Blastomycosis

[Deasta]

I take my three "boys" Dingo, Oakie and Bubba, for a "run" at least four times a week. Since theres snow on the ground I run with snowshoes on the ski trail and they follow (except Bubba, he leads ) We usually run 5 miles.

Well, last friday Bubba was not leading In fact he was very tried looking. Within two days it progressed to a notable achiness when he moved and more sleeping and rapid respirations.

To make a long story short, we took Bubba four hours away to the UW Madision ER friday morning after this very bad night/. He progressed rapidly, his respiration rate was over 155/min, and he was very hot.

They did every test under the suun that morning and noticed lesions in his lungs but was unsure if it was bacterial, fungal or cancer!. We left him there over the weekend and THANK GOD we did..they kept him in the ICU and had to place him in a oxygen tent since his respirations were so bad. And he kept having a high temp. FINALLY this monday the opthalmolgist checked his eyes and found a granuloma on his optic nerve confirming BLASTOMYCOSIS

Well, Bubba is having a horrible time. The Difulan (oral) they placed him on did nothing , and now yesterday they FINALLY got an IV antibiotic started. The last Xray showed the blasto had worsened from friday, ...The IV medication however is very powerful and initates a inflammatory response...which can be very hard on the dog...

Last night his respiration and temp got so bad from the IV medication that they were thinking they might need to place him on a VENTALATOR!

He MADE it thru the night But its touch and go daily.

The doctor says this dog has a great spirit and she has a good feeling he will make it...

HAS ANYONE had any terriers that have gone thru this???

Bubba is one tough dog..as we know these carines are persistant...

But how much can one dog take??

Any info on blasto would be appreicated..we are thankful he is at the university hospital and his doctor really cares!!

Please pray for Bubba so he can come home and run with his boys!!!

Stacey

[Cairns2]

I am so sorry to hear of the ordeal you are going through. You have my thoughts a prayers for a speedy recovery for Bubba.

Here is a link to some info on the illness. I like this site www.petplace.com

http://www.petplace.com/dogs/blastomycosis...dogs/page1.aspx

Best of luck!

[bradl]

Please pray for Bubba so he can come home and run with  his boys!!!

Will do. Your experience and Cairns2's link is my first education about this. But I certainly will hold the strongest possible thoughts for your boy's rapid and thorough recovery. It sounds like he's getting terrific care. Hang in there.

[Milopup]

Sending positive thoughts your way.

- Mp and Bosco

[CathyAnn]

Welcome to the forum. But, sorry to hear of Bubba's illness. It IS so very hard to have a sick furbaby, but, Cairns are tough little dogs. Hopefully, that strength will add to his recovery.

Unfortunately, I have never heard of this disease prior to your post and cannot add anything. It does like you have found good care for him thru UW. I have heard very positive things about the school and most university schools are up to date with their treatments.

I will definitely keep you both in my thoughts and prayers. Please give an update when you can.

Cathy

[CarCarDawn]

Hi! Sending only good thoughts and prayers your way for Bubba - - God Bless!

[Anna_525]

Dear Stacey,

I am very sorry to hear this. With treatment, Bubba should be better.

I've heard of blastomycosis in humans. I would urge you to also watch out since the conidia (fungal cells) are obviously from the contaminated soil where you were walking. Not to stop you from walking there, too, because usually those who get infected are those with lowered immune responses (the very young and the very old, and the immunocompromised).

Blastomycosis in humans

Good luck. I'll pray for Bubba.

Anna

[Tracy A.]

HI Stacey:

So sorry to hear about your little guy. I had never heard of this before, and I live in the Ohio Valley where they say it is present- So thank you, I am better informed now.

I'll keep Bubba in my thoughts-

Tracy

[Scully'sMom]

Dear Stacey,

I wish I knew something about this to help but I don't. I'm so sorry that your baby is going through this. Please know I'll be keeping Bubba in my thoughts and prayers. Please keep us informed.

[Deasta]

Thank You everyone for all the wonderful replies and support!

We found this site this week after having to leave Bubba in the ICU.

We were looking for information on Cairn terriers and blasto...and then, poof..here we were reading wonderful stories about our own doggies!

So many funny traits...We thought our dogs were the "only" oddballs out there

It seems so many of you do not know about blasto and prehaps now may be a good time to read a little bit about it.

Blasto is found where there is wetlands, new landscaping, river, stream beds...

I guess where dogs love to stick their noses...

Blasto is a fungus which is in the form of a spore. Spores are bad..very bad. They are hard to kill and flourish in a moist enviroment.

Often it is MISDIAGNOSISED since the symptoms manifest themselves like cancer or simple joint pain and even pnuemonia.

Chronic cough, joint stiffness, lameness, letheragy, poor appetite, weight loss.

Confirmation is usually done by xray..but even then the lsion pattern can be hard to detect.

Bubba's diagnosis took about a WEEK! Only until they found the granulomas in the right eye and then finally a aspiration of a lesion in the lung..did they 100% confirm the blasto!

Blasto can be treated..but it is long and expensive. THE SOONER you get them in..the better.

Bubba update

Vet called tonight, his respiration are still fast with episodes of severe panting, he still has the high fever on and off but he is still hanging in there.

Tomorrow he will get the SECOND IV dose of Amphotericin B. This is a HARSH IV med which will worsen his symptyoms since its KILLING off the fungus...

But..as the doses go on HOPFULLY it will rid him of this terrible disease and he can finally start coming around.

THANK You all again for your support...we are so happy we found this site and can share our love for our dogs with all of you!

Stacey

[CathyAnn]

Stacey...glad you found the forum, too!

Hoping to hear better news tomorrow.

Hang in there!!

Cathy

[maggie]

I'm happy you found this forum, and sorry for your circumstances. I will be praying for you and Bubba, hoping he will make a full recovery really soon.

Maggie

[Scully'sMom]

Stacey, I'm glad that you found us as well. Please know I'll be keeping Buba in my prayers and I look forward to some good news.

Scully asked me to send hugs to Buba so (((((((Buba)))))))

[grillywarren]

Stacey,

I have no info to add, but I do send prayers to your

baby! Please hang in there and give Bubba a big hug and

kiss from all his new "family" at the CTF.

Be well.

Ellie

[tlwtheq]

I'm so sorry for your fur baby's and your pain. Please hang in there and rely heavily on us. You're in our thoughts and prayers.

Tara, Olie and Teddy's Mom

[savannahsmom35]

Thank you so much for posting this information.

I am glad that you found this site although I hate that it had to be under these circimstances. I am praying for a quick recovery. Please keep us posted.

[Deasta]

Good News!

The first call this morning was from Bubba's resident student vet, her name is Audra and she has been with Bubba every step of the way. She has been calling us twice a day and step by step helping us thru this ordeal!

Well, yesterday she said Bubba was doing "a little better", but still laboring with his respiration. BUT, he did TROT outside..even though trotting, she stated, is not allowed!

Well, this morning she sounded brighter and said "I THINK he is doing better...much better!"

Well we didnt want to get to excited, but then the Doctor called and confirmed, his Chest Xray did NOT get worse..it was a little better..AND his tempeture is under control..and today they will attempt to wean him off the oxygen

So...it sounds like our Bubba..that tough cairn terrier has done what so many cairn

terriers are known for..TOUGH..unrelentless..persistant...and NEVER give up..has BEATEN THE ODDS and is fighting back against the blasto!!

WE THANK you all for the prays and kind words

This forum gave us some hope and inpiration..and yes..it did pay off in the end.

Bubba should be coming home this thrusday...

His IV medication will continue for eight more times..BUT..he'll be home..and hopefully on his way to a FULL recovery!!

Stacey

[bradl]

Sounds encouraging. That's a Cairn for you ... trotting when trotting is NOT ALLOWED

[CathyAnn]

What terrific news!!!

Bet you can't wait to get Bubba home!!

Please keep us updated,

Cathy

[tena]

Wow- I am sorry for all the stress and worry you are going through and hate your dog is so sick. But thanks for bringing to our attention something many of us (myself included) knew nothing about.

Sending good karma your way

[tlwtheq]

So happy for you that you and Bubba get to be back together and that he's improving. I have to add my voice to the others in thanking you for educating us on this painful, debilitating condition. We shall be vigilant from this point forward.

Tara, Olie and Teddy's Mom

[savannahsmom35]

Horray Bubba!!! I know you will be glad to come home. Please continue to update us as more updates are availible. Still praying for a quick recovery.

[Cairns2]

Hi Stacey,

That is wonderful news! Glad we were all able to help you!

Let us know when you get him home and settled tomorrow.

I hope you can sleep tonight anticipating his homecoming!

Will keep the prayers and positive thoughts going for Bubba!

Cynthia

[Deasta]

Hello everyone

Once again thanks for all the encouragment

Bubba is home. We picked him up yesterday and although we were so happy to see him ..it was very very difficult.

Poor Bubba has lost alot of weight, and the disease is still making his breathing very labored.

We also found out not only does he have Blasto..but he also had a postive titer for EHRILICOSIS (equi) This is the BROWN tick we have in the midwest that humans and Dogs get bite by. It actually has the SAME symptoms as Blasto

Saddly he is fighting BOTH Diseases

The guy is one tough Bubba!

The vet is letting me do all of his IV administration at home since I am a medical surgical RN. He even has a CENTRAL LINE!

Now heres my next problem

Bubba is not eating.

So we are syringe feeding him.He takes the supplement canned food well BUT I would love to try some new natural foods to stimulate his appetite.

Remember he refused to take anything by hand..so its all THRU the syringe

So..does anyone have any IDEAS on food that is tasty that you can syringe feed???

I tried shredded chicken w/ mashed potatoe but the chicken was to stringy for him to swallow

ANY homemade dishe ideas would be welcomed!

Thank you!

Stacey and Bubba

The picture below is bubba this morning at home..

[bradl]

Poor fellow - what a trooper! Would a food-processor pulverize the chicken etc. enough to pass it through a syringe?