Print

[puck]

Hello ~ I am new to this board and am very thankful I found it to help me get through this.    I have 2 dogs, a 5 yr. old Brittany male named Copper and a 7 mo. old Lab/Boykin Spaniel mix.    This is about my puppy Puck ~ She had not been feeling very good for the last 2 weeks, throwing up her food & just not being a normal puppy.   It wasn't constant so I really wasn't too concerned, but last weekend she came down with a fever and was very listless and didn't want to do anything.   Monday morning I brought her in to our vet and they took chest x-ray's and a scope into her lungs.   Well, she has Blasto!   This was my worst fear!   I had heard about this in and around our area ~ We live in Northern Minnesota on the Iron Range.   Iron to be exact.   This is a bad area for Blasto and we just bought land in the country and built a house last summer.   Of course there was a ton of excavating and I was worried about Copper getting Blasto, but it never happened and I thought we were safe.   Now I have no idea if it came from our property or somewhere else.   We have been camping, at my parents place on a lake, at my in-laws place on a lake, just going to the lake to swim.   How in the world would I pin point this down?   I think it would be impossible.   Now I'm a wreck and don't want to let either dog out of my sight when they go out.   Puck started her treatment of Itraconazole (50 mg 2x's a day) and she is also on Rimadyl 2x's/day for 1 week.   I am greatful to my vet for the price of the Itraconazole ~ she said she was able to get it at a discounted rate of  .72 per pill for the 50 mg.   So that ends up being only $40/month.    Not sure how it's so cheap, but I am very thankful!   Especially after hearing about others paying way more.    Today is day 3 and Puck seems to be doing pretty good.   I am very worried and wake up constantly to check on her in the night.   Since her fever went down she wants to play and be active, but after just a short time she starts to cough & throws up a very mucusy, foamy bile.    Sometimes it's food and she has lost 5 lbs in the last week.   I have been giving her whatever she will eat as I was told that we really need to get her weight back up to give her strength.    We go back in next Monday to check her liver toxicity.   Like I said before, I am very thankful for this site ~ It has helped me already with all the information that has been shared.    My thoughts are with everyone who is going through this horrible time!   And I am hoping for the best for my baby girl.   We just need to take it one day at a time.

[Jen]

So sorry about Puck-she sounds like a cutie. 

The first month is hard, esp. when they start losing weight and refusing food etc. Keeping plenty of water in them is critical.  About pinning it down, our vet says it's everywhere and you just can't sterilize the earth.  (We live in Indiana) Still doesn't stop me from "seeing" it everywhere.

We got Dirtbike's meds from Pet Health Pharmacies in Arizona - it runs about $80 for 2 months' supply. There is a lot of good information here, hope it helps.
Good luck- and give them all a pat from us.
jen
obie
millie
dirtbike

[willysmom]

Our dog is on his second diagnosis of blasto. The first time he had it, right after we started the treatment he would go outside, go to the bathroom, and just lay down.  AFter a few minutes he would get up and walk some back to the house, and barely make it.  Over time he got better and much stronger.  He was not eating and our vet suggested the Hill's cd (I believe or maybe ad) which is a prescription dog food only available at the vet.  We mixed one can with water and they were the little cans like cat food. Anyway, we made it a consistency of thickened water and he lapped it up but liked it. We also were advised to get him an elevated dog dish. You can find them at pet stores. He recovered well with the itracazanole. I always suspected he was not 100% but the tests showed no signs of blasto after 3 months.  He again became weak and developed the cough. He is now on flucanozole (sp) as our vet thinks it is better. He's been on this for 3 weeks and still has the cough then throws up.  He wants to eat, wants to drink and wants to play. He is weak at times but he is being a tough cookie with this. I think it is worse this time. The first time was in his testicles, this time his chest is full.  He is eating dry food and does well for about a week then starts the cough for two days or so and throws up. But again, he does have an appetite. Pray Pray Pray. I also give him a pet vitamin, but I am going to take some of the suggestions on this site and give him more protein.  Patience is truly a virtue with this horrible disease.  Our german shepherd became ill 5 years ago and no one could figure out what was wrong. I think she had blasto also but we had to put her to sleep. Amazing how a few years and knowledge and information from others helps. Stay strong and have faith and enjoy your dogs.

[puck]

Thank you for your support!    It really does help to know that there is hope and that the dogs can make it through this!    I haven't seen anything about a puppy as young as Puck (7 mos.) having blasto, but obviously it's possible.    I wonder what the odds are for the young ones?    At lunch today I was able to get her to eat quite bit & she didn't get sick ~ good sign, but I'm still afraid the worst is yet to come.   I just want to get through the next week and I'll feel much better!   

[willysmom]

One more thing.  I cook ground beef, add cooked rice, then put it in the blender to make a liquid. He was keeping that down for quite a while. But he was missing the protein he needs so that is why he is back on regular dog food.  Good luck and hang in there.

[evayola]

It is so hard when you first find out about the blasto. I will never forget the fear that was running through me of losing my baby and how exhausting it was watching her lay there and waste away because she didn't want to eat and force feeding her, it is something that I wouldn't wish upon my worst enemy! My Margie is going on almost two full months of treatment. It sounds like you caught it early with Puck which is crucial. You don't want it to spread all over the body. Keep her belly full with foods any kind. We have had awesome luck with making chicken breast on the grill for Marge. Peanut butter is very high in protein and fat and same with hamburger. There is a dog food called Evo Red Meat that we picked up at our local pet store and it is almost pure protein. It is on the expensive side but it helped Marge gain all of her weight back. We have also been giving her mealbones because it is very tasty like a treat and it is equivalent to 1.5 cups of dry food. Its very important that you also keep her hydrated because the meds can cause dehydration. We bought the Pedialyte popsicles and were giving her a few a day and we also have been giving her iv fluids (subcues) to keep her hydrated. We were giving every other day but she is doing so much better and we are now giving every three days. We also changed her from the itroconozol to the fluconazol because of her eye. We found out after taking her to the optamologist last week that she is for sure blind in her left eye and has glaucoma that we have been treating but the dr was able to look all the way to the bottom of her other eye and said it looks totally clear and she shouldn't lose her sight in that one. We are keeping our fingers crossed. My boyfriend says "Thats a casualty of war". I laugh everytime I think of him saying that because Marge has been such a trooper. She has faught this blasto with everything she has. She is slowly starting to turn back into her old self and maybe even better than her old self because we aren't sure how long she has been sick. She is playing again with Homer and they are both happy again. We are able to keep her home alone now where before we couldn't leave her at all because I was so scared with the coughing and the heavy breathing. Her breathing is pretty dang good and no coughing at all. We are going to rexray in about two weeks because her lungs were full as well as her bones and some legions on her skin. It seems like the turning point for Marge getting better was when we changed her meds and added the deramaxx. It was insane to see her turnaround. I almost didn't believe it. Stay strong and pray for her. Tell her you love her and that she has no choice but to fight. Oh yeah and wow are you lucky about the price of her meds. Marge has to take 300mg everyday because of her size (130 lbs) and it is definitely not cheap!

[Jen]

I forgot - DB got so bad during her first month that we had to force-feed her Ensure Plus cuz she refused everything.  It has a lot of calories, and has extra protein if I remember correctly. It was awful tho. She smelled like death and it took all we had just to get that down her. She was maybe 50 lb. then.  It felt like we were mistreating her.  But then you wouldn't know it now, so it was all for the good. She should probably have a check up soon, because she's back up over 80 lbs. and no sign of blasto.
good luck-
jen

[puck]

Update on Puck ~ we went for a liver toxicity test today to make sure the Itraconzole is not harming her liver.   The bloodwork came back good!  What a relief!   She hasn't gained any weight though so I need to be more agressive with her eating.   She only weighs 34 lbs.   I was suprised because I really thought she was gaining weight.   At least she hasn't thrown up food, just liquid, bile.   In the last week it seems she has had good days & bad.   She definitely can't be too active or she has major coughing spurts.   I try to keep her calm & don't let her out to play.   I feel bad because that's what puppies are supposed to do. 

She goes back in next Monday for the same bloodwork & if she is continuing to do good they are going to decrease her dosage of Itraconzole.  Because she's so young they don't want to harm her liver permanently.   She will still be on it for a long time.   

Has anyone heard of putting the dogs on an olive oil type supplement?   It's an immune system booster.   My vet wants both of my dogs on it.   It's pretty spendy too ~ $56/120 pills.    It's really hard to get either of them to take it, but I've been trying.   I'm just wondering if this is necessary.

Thanks for all the help!!!

Miki

[Wilson3]

good to hear puck is doing better
it will all come intime
wilson is on a lot on supplements and i change the immune boosters every month it is good to do this as the body gets to use to it and doesnt work any longer
 i think on page 7 i listed most of his supplement on animals and blasto
also on wilson update
flax seed oil is great to for iummune system they say its a anti-fungal to
and good for joints i add this because his right wrist wasn't showing enough improvment but now its better not surt e what really helped just know the supplement sand high protein diet is good and no fats or carbs this feeds the yeast rthat blasto turns into
good luck and keep us posted
wilson3

[puck]

Just got the results of Puck's 2nd liver toxicity test ~ she is doing great and they are going to decrease her Itraconzole to 1 pill/day.   She does seem to be doing much better, not coughing as much & wanting to play a lot more.   She has only gained 1 lb. but at least she's gaining!   I'm still working on the food and finding stuff she will eat.    I am very optimistic that she will beat this blasto!   I know it's early, she has only been on the Itraconzole for 2 1/2 weeks but she really seems to be doing wonderful!   She will still have to be on the meds for 4 - 6 months according to her vet.   

Thanks to everyone who has responded and given input!   It's really appreciated!!       

[Jen]

Great for Puck! I'm so glad to see so many successes here.  If she's anything like DB, she'll gain alright.
jen

[buddyawi]

How is Puck doing?  Haven't seen you post anything in awhile.