Advise plz

[plummer]

My father has a Jack Russel type terrier that has a breathing/ respiratory problem, what started off as a slight "squeak" when breathing has gradually increased to to a strong wheeze, hes been to the vets twice first time she was treated for worms, antibiotics, and air way expanding drugs this didnt help. Lately he was given Antinflammatories, this hasnt helped either. In the last month she had a ear infection and un "ulcer" on her eye, drops have made these things go away though the squeaky wheeze is ever present.

12 months back she was digging out rats and mice along a stream, thats one the reasons im wondering if shes picked blasto up in this area? Incase you havent realised Im in the UK.

The vet doesnt know what it is and would like my dad to spend 300 pounds on tests!! sadly my retired father just hasnt got the money after paying over 300 pounds already on useless treatment. He is getting very distressed about this.

The breathing is like a wheezing rough noise sometimes sounds like theres fluid there when she breaths, the noise seems to be coming from her nose but cant be sure, when she gets up first thing in the mornign it is at its worse. It can disappear one minute then come back an hour later, when she is sleeping it looks like she is starining to breath inwards like a forced inhilation. When shes awake it doesnt seem to be so exagerated and she runs around ok.

She can run around and not seem to be affected but she defiantely doesnt run around as much as she used to as if shes holding back.

My question is could this be Blasto could she be affected with it for 12 months and still be normal apart from this very loud wheeze?

Thank you for any advise

[Kash-]

Blasto?  That's a hard question to answer with the information given.  But, I'll run the rapids.

You say that the dog might have been exposed 12 months ago, and then later suggest that the dog has been "affected" with this breathing problem for 12 months. (emphasis mine for reasons below)

It's true that blasto can lay dormant or sub clinical for many months before becoming acute.  So, a dog may or potentially could be exposed many months earlier before an acute sickness develops.

However, I doubt that any dog would have an acute blasto infection for 12 months without any form of antifungal treatment.  That is to say, I think, that an acute blasto infection would kill any dog in short order without treatment.  12 months of active respiratory distress likely rules out blasto.

Your geographical location probably rules out blasto as a culprit.  Blasto is fairly territorial. I can't say for sure, but I don't think that anywhere you might be paying in Pounds and blasto's home range overlap.  Feel free to correct me.  But I didn't think that blasto was outside of North America.

Lastly, I think that most of the board here would suggest that further testing is needed.  If you do suspect blasto, or another fungal critter like blasto, then fungal titers and the much loved Mira Vista antigen test are in order.  I'm betting that your vet is planning on testing for much more than just a fungal infection.  The MV antigen test, and for that matter a titer, shouldn't set you back a fraction of that 300 pounds.

Several caveats to consider when reading the above;
1) I'm not a vet.
2) With blasto, just about anything is possible.  As soon as you think you know just what blasto can do, it does something unpredictable.
3) There are several other fungal infections, other than blasto, that might be endemic to your area.
4) I have no idea the costs of Vet services in the UK.
5) Internet diagnosis of complex issues like Blasto is little more than fortune telling.  If you're comfortable with your vet, take their advice.
6) People like us (blasto survivors at best) are on a hair trigger to see blasto in every cough.  And that's a good thing.  Blasto has a habit of being hard to get rid of, so we're always on the watch for the infection. 

I know, that probably doesn't help too much.

Kash

[plummer]

thanks for the reply, the squeaking noises started 12 months ago but have gotten worse and now there is the strained inhaltion.

Thanks im just wracking my brain and reading up on anything i can to try and get to the bottom of it, as for UK vet prices they are extortionate!!

thanks again, my search gos on.

Good luck to everyone who is battling this horrible thing

GJ

[Wilson3]

hard subject... I have read adn been told buy vets that a human or dog with a healthy immune system can get expose to small amounts or blasto and never show signs or acute cases and get over it without treatment how true it is I have no idea.

I do know my dogs and myself and son (our life style exposes us to it and we live 3 blocks from lake michagan) all have been tested and sometimes we show small amounts in our system how right the test results are I have no idea. The amount is so low that we never treat.

I would test for it but then again no test is ever %100  even the pee test is showing to not always be accurate
Not much help  sorry... go with your gutt feeling

good luck let us know what you find out

wilson3

[Jen]

  While I agree with Kash that it may be unlikely, it's not impossible that it could be a fungal infection like Blastomycosis.  A dog with a healthy immune system will usually fight it off on their own.  We have seen a couple of dogs here that were undiagnosed or incorrectly diagnosed for a year or more, Joyce's Gunner being one.
   And as for geographic location, I don't believe that North America is exclusive.  South America is notorious for its own form of Blasto.  It's just my opinion, but anywhere the conditions prove amenable, you'll probably find some form of it.  Gunner was in Texas, where the experts say blasto is very unlikely.  This was part of the reason she was not diagnosed in a timely manner.

   We always have to weigh the risk of looking like an obnoxious "internet expert", and sure - professionals will roll their eyes.  But if they've exhausted the possibilities and would agree to test, I don't think you can lose.

Good luck-
jen