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[Rudy]

Thanks Eva.

It looks like Rudy has turned a corner!    He's been doing well for 2 days now.  No major nose bleeds, more energy and breathing pretty good at rest. When I observe him at certain times, I get glimpes of how he was before Blasto.  We called our good friend/neighbor to come over last night to see Rudy; she would have been thrilled at how well he looked.  She's been so supportive & has suffered along with us through the tough times that we wanted to share this joyful moment with her.  What a difference in how we feel when they are doing better, eh? Our friend wasn't at home but she'll see him on another particularly good time.  We sure hope this positive trend continues. 

I have written down questions to go over with the vet though-just to be sure i.e. re kidneys, MiraVista anitgen test, red & white blood cell count & platelets.

We've been doing the sub-q for the last 6 days or so.  How long did you continue?  Was it on the vet's recommendation or could we continue on our own accord with one 1,000 ml bag/day to keep Rudy's tissues hydrated for a few more weeks to help with his healing/recovery? I don't think you need a prescription.  We bought our supplies from a medical supply store; it is approx $2/bag vs $17-$20 we've heard as the price from the vets (although we didn't check it out with our vets to be sure).

I'm also going to ask the vet about how it will be decided when Rudy can go off the two anti-biotics and back to one dose of 150 mg of Itraconazole.  We don't want to take him off any meds before the right time; he's only beginning to show signs that he's on the mend but we also don't want to keep him on anything unnecessareily; I'm just afraid of a relapse of some sort if we take him off any of the meds too soon.

Thanks to all of you for your help & advice; I honestly don't know how we could have coped without your suport & valuable info and guidance.  You and this site are a godsend.

Sheila & Paul

[evayola]

I am so happy to hear that Rudy is on his way to recovery. Grab these good times and run with them. Keep your spirits high because Rudy can feel your energy and thrive off of it. Get him his favorite toys in the whole world and spoil him rotten. He will feel so much better.

We continued with the sub q fluids for quite some time. Once Marge started to feel better we backed it down from everyday to every other day and then every three days and so on. You got a really good deal on the bags. Did that include the needles as well? Its amazing how much the fluids helped for Marge and it sounds like they are working really well for Rudy too. I would highly recommend the MiraVista test just as a gauge. This way you can see in numbers his progress. You already know that he is positive so you wouldnt be using it diagnose him but for me personally it meant the world to me to see that Marge went from a 43 when initially diagnosed down to a 9 and then in the zero range. It was a great piece of mind that we were on the right track.

I am so excited for the three of you! You guys have done a great job and put up an even better fight! Hang in there and STAY POSITIVE! I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep the positivity flowing!

Hugs and St Bernard drool,
Eva & Marge

[Rudy]

Thanks Eva.  Rudy is doing even better!  We still have to force-feed him but he has eaten the odd meal on his own. His energy is up, although obviously not anywhere near normal yet but so much better than before. I keep telling Paul to be careful though & keep Rudy from overdoing it.  He needs to rest a lot to completely recover.  I'm off for a few days next week so we'll take Rudy to the vets to check out a few things you've mentioned previously and to evaluate how he's doing & what the next steps are in his treatment i.e. how long he has to be on the two anti-biotics etc.  She may want to check his liver enzymens again. We did the sub q for about 8 days.  We'll ask the vet how long we can continue and we'll buy more supplies then.  The needles are only 10 cents, but the line is $35 each.  We were told we could use the same line several times.  We just want to be sure that we don't create other potential for infection.

Are there other things you did or gave Marge that helped with restoring her health i.e. certain vitamins?  Special foods? Did you have ongoing diagnostic testing done i.e. for liver enzymes?  How often?  How long was it from the time Marges #'s went 43 to zero?  Was she on Itraconozole for a long time?  How long has it been since she has been completely recovered? Any potential complications during recovery to be aware of?  Special eye care?  Rudy's eyes have some pus in them but seem dry and caked otherwise.

We are very relieved that Rudy is getting better. Sure hope this means that we're out of the woods and it's continual improvement from here on in.  We do want to be prepared to take the best care of Rudy for complete recovery as much as possible.  Thanks to you and others on this site, we are learning how to do this.

Thanks again!
Sheila & Paul

[Cathy, Bailey and Duke]

So glad Rudy is doing better!!!!!!! Keep up the good work!!!

[evayola]

I am so excited for you guys! You are very right... even though it seems as if Rudy is doing very well you need to keep him resting. He needs to store all of his energy to fight. I used the same line as well so you are fine with that. Just make sure you are changing the needles everytime. We do see a holistic vet that has made up a special blend of herbs for Marge's damp heat. We were also told to feed her certain foods and to stay away from certain foods. Our holistic vet told us to stay away from "warm" meats. I know right now you want to get Rudy to eat anything so I wouldnt worry about it now. Warm meats would be venison, buffalo, duck, etc. "Dry" meats would be chicken, fish, turkey (the thing she recommends MOST). She also recommended that we feed Marge veggies. The best would be spinach, cauliflower, brocolli, and sweet potatoes. We were also told to be warming the food for the dogs because the way that the body works is that when you eat cold food the body then needs to heat the food in order to digest it properly. If you eat warm foods then the body is eliminating a whole step and conserving energy. I know a lot of the things she suggests sound weird but they have helped Marge so much its unreal. We do continue to monitor Marge's kidneys and liver. Marge does have kidney issues which I am assuming now is from the treatment of amp b she got when originally diagnosed. We try to test every 3 months. It did take quite some time for her # to come down. I want to say it was around 6 months but she did not get to zero for well over a year. Marge had it really bad. I would recommend getting some lubricating drops for Rudy. Marge's eyes still get crusty and gross looking so we have to put lubricating drops in every few days. We use the ones for humans but for sensitive eyes. You guys are doing such a great job! I am so proud of you!

Eva

[mary bc]

Hi Sheila and Paul-
I am so glad Rudy is feeling better.  My dog was diagnosed 3 years ago, and I will never forget the feeling of relief when she finally turned the corner.  We have had to continue itraconazole for most of the last 3 years; she seems to relapse if we discontinue.  We also give her a medication called Denarmarin- it helps support liver function- you might want to ask your vet if it would be a good idea for Rudy.  I pray he will get stronger every day-
Mary

[Cathy, Bailey and Duke]

Prayers and good thoughts coming your way!!!!

[Rudy]

Thanks, we have an appt w/ the vet Aug 11.  Currently, we give him Milk Thistle to help protect his liver; I'll ask the vet if that has similar function/properties to Denamarin &/or if it could be given in conjunction w/ Milk Thistle? 

Rudy was weighed today when Paul picked up more anti-biotics; he has gained 14 pounds due to our force feedings!  We can relax a little now & only have to force-feed when he needs to take his meds 5 times/day since all are to be taken with food. Hopefully, he'll continue to gain wt until he’s back to his regular weight (at least another 4-5 pounds) since he's always been very slim to begin with.

After seeing him, the technician at the vets said that he doesn't need sub q; he's looking great and does drink on his own.  I still think the sub q would help with his recovery.  We really don't know if there are any repercussions or if any of his organs have been compromised from how deathly sick he's been; again I'll verify at our appt with the vet. Anyone have any experience with possible implications/complications during recovery?  It's amazing to think they can be so sick & completely recover so easily: it would definitely be a miracle after such an acute & intensely severe illness.

Sheila & Paul

[mary bc]

You have done a fantastic job - to have gained 14 lbs is pretty amazing.  Our mini-schnauzer was on the very brink of death with her initial blasto infection; ended up in the intensive care unit at the University of Minnesota with oxygen, tube feeding, IV fluids.  But once the itraconazole had a chance to work, the turnaround was dramatic.  I hope Rudy also regains his health quickly and you obviously know from this site, that diligent and long term administration of the antifungal med is imperative - I know you will do everything in your power to help Rudy recover because you love him.  I have just learned this week from this website about the MiraVista test and am glad there is a way to monitor treatment.
Since we have had issues with the disease relapsing, I think we did not keep our dog on the itraconazole long enough.
Mary

[mary bc]

Hi Sheila and Paul,
I forgot to mention that the Denamarin contains SAM-e and silybin (found in milk thistle) in a bioavailable form and now comes in chewable tablets.  You can decide whether to continue with the milk thistle or switch to Denamarin - if you  go to their website, there is a mail-in rebate for $3.  I also wanted to add that during our dog's recovery, one of her bottom, front teeth became very loose.  The vets at the U of M Vet Hospital said it was not related to the blasto and that we should have the tooth pulled.  We felt it had to be related to the blasto (she was only 1 1/2 years old at the time), so we did not let them pull the tooth.  After several weeks, the tooth firmed up and was just fine.  Our dog's  right eye was infected with the blasto, and we tried for weeks to save her sight with round the clock prescription drops and ointments, but the eye was eventually removed because the vets told us it could be an ongoing source of infection.  I just read about some newer treatments showing positive results in saving the eyesight in dogs with blastomycosis involving the eyes.  All this to say, this blasto seems to be able to infect our animals in so many insidious ways.  I hope Rudy has a great day today. My husband had an Irish Setter when he was a kid, and my sister and her husband had one- such a beautiful breed.
Mary

[Rudy]

Thanks Mary.  It is incredible how Blasto can appear in so many different ways.  It's really helpful to read everyone's situations to keep a handle on all possible symptoms.  Every bit of info shared really helps and leads to better care. After reading about eye care from Eva, I just realized that we never did give Rudy any ear drops/ointments.  His eyes were very cloudy and full of pus for quite a few weeks. We were so overwhelmed with his breathing difficulties & severe weight loss that we only mentioned his eyes as part of all the other misc. symptoms.  We didn't persist in asking if we needed to do anything for his eyes. We were concentrating on those symptoms that were more severe & threatening at the time. We're lucky this didn't result in more complications with his eyes.  Lately, they have been very dry though. Any feedback/advice on this?  I'll also ask the vet about it at our next check-up Aug 11. 

A weird thing that has happened (I'm not sure how it relates but I'm pretty certain it is because of Blasto like the loose teeth with your dog) is Rudy toenails are hollow.  There's no quick; there's nothing inside- they're like brittle plastic straws.  I first noticed a funny clicking sound a couple of weeks ago when he walks on the floor and thought it was because we had neglected getting his nails clipped when he's been so sick. But the groomer noticed the full extent of it; she said she's never seen this before.  Anyone else hear of this?  I'll check online & ask the vet.

He's still not eating on his own very often, although he is sniffing around in the kitchen like he's looking for food but offers of his dog food or human food are mostly refused.  I'm thinking it's because we have to force-feed him five times/day since his meds are to be taken with food.  Maybe when we can reduce his meds, he'll eat more by hand and hopefully on his own.  Anyone have an idea how long double-up dosages of Intraconazole have been given?  I think we’re on our third week; it’ll be almost four before we see our vet to be able to make any changes.

I keep having this nagging feeling that we’re missing something in our treatment plan.  We’re past that very critical period, at least clinically it seems that way but I’m concerned about protecting him from unforeseen medical conditions/side effects.  We’re learning as we’re going & this seems like a new stage in his care but equally as vital for his full recovery.  I worry that because he appears better (& he is much improved) that we’re not able to assess his condition fully.  He is still sick & not yet his regular healthy & energetic self.  I noticed Wei Qi (immune booster) was mentioned besides Denamarin or Milk Thistle for liver support; are there other things we should be doing or giving him?

I’m always amazed & eternally grateful at how knowledgeable and helpful everyone is!  I haven’t been able to go on the site as regularly as I’d like but every time I do, I learn something more & feel reassured by all your support.

I wish everyone also combating this disease, all the very best.  We’re thinking of you.

Thanks,
Sheila & Paul

[mary bc]

Hi-
How is Rudy doing? I have been obsessively reading through past entries and learning more about the many symptoms of blasto .
A couple of dogs had problems with their toenails, but they eventually grew back, so maybe that is what Rudy is experiencing.
This will always be remembered as "your summer of blastomycosis."
It does take so much emotionally, physically and financially to deal with this disease, but it sure helps to talk to others who are dealing with it. Hope you can give us a great report after seeing the vet next week. Keep up the good fight!
Mary

[marleydog]

Hi Rudy & Parents. Our 4 month puppy was just diagnosed with Blasto recently... She seems to have many of the symptoms Rudy does... Here is her treatment plan as perscribed by our vet and the Purdue School of Veterinary.

1. Itraconazole 50 mg- 1x day
2. Missing Link 1 tsp- 1x day
3. Wei Qi Immune Booster- 3/4 tsp. 2x day
4. Milk Thistle 50 mg- 2x. day
5. Eye-C Drops- 2x day
6. Prednisolone 1% Drops- 4x day
7. Asprin as needed

We only did the double dose of Itraconazole for 6 days (our puppy is also 25 lbs. and 4 months though so her system wouldn't have handled a double dose without adverse liver affects for much longer)...

I would strongly suggest looking into eye drops though, the Purdue Vet school recommended them and we've been using them for 1 day and seen them looking more "healthy", hard to describe.

We are using all of the other vitamins (Missing Link, Milk Thistle, and Wei Qi) at least for the first few months to make sure her body can support the medicine and give her an extra boost to try to fight this nasty disease... we have seen 3 vets now and all have said that the plan gives her a good shot...

Also, to get her to eat I make homemade food and put it in with her dog food... I boil chicken (bone-in), and then strip the chicken from the bone, fix oatmel and rice... mix all together... put it in a large container to store in the fridge (lasts over a week in the fridge and if you make mass just freeze some)... then we give her 2 tbsp. with hard food and she loves it... besides that the Wei Qi has a beefy smell and I think that is appetizing to her as well...

Hope this at least helps some what... (also, our dog has what they called calcifications on her feet and nails *hollow* like you said) and they say this will go away on its own?!?

[marleydog]

Oh, and by the way the Prednisolone 1% drops are only $12.50 for a 3 month + supply at Kroger... so they don't kill your wallet...

[Rudy]

Thanks for sharing what you’re doing for your puppy.  It’s very helpful.  You certainly have found out a lot of useful info & got a good start on your treatment plan in such a short time!  How did you find all this out?  You’re doing an amazing job! From everything we’ve heard & read, the sooner the treatment, the better chance of recovery.

Where do you find Missing Link and Wei Qi Immune Booster?  I’ll try the health food store today.  And I’ll also make Rudy some of your special chicken/oatmeal/rice recipe. Rudy is eating some puppy kibble by hand but it will be nice to have a different recipe for his force-feedings for his meds.  We’ve been soaking puppy kibble (higher in calories) in homemade chicken broth or water, mashing it up & adding some brown rice with a variety of some high-cal top quality canned dog food & blending some vanilla extra-calorie Ensure when he won’t drink it on his own. Sometimes I add some cooked carrots chicken & a few blueberries etc to the mix.  I think he’s probably back to his regular weight so we’ll stop adding extra calories and feed smaller portions & less frequently.  Weird thing is that lately when I force-feed him, he wants to be hand-fed his kibble mixed with turkey slices right afterwards & he’ll eat pretty much another full meal. We’ve learned not to set limits that we think seems reasonable: we keep offering him choices until he indicates he’s done.

I have been concerned about the overuse of medication.  Our vet has been on vacation so she hasn’t seen how much Rudy’s improved in the last 2 weeks to realize that we can probably reduce the meds to once/day now.  We’ve done this on our own for one of the anti-biotics and we’re going to call tomorrow about doing the same for the Itraconazole.  I would have done it myself this w/e but Rudy was breathing a little heavier & is limping now so thought best to wait.

I hope your puppy is doing better & responding to all your special care. We found that even though the disease seems to come on sudden & severe, it took a longer time to see improvements with a lot of various other severe symptoms appearing every week for 4 weeks or so after that initial 2-3 weeks of intensive breathing problems.  I have found that one of the ways we survived (besides writing on this message board for support & advise) was to pay attention to any tiny indications of improvement & hold on that for dear life.  If there were a few new bad symptoms and one new good sign; we’d deal with the bad but make a choice to concentrate on the good one & repeat to him, ourselves & others how happy we were with this improvement. While we had to be realistic & knew if Rudy got any worse, we’d have to make a decision, I believe it was by the grace of God & all the prayers, good wishes & timing (first that Rudy was diagnosed in the knick of time and later that Paul & I and the vets didn’t come to the same conclusions at the same time re Rudy’s condition) that saved him.  Everyone on this message board has also helped us stay on the positive track & reinforced the importance of positive energy & thoughts especially during those most difficult times.  So I’m concentrating on the fact that yours is a puppy that all that puppy-energy will go toward bouncing back soon!

We’re sending positive thoughts and prayers your way.

Thanks again for sharing; I find I feel more in control and positive when I can do something.
Sheila & Paul

PS  At the beginning when we were checking every site on Blasto we could, Paul found a site re a dog that had gone blind & retrieved his sight through some kind of treatment. He thought he had saved it but I couldn’t find it.  I asked him to look for it so we can send you the link…maybe someone else knows about it & will respond.