Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
Did you miss your activation email?

Username: Password:
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed  (Read 858 times)

jeffpiotrowski

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2
Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed
« on: December 09, 2009, 02:05:26 PM »

Hello All,

Our Bullmastiff has been coughing for about 2 weeks now. A week ago we had him x-rayed and it looked like a cancer tumour in his lung. On Monday this week he went in for an ultrasound and a fine-needle aspiration and it looked even grimmer. The doctors figured he had a super large tumour on his right side lung and it had grown quick.

It was strange to me that all of a sudden he started coughing without any other symptom 3 weeks ago. You figured cancer would have shown signs earlier.

Anyway, GREAT NEWS! It came back as blasto. I know it is a very serious desease but cancer was a lot worse. Anyway, he will start his treatment next week and here's hoping in 90 days I post - "HE'S CLEAN!!!!"

Anyway, we live about 50 KM outside of Toronto. He is always eating the grass or sniffing the ground so it is strange he got it even though we aren't  in the affected region.

Jeff
Logged

Kash-

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 123
Re: Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed
« Reply #1 on: December 09, 2009, 04:17:18 PM »

Good Luck!

You seem to know already that with blasto, knowing is more than half the battle. 

I really hope you're clear in 90 days, but that might be overly optimistic.  Not that I'm a vet or anything, but I've seen and read a few cases that would make your 90 days more of a pleasant exception than the rule.  Don't get me wrong, I hope it's clear in 90 days too.

Let us know how it's going.  What meds you're on and such.  Maybe even give some props for your vet who caught it.
Logged

Wilson3

  • Guest
Re: Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2009, 09:05:12 PM »

Jeff it is wonderful your vet was so fast to diagnose blasto!1
Most are not so fast.
It is great you have such a positive veiw about it also!
which treatment are you going to be using? was there any other sympotoms?

Kash is right about the 90 days... usually they are on treatment at least 6 months I so hope yoou are lucky enough with 90 days. It sounds as if you cought it very earily which really helps for a faster recovery
please keep us posted on how he is doing?
Your family will be in our thoughts
wilson3
Logged

carolh

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 228
Re: Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed
« Reply #3 on: December 11, 2009, 05:17:42 PM »

Hello Jeff,

Wow, it isn't every day we read the words to the effect of "Hooray, it was blasto"!  If you or your vet hasn't already done it, please check out Mira Vista urine testing for blasto.  It taks about a week or so to get the results.  I write this because if, as you approach the end of 90 days, you want to be sure that your bull mastiff is okay, the Mira Vista test is one of the better ways to know.  My dog has been on treatment for almost seven months and is now off treatment.  Her end of 5 month Mira Vista test showed there was still some fungus there so we went on with treatment.  I'll be sending in her urine for another Mira Vista test very soon. 

Since you found this board, I'm sure you've been reading up on blasto.  Know that early in treatment, the dogs go through a really rough stretch, not wanting to eat and losing a lot of weight.  If this happens with yours, be sure to read through replies people have sent in to others on this forum who have/are going through this for suggestions for how to keep your dog eating.

Best of luck.

Carol
Logged

jiggasmom

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 187
Re: Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed
« Reply #4 on: December 11, 2009, 06:19:37 PM »

Sorry to read your dog has blasto. It's good to read that you are so positive. Even better that your Vet diagnosed it right away. Good luck to you guys! Keep us posted. The first few weeks are the hardest and a positive attitude is what you are going to need. Glad you found this site it is very helpful. Don't hesitate to ask questions.
Logged

luvmyjacks

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 410
  • Will has regained his weight - ask Harry
Re: Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed
« Reply #5 on: January 06, 2010, 03:19:19 PM »

Hi Jeff
I am very interested in hearing how the treatment has been going.  I too live in the Greater Toronto area and have had two dogs with blasto.  My Roxy died but Will has survived.  He was on the itraconazole for over one year and is tested every six months through the MiraVista labs referred to on this site.  I have a friend in Etobicoke with a dog that was started on treatment last summer and that is doing very well.  I am curious about your vet and how many cases he/she may have come across as it seemed few recognized the disease when I first took Roxy and Will in for treatment.Feel free to email me and we can communicate on and off the board and/or by telephone.  lpettersen@sympatico.ca
Logged

jeffpiotrowski

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2
Re: Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2010, 03:59:52 PM »

Just to give an update, Lu is doing great, though one of his lungs is still collapsed. We found out his body (his lung lobe) actually walled off the blasto, though the infection really did damage to his lung. We'll find out what to do in the summer.

We had him on a generic drug for 2 weeks but it didn't really work. So we switched him to Spornex (??) and he is getting a lot better. He no longer coughs, and is full of engery. We are going to continue the Spornex for 2 more months then we'll switch him to the generic until his perscription is done.

Thanks for all the help everyone.
Logged

Wilson3

  • Guest
Re: Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2010, 09:19:40 PM »

always wonderful to hear great news!!!!
Job well done!!!!
I am wondering though you mentioned you changed drugs which some may react better to another one but how long did it take to notice the sporanox to start working?
I guess with us it took almost 3 weeks before we noticed him getting better at all and he got much worse before better when treatment started
and really it was more like 3 months before we could really say we saw a  improvement it was always very little things
once again great to hear things have been going so well
you have come along waaay...
wilson3
Logged

Vicky

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2
Re: Great Toronto Area : Blasto Diagnosed
« Reply #8 on: February 10, 2010, 10:54:25 AM »

Hi...I had three family dogs come down with Blasto this past fall...it was heartbreaking...but they are all still with us.  We visit Georgian Bay, Ontario regularly every summer and this is the first time we have experienced this. We had heard that some dogs get it on the mainland, but we have an island which is pretty dry so thought we were ok.
Let me tell you, feeding my Ridgeback was difficult work...he was 96 lbs before diagnosis and went down to 80 lbs while at his most sick.  We fed him by mixing rice with real roasted chicken (I found the preroasted at the grocery store the kind they liked the best--go figure), backed the dog into a corner (it took two of us) and force fed down his throat.  Even though this was a fight each and every time, he started to feel better.  Three times a day, maybe 5 balls of food down his throat.  Soon all dogs started to like raw eggs, yogurt, chicken fat, little meatballs, chicken broth (low sodium or homemade).  The itra made them thirsty so that wasn't a problem.  Honestly though, the first two to three weeks were hell.
But we stuck to it...Our dogs are now 4 months on Sporanax (which is costing us roughly $850 a month), but they are young and we cannot give up.  Despite the fact that the vet said we could come off at 3 months, we are sticking it out for 6, getting a miravista test, and then deciding if they are clear enough to come off. 
A piece of advice from the pharmacist...this medication is better absorbed with fats...so I now give it with a teaspoon or tablespoon of butter.  And,  just in the last few weeks they are back to normal...playing playing playing...so don't give up... and expect it to be hard work.  But things will get better...I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up
 

anything