If Not Treated, Little Known Disease Can Kill Petshttp://kstp.com/news/stories/S1013956.shtml?cat=206(View link for video.)
There’s a little known, but deadly, disease that claims the lives of dozens of family dogs every year.
It’s called blastomycosis. It's found in the soil around some of the most popular tourist destinations in the state.
Vermillion Dam Resort owner Ed Tausk says his yellow Labrador retriever, named Bella, became sick.
"She just got real lethargic and laid around. And then one morning we woke up and her eyes were all swollen," explained Brad Martinson, an employee at the resort in Cook, Minn.
Veterinarian Angel Davis says Bella had picked up the naturally occurring fungus blastomycosis.
"It likes to go into the eyes and the bone and extremities. In Bella's case it went into her eyes," said Davis.
While four-year-old Bella recovered from this disease, it left her totally blind.
"The nerve damage was such that there wasn't a chance that she would have any eyesight at all," Tausk said. "Some life is better than none…why don't we give her a chance to see how she adapts? She's just amazing, marvelous, unbelievable."
Bella has adapted to her surroundings, despite losing her site, and uses her paws to feel her way around. She also knows how many steps there are around the resort.
Doctors say Bella was lucky to only lose her sight, and believe a quick diagnosis and effective treatment lead to her life being spared by the disease.
