Blasto

[cat and bear]

Any of you folks had experience with this, Blasto Micosis. In wi its a fungus which grows on logs etc, around old beaver dams, or rivers, or dry swamps. From my understanding, it grows on the dried or rotten wood along these area's, especially during dry summers. There is also hot zones, for this, in area's where some folks that own even a house dog, will loose them. I have lost two dogs from it over the years, and both were high bred, papered dogs. These mixed grade mutts we raise dont seem to have as much of a problem. It can lay dormeint for up to six months. In my case, they didnt show it until feb, and usually its to late. Both dogs, the lung turned black, like they smoked all their lives, in the x ray. If you catch it in the early stages, it can be treated, for around a grand. The dog never seem to be the same, and I've seen them catch it again, any other experiences with this?

[Hounder-]

Had one papered golden retriever get it.....We caught it early enough to save him but it cost us a pretty penny and this was 10 years ago.....We caught it by him having a bump on his nose....He had just recently gotten into a porky so we figured it was a quill working its way through. Vet went in there and realized it was blasto showing itself.....


Had one grade hound (english looking) get it, didn't catch it in time and the vet could do nothing.....All we noticed on him was bad coughing and by then it was too late...



Both cases in Northern WI.....

[blackpaws]

i know of a few dogs that have gotten it and din't make it. i know of one that got it and got through it but lost his sense of smell. it's not a good thing from what i have seen.

[blackpaws]

i know of a few dogs that have gotten it and din't make it. i know of one that got it and got through it but lost his sense of smell. it's not a good thing from what i have seen.

[eROKv]

a buddy of mine got it and went to the hospital a couple weeks ago. it just about killed him. he has an outdoor burner and cuts wood every day - they figure thats where he got it from. so its not just dogs!!

[cat and bear]

a buddy of mine got it and went to the hospital a couple weeks ago. it just about killed him. he has an outdoor burner and cuts wood every day - they figure thats where he got it from. so its not just dogs!!

Yes, your right about that, My aunt and uncle got it twenty five years ago, from firewood, almost killed them, doctors couldnt figure it out. I'm wondering about other states.

[blackpaws]

is it just here in wisconsin? guess a guy cant even cut wood here anymore let alone send a dog to the woods.

[cat and bear]

My buddy in Florida comes up, one of his dogs got it. His vet says, its not down there either, of some places, that would be one, I would think would. Colorado buddy had two get it, that year also, lost one for sure. I cant believe its just here??

[Tom White]

I"ve never heard of it. But its pretty dry here in southerd New Mexico.

[cat and bear]

[quote="Tom White"]I"ve never heard of it. But its pretty dry here in southerd New Mexico.[/quote

Boy Tom your lucky. Its around water, and logs, or decaying wood. I have to correct myself, its not a fungus, the vet said its a spore, which the dogs or humans inhale. Interesting, I posted this yesterday, and last night, is the first time I have seen it on the news to caution people also. I was on the phone, and didnt catch what they said. I guess, the timing, as it is dangerous, dry here right now.

[TomJr]

Have never heard of it here in Arizona but we do have something that sounds simular. Valley fever, it comes from the soil when its real dry affects both animals and people. Mild cases can affect the joints and lungs while more serious cases will find its way to the brain and can cause death. Lucky for me its mostly at elevations below where I live.

I did take two dogs to college with me in Tucson and they both came down with it. Mild cases but it definatly had an effect on thier joints and slowed them up both still lived to 15 but likly would have been more active in thier later years without the damage caused by that fungus.

Had an unkle get it in his lungs. Doc thought it was lung cancer at first so he was happy to find out it was "just" valley fever. He was on some medication for several months that cleared it up in leaving some scars on his lungs but no real lasting effects. He said the worst part of the treatment was that he could not drink beer...

[mdufresne]

I lost a dog this December to Blasto or we are pretty sure it was anyways. She was an outstanding 6 month old plott from Michigan. I was working down in Lake Geneva Wisconsin for a few weeks after picking her up in September. We were right by a lake and I took her for a swim or walk every morning to the lake. She never did seem to have an appetite but was a great acting pup. She went on bear hunts with me in the fall and got walked into trees. I started to cat hunt her in December and she was doing great. Then after one particularly cold hard hunt she started to completely loose her appetite. I cooked everything under the sun for her and she just picked at it. She was still acting good but in about a week she just went down hill fast. I brought her into the house and she just slept, she ate a bit but was loosing weight fast. She was normally a real active go getter. On a friday afternoon she just seemed to go to skin and bones and had a raspy breathing pattern. No vets were available except a rediculous priced emergency service on the weekend. I called the guy who I got her from and told him about her symptoms and her gums even started bleeding. Her oxygen levels were getting lower and her gums were starting to look grey. I thought she had some form of pnemonia but being from Maine Blasto never entered my mind it isn't here. He called back a bit later and said get her to the vets and test for Blasto immediately. I was at the vets door when they opened in the morning and they agreed she was in desperate shape. They exrayed her and her lungs were completely black and fluid filled. The vet was a great lady and I asked her for it straight up. She said I could spend thousands and have her die the next day in the condition she was in. They were pretty sure it was Blasto but i didn't do the test as it was too late for her. I took her home and put her down and it really sucked! The thing I noticed and was told about it is once it kicks in the dog will go downhill very quickly. If you ever suspect it test for it quickly if you want to save the dog. I have since done a lot of reading on Blasto and it is some bad stuff. The symptoms can start to mimic Pnemonia, loss of appetite and the bleeding gums was a sign of it also. I hope others don't have to deal with it.

[cat and bear]

Thats very interesting Maine doesnt have it, I went hunting a couple of days, while I was there on business. The low parts water, beaver etc, is a lot like our area, Interesting. Blasto can lay dormiet for six months, before it kicks in. I never heard it down by geneva, but very possible, maybe even got it back in Mi. Yes, bad stuff. Sound like the same stuff the fellow from arizona different name.