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[Jen]

Now this is interesting, and something that we've discussed before.  We haven't found any real answers, but here's what happened with Dirt:

   After about a month or so of treatment, she was getting progressively better. Her draining lesion was clearing up, she was breathing better, starting to eat again, all that.  But she began getting little black lesions about the size of a pencil eraser around her paws and ankles where there hadn't been anything before. 
   Of course, we were continuing Itra treatment anyway, but we used an OTC antifungal medication on them and they went away pretty quickly. 

   We postulated that maybe the fungus was "running" to the surface, which might sound silly.  But after hearing others say that they got even bigger lumps, lesions, and even huge pustules that swelled up and burst (gross, I know) after being on treatment for a couple of months, etc. we thought maybe there was something to it after all - fungus looking for a way out.  I'd really love to see more studies or monitoring of the disease/treatment process. 
 
   But as far as research and information, as anyone here has seen, - this is it for experience, right here, Lisa's forum.  We appear to be the front line. 
Perhaps Blasto is not "sexy" enough to warrant more in-depth studies.
   
jen

[Judy]

Jen - this is interesting to hear you talk about the healing also. In so far as my work with human patients I have found the homeopathic progresion of healing to be true - i.e. for Rheumatoid Arthritis, patients heal from the top down (toe is the last joint to get better) and from the inside out (i.e. with asthma and skin conditions, the asthma clears up first, then the skin gets worse - psoriasis, eczema etc) and then heals - could blasto be healing from the inside out? - i.e. from the lungs and deeper parts of the joints to the skin and then out.

Certainly Francie had a deep area in the joint of her left front ankle that had no evidence of blasto (although the other two feet had blasto and sores) but worried me because it swelled up so much and she couldn't walk on it without any evidence of sores ---and then finally drained - and interestingly enough, when I look back on it - I did take her to the Vet ER last January first 2008 because she was limping on her front right foot - but stopped limping when we were there, then 4 months later she started limpng again, couldn't find anything wrong and then finally infected sores that were found to be blasto -I don't think this is a coincidence.  Judy

[Louise]

Can't comment as my dog is on prednisone as well as fluconozole.  His liver functions are watched though - last time they tested high it was because he got into the cat food before the test.  They vet had me all concerned about his liver function failing because of high fat elevels and I put 2 and 2 together - we redid the test - this time making sure he could not get near the cat food - and he was fine. 

I though the drinking and the eating was the prednisone, not the fluconozole.  Ish has gained over 30lbs - He was a 70lb dog, now he is a 100lb dog.  It seems he never stops wandering looking for food and drink - he is sooo moochy that it drives us crazy.  I have to stand over the cats while the eat or he will move in and eat it all.  I have given up on dog bones (when he comes inside) because if he even thinks he hears the cupboard door he runs for it.

Ish has been on treatment 2 1/2 months - it started in his eyes and then we saw it in his lungs.  His remaining eye (retina permanently detached in one) is clear and his lungs sound good.  However he has developed lessions - they were able to get a slide and actually see the blasto cells.  He has a big one and about 6 or 7 smaller ones - or at least I assume them to be. 

I also noticed shaking - when he comes in from outside (it is cold and snowy here - often low F (sorry I only know celcius (-10 - -20). The cold has never bothered him before, he loved to lay in the deep snow for hours.  We all think his behavior has changed - we can't pin point what exactly it is, he is just different.  He acts like he is scared, disoriented, or something.  He does weird things he didn't do before. 

I can't find any side effects associated with the fluconozole but the excessive drinking, weight gain (due to excessive appetite) and wandering are all listed in the negative effects of long term use of prednisone. 

I laughed when I read about the minnows and the cat food - that is sooo true.  How about cat poop covered with clumping litter? - appetizing and soo good for the digestive track.  Had to make sure he can get to those anymore! 

[Louise]

Jen, your comments about the lesions on the feet struck me - Ish has been in treatment 2 1/2 months and just now has lesions - the one on his back ribs - a bare spot (as if waxed) the size of a canadian "loonie" has 2 small holes that excreted pus, but only in small amounts.  He has another much smaller lesion, also  hairless with a small red mark, again with only small amounts of discharge - really negligible.  What struck me is that yesterday I noticed he has multiple - 3 or 4 on each leg/foot - marks - the size of a pencil eraser - they are hairless - no discharge or redness (he is a black dog - they are white/skin tone).  They are literally appearing near what I would call his heals.  His skin is flaky in those areas - but it could be that way allover - so I do not think that is a component.  The kids 'joked' that the disease was forcing itself out of his body - that it had to get out somehow - (it was in his lungs and eyes and he NEVER coughed). 

[Judy]

OK, this may be entirely irrational - a friend was housesitting for me with her cat a few weeks before Francie got sick - and she ate the cat poop (I hope only once but not sure)....couldn't be connected to blasto??  The cat was quite old....

[Louise]

luvmyjacks - I am in Haliburton - 1st case of Blasto here.  My 3 dogs are limited to supervised walks in the yard (I have terrible neighbours) and their kennel.  Every once in a while they jump ship - dig themselves out, escape through an unattended door - and go 'swamping'.  I think they just have to smell like dead frogs or they aren't happy.  All go on these adventures, all have them same routines and are exposed to the same environment - only 1 got blasto and we have no idea where.  The area is full of dogs that run in the same swamps as my dogs and we have lots of hunters who's dogs routinely run in the area - no one else has come across it.  Looking at the nature of the area we are all water - lakes and swamps and rivers that connect them - why wouldn't it be here? 

[jiggasmom]

With blasto it just seems to a mystery in general. I have 2 dogs they go the same places yet only one dog contracted it.  Maybe some dogs are more vulnerable to get it?? It probably is in your area. Your dog is the 1st known case but how many have gone misdiagnosed. It supposedly is rare but more and more seem to be getting it. Maybe that's just because it had been misdiagnosed for so long or too many times?  If I were you I wouldn't be surprised if more cases started popping up in your area.

[paintubturner]

I had two dogs at the time of blasto diagnosis.  Both dogs did the same things and went the same places but only one ended up with blasto.  I now have a puppy since July.  She has started having a twitch in her front legs shortly after I got her and I had noticed the blasto dog doing this several months before he actually got sick.  As soon as I get some extra money I am going to have her tested even though she has no signs or symptoms.

[Ella]

luvmyjacks - I am in Haliburton - 1st case of Blasto here.  My 3 dogs are limited to supervised walks in the yard (I have terrible neighbours) and their kennel.  Every once in a while they jump ship - dig themselves out, escape through an unattended door - and go 'swamping'.  I think they just have to smell like dead frogs or they aren't happy.  All go on these adventures, all have them same routines and are exposed to the same environment - only 1 got blasto and we have no idea where.  The area is full of dogs that run in the same swamps as my dogs and we have lots of hunters who's dogs routinely run in the area - no one else has come across it.  Looking at the nature of the area we are all water - lakes and swamps and rivers that connect them - why wouldn't it be here? 

Hi Louise; We're not far from your place (we're in Apsley).  Our dog Ella got blasto last summer, and despite taking her to Florida for the winter, she couldn't shake it, and it's back again and getting worse.  Did you have any success with vets up your way?  We've been going to Toronto, because no vets in our area had blasto experience.  However, Toronto is a long drive for sure. She's been through all the different meds so far, and now they want to put her on an IV this time.  We're having a tough time with this decision.  Ella

[evayola]

Hi Ella,

I am not in CA but the reason I write is because I wanted to strongly caution you again the amp b IV, if that is what your vet is suggesting. My Marge did one round of treatment and she nearly died from it. The day after the amp b treatment, she went blind in her one eye. It is a very harsh medication and they have come a long way in forms of other treatments. What are you currently using/dose? There is a test through miravista that can actually detect how effective the meds are while they are taking them.

Eva

[Ella]

Hi everyone:
We decided not to do the IV thing in Toronto and instead we decided to put Ella back on Sporonox.  Since then, she has been tested twice at Mira Vista and the latest test at the end of June she was down to 2.4.  So near yet so far.  She has had some nasty bouts of skin lesions over the last two months.  As two or three go away, another two or three seem to appear the proverbial two steps forward and one step back.  We're re-testing at Mira Vista at the end of this month (August) and hopefully it will come back with a negative reading.  We now have a vet that is close by that has a good handle on this disease.  It's a relief to only have to drive 20 minutes instead of 3-4 hours.
We're into our 14th month of this, and we're all worn out.  Over this 14 months of treatment Ella's gone from 40 lbs to 50 lbs and is now 43 lbs. She's on a grainfree diet with supplemental meat, chicken etc. but is still a bit picky with her food.  Anyone else had their dog on meds for this long?
Ella

[Jen]

Wow - sounds like you guys have been through a great deal.  14 months is a very long time.  I remember the vet telling me that it could be 6 months to a year or more, but we were able to do the 6 months. 
   We'll be crossing our fingers for a negative, and a full recovery for Emma. 

Good luck-

jen

[sequinnw]

Ella,
Daisy relapsed in 2008 after a bout in 2007.  She was on meds in '07 for 6 months.  We kept her on intra's full dose for 12 months after her relapse, and she currently is taking half a dose every day.  We're awaiting Mira Vista results to see if there is any bump in her numbers and considering keeping her on a maintenance dose of itra indefinitely to avoid future relapses.  I'll keep the board posted as to her results and the vets new med recommendations.

[Wilson3]

wow I agree you guys have had a long battle
That is really great you do not have to drive so far any more I pray for neg numbers later this month for you guys!!
Please keep us posted
wilson3

[evayola]

Marge was on meds for a little over one year and she tested negative. We stopped treating her and a few "funny" things popped up. She started licking her paw like crazy and all you could smell was yeast. She also was licking her vag area ALL THE TIME! We had her paw xrayed and you could tell that the bone was getting a growth on it. The vet suspected the blasto was back. We are now 2 years since Marge's original diagnosis and she is still on meds. She only gets them about every 3-4 days. There is no paw or vag licking either. We will be taking her in shortly for a new MiraVista test and xray. The vet would also like to check her kidney/liver functions since it has been so long. marge is taking fluconazole if that make a difference?!

Eva