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[sheila]

I am so sorry for everyone that is dealing with this disease.  The disease is horrid and the confusion and ignorance surrounding it only intensifies that! 

I posted months ago when we were trying to get a definite diagnosis for our dog, Vincent.  We never did, but he was on itraconazole from January till July.  He seemed have beat it.  Now he has been off the itraconazole for about 3 weeks and the area of his tail closest to his body is starting to swell.  I am waiting for a call back from our vet, but I am planning on putting him back on the itraconazole.  I am wondering if anyone has had any experience with long term treatment and/or relapse.  Vince seems fine now--no limping, eating well, happy, playful, and so on--but one of his earliest symptoms was severe swelling at the base of his tail.  As I said, we never did get a definite diagnosis, but I have thought it was blasto for a long time and still do.  I just thought we had helped him to beat it.  It is a good thing that he never had any problems tolerating the medication and we checked that with monthly blood tests. 

Thanks for listening and hoping to hear from you. 

-Sheila

[Wilson3]

Hi Sheila,
I am sooo sorry to hear Vincent might be having a relapse 
I have heard many times and asked my vet about this. He has said,and from what I have read that if they do relapse they do make it through the 2nd time around and then for good.
At least this is what I have heard.
Wilson contiunes to be on treatment and all his supplements. He is doing well,but still in his right front leg,bone. And lungs. He was really bad. We are do for x-rays of his lungs soon. I am hoping for good news.H eto started treatment in Jan. Stay positive and hopful!!!
Lots of love to Vincent and he will be in my prayers.
Wilson almost seems 100% and from just a regular e-xam from the vet you would never now he was sick. He does still get tired a bit sooner then my other 2 dogs,but he is stronger evey week. I did talk to a lady on Tue. her dog was on treatment for 3 months about,bone involment and is now off meds. and doing well so far. It is very hard cause each case is different.
I think back 6 months ago and how Wilson was doing and it is very hard to beleive he has come this far. Granted I have sent around $5000 now,nad on a $10 hr. job it gets hard. But well worth every penny. Jen listed a place where to get the meds a lot sheaper so that is where we get ours now.
i hope everything goes well for you guys!!!
Take care and keep us posted!!!!!!
Wilson3

[sheila]

Thanks for your thoughts!  Hopefully Vince will beat it this time.  We are actually traveling now and our vet at home wanted us to wait until Monday to start the itraconazole again unless Vince was in bad shape.  She wants to aspirate the area of his tail that is swelling to try to get a definite diagnosis.  I couldn't wait.  I am so confident that he needs to be back on the medicine and so skeptical that we will ever get a definite diagnosis that I could not justify letting his tail swell and risk any additional problems that might crop up over the next three days.  I am sure that I've made the right choice. 

I too can hardly believe the improvement that Vince has made over the last 6 months and I am hopeful that he will be able to beat it this time around.  He was so incredibly sick in January it is shocking that he is alive now, let alone thriving as well as he is.

I hope that Wilson continues to improve.  Please keep us updated and I will do the same. 

-Sheila

[willysmom]

Our golden retriever was first diagnosed with Blasto in January, 2006. It settled in his testicles and he was limping. We treated him with Itracazanole for 3 months. Bloodwork and extras all looked good so we thought we had it cleared up.  In October, he was throwing up, but none of the same symptoms as the first time.  During the next few months, the vet who took over the practice from our original vet insisted it was not Blasto.  I kept insisting that she test him.  She did not.  In February the original vet took the practice back over and also did not think it was blasto.  This is July 31 and our golden was diagnosed 2 1/2 weeks ago with Blasto again. The vet researched and found that the itracazonale does not always completely clear it up. He is now on fluconazole. We started giving him ground beef and rice so he would eat. That worked for about 2 weeks. Then it came up.   He is back on Iams and is hungry all the time. He does good for several days, then starts coughing a lot and throwing up for two days. Some food if there is any, white foamy stomach acid and phlegm.  He then seems to come out of it for several days and is good. Then it hits him again.  We are giving him a pill for his stomach, feeding him, waiting 1/2 hour then giving him the fluconazole. Will see what happens.  This is so hard. I hate hearing when the dogs don't get through this.  One other thing.  Have your vet check online for meds.  They are out there at a very minimal cost.  My drugstore wanted $190.00 for a 30 day supply of fluconazole. The veterinarian found it for $60/month.  So just push them to find this for you.  Our dog will be 10 in October. He is having clouding in one eye. Not sure if it is the blasto or old age. If he does not improve substantially in the next two weeks with this vomitting, we will go to the Univ. of Illinois in Champaign's teaching veterinary school.  Check one of those out in your area.  Patience and love. Enjoy your dog every day and tell him you love him.