndrome", meaning the radius bone in his front leg stopped growing too early, so the ulna bone is longer and his elbow is alligned wrong. Surgery (1800-2400!) is recommended. Yikes.

   But anyway, do bring Wilson3's vet number (posted above somewhere) ---I had my vet call another vet who lived in an area with a higher incidence, and it made all go much smoother. My vet felt re-assured that she was doing the most up - to date treatment, and I felt that I didn't have to argue / ask for what I thought was necessary anymore...

   Best of luck tomorrow and on ....Oh, also ask your new vet to hold off on any vaccinations ---there is a new rec to decrease the frequency of dog vaccines so that the only one yours should need to board is Bordatella (oral vaccine). You don't want to stress your dog's immune system when it is already taxed fighting the blasto
                hang in there- Lisa M