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[Louise]

Ish has been on treatment for 2 1/2 months (January 29th is the 3 month mark).  I haven't been on the site much lately because everything seemed to be going well.  The treatment looked to be working (Fluconozole 20mg, every 24 hours) and his pred's were decreasing - 5mg every other day.  His one eye is clear (he went blind in the originating eye) and his lungs were sounding much better.  He has put on over 30lb (that's the pred)  - we had hope of another 2 maybe 3 months of meds and all would be okay.  However, he developed a skin lession and with some quick checking - it looks like he has more, probably 6 or 7.  What is going on? Anyone?  They want to double his fluconozole dose to 20mg every 12 hours (that is $1000 for the next 3 months - thanks to the compounding pharmacy in BC - $5000 at the local pharmacy!!!)  He will stay on the pred at the current dose - even though I can't get him to stop eating or drinking - mooching, wandering and eating every scrap of cat food he can find!!!  I have 2 other dogs - both cleared originally and seeming still clear and 5 cats.  The vet is thinking that I should keep them seperate - IMPOSSIBLE! 

I think I am just overwhelmed again.  I know that many of you have said that things looked good and went bad fast.  I know that many of you have multiple pets.  I am thinking I maintain the status quo - just keep doing what I am doing (with the increased fluconozole - any comments on that?) and wait and see.  I am worried about the preds and the weight gain - I know that many of you don't agree with the preds but it is recommended by the research sites here, when it comes to occular involvement.  Do any of you have to keep your animals seperate?  Do you worry?   I'd love some feedback.

[Wilson3]

okay take a deep breath!
boy they sure are charging you a ton for meds !
have you talked with the vet?
who much does he weigh? with the weight gain they should have increased the meds dose, i would think 30 pounds is a lot of an increase
20mg sounds like a very low dose almost to low
is he the size of a toy dog? he looks bigger?
wilosns was never apart from my other dogs only when he had his e-collar on and i was gone then h was in my bedroom other wise he was right with the whole family
the chances of us or our other pets getting it from them is almost impossible wilson slept right nxt to me the whole time at night my other dogs where always buy him i never even thought about them getting it
i know with the itraconazole a 50 pound dog gets about 100 to 175 mg is considerd safe so they say
not sure on the flu but his eye did clear up
did he have lumps or anything before they came?
are they small or big?
do they look like they may be healing and maybe you just noticed them now.
( I knwo it was crazy here during the holidays) and it really has 2 months and 9 days to me everday counts so he could still be pushing the nasty stuff
usually theyare on treatmetn at least 6 months with what ever kind of med they use

lets us know if you find anything out from the vet and please keep us posted
wilson3

[Louise]

yes,  I made a mistake on the amount of meds.  He was on a compounded dose of 2 x 205mg capsules every 24 hours and now they want me to increase it to 1 - 410mg capsule every 12 hours.  I paid $2.78 per pill last time and am hoping that the higher dose costs less per dose.  I am thinking it is going to cost me somewhere around $1000 for the 3 months.  He is a 100lb lab (used to be an 80lb lab before meds)

Ish has never had any lumps - it started with what looked like an eye infection.  They could clearly see Blasto in the eye and in the lung exray.  The skin thing is all new.  I didn't even know that he had a problem until I saw a flap of fur - no skin just fur.  He has a circle the size of a canadian 'loonie' with 2 small dots in it - they are red and have a small amount of discharge (vampire bite).  The fur looks like it was waxes off - not a trace of fur bit no tear damage to the skin.  The smaller lesion has the same appearance and the ones around his 'heals' are only pea size, furless, and have no visible marks.  It looks like someone waxed tiny cirlces all over his feet.   At first, I wrote the big one off as a scratch from the garage - as he is know blind in one eye I figured he ran into the snow blower or something - it didn't look that bad - literally just 2 small dots (holes) in this bare spot of skin.  They took a slide and saw the blasto cells - for the first time - they have never showed up in any of the lymph tests. 

The vet is concerned because she says there is always the chance, but as a multi pet owner you know that you can't function, and your pets can't be happy, if they are limited and seperated.  Keeping the dog out of the cat food is easy and keeping the bowls washed is easy - the same goes with their bedding BUT keeping the cats out of dogs water or trying to get Ish to only eat and drink from one place (and not having the others get into it) or running around worried about everywhere he goes and everything he lays on or rubs against is too much for me.  I figured if someone hasn't caught it yet, what are the chances - they all are inthe same environment all of the time, indoors and out.  I hope I do not pay for that attitude.   

[gunner]

Nice to see you back again, but I am sorry it is for the worries you suffer.  So here is my 2 cents worth for all it's bail out value...

Blastomycosis is not easily transmittable from one animal to the other.  To humans, and I imagine also, to other animals only possibly by a deep bite.  If it were transmittable through saliva, being a bulldog owner we would have all been in deep trouble!  There was no shortage of slobbers and drool in our world.  When I dressed Gunner's gushing absesses that were FULL to bursting with Blasto, in the emergency of the situation, I forgot to don gloves or take any precautions as I sponged seemingly gallons of pure blasto ooze from her side.  Though I had several scratches on my hands from gardening, I suffered no ill effects.  Pretty lucky though.  I would highly recommend anyone dressing blasto absesses or leisons to use gloves!  So do your best, but try not to obsess over a lick or drink from a bowl.  Our cat drank all the time from the same bowl as the dog and the dog had horrendous back wash!  The cat's fine, annoying as all get out but fine. 

The absesses sound strange.  The timing and the look of them is really different.  Maybe you should send a little sample off to MiraVista and see what is going on with that?  They can test the urine for a blasto count and they can also test the blood to see if the medication is being as effective as it could be or if the dosage needs to be adjusted.

I am another one who would put my hand up to protest the use of steroids while being treated for blasto.  It is almost like one is defeating the other.  The antifungal attacks the fungus, but the steriods feed and strengthen the fungus. 

We could do with a little input from Eva I think.  Her baby Marge had eye involvement and she was successfully treated on fluconazole.  I think she used steroids for a bit too but I don't recall how much or for how long. 

Either way, something is up with Ish and it doesn't sound right.  Please keep us posted.  I'll be rooting for you!
Joyce   

[Judy]

My thoughts are that you are seeing the lesions/lumps appear now because they had been held back by the steroids - Francie really didn't get the lumps etc. until we took her off steroids because they weren't helping, I think you should follow your vet on the steroids and on the meds, but definitely get a trough level (blood sample) to see if the amount of fluconazole/meds are high enough, they run it on Tuesdays and possibly Thursdays - so you could get it in the night before - the trough level wasn't required by the lab, but we did the level right before the next dose (i.e. she took one dose a day) so that we could see the amount of meds in her body prior to the next dose - to see how low it could get. I think that was a good idea... hang in there - my summer was a blur with all I was doing for Francie and trying to keep up with work, and while we were outside in the yard tonight in the snow, I just couldn't help remembering when I had to carry herout for fresh air in the summer to the same exact place in the yard... keep asking questions, if you would like anyone of us to call you for moral support, please don't hesitate to ask....  Francie's mom

[Wilson3]

please stay positive and keep a close eye onthem and watch to see if new ones appear
they are probably right about the steroid thing
i do wonder though...
wilosn was given a non steroid for pain and swelling i wonder why no other vet has offerd this? works great and doesnt inter fer w/themeds
do they appear worse or stayingthe same ?
remember your happy spot together it will help pull you guys through this
ish is still in the earily treatment stage
can you get meds from pet health parmacy they are really good w/prices
you can call me anytime also
1-414-483-4767
you guys are doing great!!
http://previcox.us.merial.com/
wilson3

[Louise]

I again questioned the vet about the prednisone - the dose is so small - 1 1/2 pills every other day - about 7mg (3.5mg/day).  He started at 15mg a day and has been steadily declining amounts for the past 2 months.  They really think it is necessary to control the swelling in the eye - to keep what sight he has and to keep the healing, blind, eye healthy.  We are working our way to being off it completely - but they want to wean him and watch for the effects.   I have been assurred that this dose is miniscule in relation to what is normal prescribed.  They absolutely did not want the two drugs to be working against each other, or for the preds to break own the immune system any further. 

Know I am just worried about the fluconozole dose - is 405mg a day for a 100lb dog excessive?  Anyone else on this drug?

[evayola]

Marge was and is on the flucon. She takes 300 mg daily. Your 405 does seem excessive for 100 lbs because Marge varied from 140-150 lbs. I personally would not have done the pred because the side effects and drug interaction usually outweigh the benefits. Marge was on a pred drop for her eye only. The vet gave us an option of oral but we all decided it wasnt best. With the pred I know it is important to ween the pet off. I dont think taking the oral pred has anymore benefits than doing a pred drop. Doing the drop allows it to work directly with the eye. If I were you, I would send the urine to MiraVista and also do a test to see how effectively the flucon is working. I cant believe how much you have to pay for the meds. I would love to be able to send you some of my flucon. I pay only $43/mo for Marge's pills. Keep us posted!

Eva

[jiggasmom]

Jigga was on 300mg of fluconazole every 12 hours and at the time he only weighed 90lbs. I never thiyght that 600 mg was too much until reading everyone's post.That is what the ER vet prescribed. He now is back to his full weight if not more of 110 at least he looks it. He now is 250mg of the itra. My vet was very adament of leaving him off the pred. even though as soon as he went off he devoloped terrible swelling in his leg and he developed a few pea sized lumps on his side. She said that predisone will make it harder for the meds to fight the fungus. He does have a lump on his rt foot which he developed before we even had his diagnosis. It has gone down but it has not gone away and now there is a bald spot on it. There is still some swelling in his right leg and he walks with a slight limp. I hope one day it all goes away. He has been on treatment for almost 2 months.  As far as sharing food dishes my dogs share the same water bowl and the same food dishes I can't stop them from sharing. And so far so good my other dog is very healthy. Everything I have read is that it is not contagious unless you get a deep bite like Gunner mentioned. I get wet slobbery kisses on a dailty basis and have not been sick at all.