I need advice!!! Gracie is very sick!!!**UPDATE ON POST 20**NOT GOOD**

I noticed Gracie had a raspy voice the last week or so and didn't think a lot of it. Then Saturday evening I noticed her back foot was very swollen and oozing in between her toes. She also has a raw spot on her back. I wasn't able to take her to the vet until Monday afternoon.

The vet took x-rays of her chest and found the issue. Gracie has a SEVERE fungal problem. I have no idea how she would have gotten it. The vet gave her meds. He said she would be on it for the next 60-90 days. He said she has a good chance of getting through this with only the mads, but she has it so bad she could still take a turn for the worst. If she does we are off to a specialist.

Has anyone had any experience with this before? Is there anything else I can do to help her?

So sorry to read this! I have read that the fungal infections are more common in certain parts of the country, but I really don't know anything about them.

I pray that the meds will help dear Gracie recover rapidly!

:( Poor Gracie. I researched fungal infections pretty extensively last year when Sherman got sick. The vets were actually hoping he did have a fungal infection, because at least it would be treatable. Sadly, that wasn't the case. But I did read that it's pretty common in the midwest but not on the east coast. They are supposed to be fairly tough to get rid of, be sure you give her all the doses of meds. Keep a close eye if she seems to be developing breathing problems.

(((hugs))) You must be pretty scared for her, we'll send sibe vibes & keep Gracie & you in our prayers.

It sounds like the diagnosis might be blastomycosis, that's what they thought Shermie had. Here is an article.

:( I don't know much about fungal infections, but I hope Gracie will be ok!

I also do not know anything about fungal infections but I will definitely keep Gracie in my prayers. ((Hugs)) to you both.

thanks for all the hugs everyone. Thank you for the article!

Gracie didn't eat last night. That is not like her. She's my food hog. I have to run into the clinic today to get my check. I'm going to mention it to the vet while I'm there. She is definately getting worse.:(

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Originally Posted by lute

thanks for all the hugs everyone. Thank you for the article!

Gracie didn't eat last night. That is not like her. She's my food hog. I have to run into the clinic today to get my check. I'm going to mention it to the vet while I'm there. She is definately getting worse.:(

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This might throw her off her food for a day or so, but It's great that you got her meds quickly.
Did you ask the Vet how she could have picked this up?

Good wishes and prayers for little Gracie!

Prayers headed out to Gracie.

Prayers for Gracie.

More prayers going out for Gracie.

Prayers for Gracie. Come on, little girl, eat! :love:

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Originally Posted by lizbud

Did you ask the Vet how she could have picked this up?

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Liz - the spores are usually inhaled from infected ground. NO way to predict or prevent it, but they suggest keeping your dogs out of wooded moist areas as much as possible.
More prayers for Gracie

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Originally Posted by cyber-sibes

Liz - the spores are usually inhaled from infected ground. NO way to predict or prevent it, but they suggest keeping your dogs out of wooded moist areas as much as possible.
More prayers for Gracie

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Yes, that's what he said. I go hiking with the dogs. Who knows where she got it. She didn't eat again last night either. I'm worried sick and now I have to leave for TN. I have a dog show. I'm so worried something will happen to her while I'm gone. I can't not go though. I have clients' dogs.

Try not to worry about Gracie too much. Your parents will keep giving her meds, there isn't much else you can do at this point, really.
Go to the show & give your clients your best - they're counting on you.
We'll all keep up the prayers, & your vet is on top of it. Good luck at the show!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cyber-sibes

Try not to worry about Gracie too much. Your parents will keep giving her meds, there isn't much else you can do at this point, really.
Go to the show & give your clients your best - they're counting on you.
We'll all keep up the prayers, & your vet is on top of it. Good luck at the show!

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Well, I'm back from the show now. My parents got her to eat about a cup of food since Friday morning when I left. I talked to a few of my dog friends and Gracie's breeder this weekend. They all think she has Blasto. Her breeder told me to feed her a/d canned food. It'll give her at least some nutrition. I called the vet on Friday on my way to TN to tell him she wasn't eating. He said it may be because of the meds so he told me to cut back from 1 pill to 1/2 pill. I haven't noticed a difference yet, but hopefully will soon. Please continue to keep her in your prayers.

Prayers for Gracie.

My sister’s dog, Hutch, just got over blastomycosis (he’s a purebred GSD). It was terrifying for them and Hutch was very sick for a pretty long time (about 3 months). Their biggest obstacle was getting him to eat. The problem is that the meds he was on made him so nauseous that he wouldn’t eat anything. He went from weighing 95 pounds to 65 pounds in just a few months. She tried everything to get him to eat, assorted canned food, people food, whatever it took to get some nutrition in him. It got to the point where they were buying steaks to cook just for him and hand feeding him. They also had to time his feedings just right so that he was being fed while the anti-nausea meds were the most effective. It is a nasty illness and poor Hutch had it so bad that they had to tap his lungs and remove the fluid several times, while we were waiting for the medications to take affect.

One of the problems was that their regular vet hadn’t ever treated the illness before and made a few mistakes in treatments initially. Their first diagnosis was cancer, but once they took fluid from his lungs and sent it in for testing, the diagnosis was blastomycosis and prescribed anti-nausea meds, lasix and Itraconazole. They were finally able to get in touch with a specialist and were told that lasix was contraindicated and that the fluid in his lungs would aid in the clearing of the fungal infection. Once the proper medication protocols were followed, we started seeing improvement in him, but he had to go in every couple of weeks for monitoring and to tap his lungs of excess fluid buildup.

Another problem is that the prescribed medication is very expensive – almost $1000 per month normally for a dog Hutch’s size. What was great is that Walgreens allowed them to enroll Hutch in their prescription savings club, which kept the cost of the medication down considerably. It has been a long arduous road, but Hutch is back to his old self and is feeling great. I don’t know if this is what your dog has, but I would definitely do some research so that you know the right questions to ask your vet when you see him/her next. If my sister hadn’t read that the Lasix is contraindicated and insisted they call a specialist for information, Hutch might not be here today.

Sending healing vibs your way.

I'm very sorry to hear about Gracie. :( I hope she will have a full recovery!

Just a little update on Gracie. She's of course still sick. She is still not eating much more than a 1/2 cup a day. She is walking a little. I've been doing some research and talking to other dog people. I haven't had conformation from my vet, but I think the fungal infection Gracie has in called Blastomycosis.

I am talking to my vet tomorrow and asking him to check Gracie's eyes. She ran into a chair this evening. Like she didn't even see it. She also would only see the hamburgers we were feeding her if it was right in front of her. I really hope it's nothing. I would just feel horrible if she lost her sight.

Please continue to keep Gracie in your prayers. Looks like we won't be done with this any time soon.:(

:( Poor Gracie. I was hoping she'd be doing much better by now. I hope she recovers soon!

:( Still keeping Gracie in my prayers. Please give her gentle kisses & hugs from me. Poor girl, I hope you start seeing some improvement soon.

Poor Gracie. I hope she gets better and better every day. If she does lose her sight, don't worry, as dogs often adjust very well to that, as long as the humans don;t do things like moving furniture, etc.

Oh My..I feel so awful along with you. Poor Gracie. Poor you. I totally understand how heartbreaking it is to have a sick pet.

I hope the vet can FINALLY come up with a diagonsis so Gracie can start feeling better.

Gentle hugs to both of you and of course, lots of prayers.

I'm sorry to hear that Gracie isn't improving. More prayers for Gracie.

I talked to the vet this morning. He said since she is doing worse to have me bump up her meds again. That's all he can do. The next thing to do is go to a specialist. I can't afford that right now. It's just not an option for me right now since I don't have a job. I looked at her eyes this morning and she looks blind. Her eyes have a blue fuzziness over them.

I think I'm going to call some more area vets today and see if I can't try something else. I don't know what to do. I've never had to go through this before.:(

I am so sorry that Gracie (and you) are going through this.:( I will add
special prayers that Gracie will get stronger & beats whatever is making her
so sick. Prayers & hugs for you both.

Oh, poor Gracie girl:( I hope and pray that she gets better real soon.:love:

Many more prayers for Gracie.