Blastomycosis in dogs

[Paulmyr]

I know this isn't turkey related so I apologize for that. I know there are a couple vets that hang out here regularly so I was hoping they would be kind enough to give me some input. Info from anybody else with experience with blasto would be greatly appreciated as well.

My dogs has had open sores on her snout for about for about 3 weeks. When I 1st noticed them there were 3. One looked like a cyst the other 2 looked like cysts had ruptured. They looked like they were getting better so I stopped paying attention to them. 2 are gone and the one that remains seems to be getting bigger. I'm not sure if it's one of the original sore or not just guessing as I didn't notice anything for the last week or so. I 1 st noticed them 4th of July weekend. The originals were about half the size of a pea. There were a lot of deer flies around and I thought maybe she got bit by some. She does have allergies when I take her hunting to certain spots in the fall.
When I looked up pics online of open wounds the only thing that looked similar was a dog that had blastomycosis. She don't have any other symptoms. No coughing/weasing, no lethargy, no loss of appetite. She seams perfectly healthy except the sore on her snout. It doesn't seem to scab up. It's not leaking very much,  no bleeding unless she runs through some weeds.it is moist. No puss. It doesn't seem to bother her.
The local vet can't see her until next Fri. I'm debating weather I should wait or seek alternatives.
Here's a pic of the sore. It's raised on the perimeter and looks like damage blood vessels possibly in the center. Not sure if I'm worrying to much but it does have me a little rattled as I've had a friend lose to dogs to blasto.

[Goodtimekiller]

Could be several different things. Do you only have 1 vet around? If it is Blasto it should be treated as soon as possible. Do you live in an area that Blasto occurs? If friday is as soon as you can get i would say monitor the lesions closely and for other signs that might pop up. If anything occurs let the vet know and maybe they will see more urgency in the situation. But typically, Blasto does take at least a few days to definitively diagnose. Watch the eyes, for limping, other sores, coughing very closely.


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[Paulmyr]

There are other vets around and emergency care facilities. My vet is booked for general care. Called for vaccinations right before memorial and couldn't get in til July 15th. Had to go the Petco vet route.
They made special request with the triage division and soonest they could me in was next Fri. Thats why I'm kinda freaking. If it is blasto I want to get after it as soon as possible. This Fri wouldn't be so bad. I would imagine a lot can progress in a week and a half. Had her out training in water Sunday. No problems. 8 to 10 retrieves one after another. Let her rest for bit and do it again. She'd get winded but recovery was quick. No limping. Plenty of energy and appetite. Might be time to find a new vet. they've expanded thier facility 2 times in the last 10 years and still can't keep up with demand.

[Mossberg90MN]

Hope you can get the issue figured out, never fun to be in that spot. Hopefully it is just a scab she's maybe just kept ripping off.


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[shatcher]

My Feist has blasto now, had it since the end of March.  She never had sores.  Started with coughing and wheezing.  Vet diagnosed with a urine test.  It got bad enough, they had her on an IV for 4 or 5 days.  Since then, she's been on a pill, itraconazole, which is for humans (be careful where you get the prescription filled - prices varies $35 per month all the way to $180).  Had her tested a week ago and she still has it, though not like she did.  This fungus is very hard to get rid of.  We're not out of the woods nearly 5 months later.  If the coughing and wheezing starts, find a vet that can see your friend asap.  Good luck!

[Jimspur]

Hey Paulmyr - I know you weren't supposed to go to the vet until this
Friday. Just wondering if you figured anything out yet?

[Paulmyr]

Got her into the emergency vet at 2am when they weren't busy last Thurs. Vet checked her out and did a cytology. Swabbed the wound and microscoped it. Didn't see much except inflamed tissue. She didn't rule Blasto out but thought it was unlikely because of the lack of other symptoms and overall health of the dog. she recomended keeping Fridays appointment where she thought the vet would do a biopsy of the lesion. Emergency vet seems to think some type of tumor or immune /skin disorder.

The lesion hasn't grown since Friday and maybe even starting to heal a little. It's not looking as angry anymore. She has 2 more small cyst like bumps on the end of her snout that have been there since Thurs/Fri. The fact that 2 of the original sores have disappeared leads me to think it's not a tumor and more of a skin/immune disorder. The fact that there was no Blasto in the cytology test has me somewhat relieved. Time will tell I guess.

[Jimspur]

That's good news - hope you get it figured out Friday or after the biopsy.
Keep us posted.

[TurkeyReaper69]

Not a vet, dog trainer here. I have seen blasto before was a similar wound but under the eyes (at first we marked it off as just some eye infection but later realized it was something more dangerous when other symptoms occurred) . I don't think without a tissue sample sent to a veterinary pathologist or if your local vet has a lab they can test these sorts of things in   you can't identify if it is blasto. Definitely not good if it is. It's treated with ketoconazole. 100% keep your vet appt for Friday, if anything try and find a vet within driving distance that can see you sooner. Praying it's not so serious!

[Paulmyr]

Definitely planning for a biopsy on Fri. Need to know what's going on. Not sure if my vet has a lab that can test the sample. Pretty sure it's going to have to be sent out for testing. I called a bunch of regular vets last week and none were taking new clients as they were all booked solid. Some said booked thru Sept. Had to drive an hour for the emergency vet last Thurs. The ones close to me had 6 to 10 hour wait time.

[Devastator]

Hope the best for ya.had my share of vet bill's with my beagles and hard ache with there loss.

[Goodtimekiller]

The best test for blasto is a urine test, a biopsy will likely give you an answer and will diagnose a larger number of diseases vs the urine test. I would ask if they could send it to a dermatopathologist, it costs a little extra but it is a pathologist that only deals with skin. Also, itraconazole is the best treatment for blasto, they have generic now and it is not near as expensive as it once was.


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[Paulmyr]

Got my dog into the regular vet on Fri. She didn't rule Blasto out but thought it was more likely to be a deep dermal bacterial infection because of the lack of any other symptoms. She used the words interesting and unique when  giving her thoughts on the sore in the pic.

The plan right now is 2 weeks of antibiotics, antiinflammatory meds and keep a close eye out for any Blasto symptoms. She seems to be responding well to the treatment. The sore in the pic is healing and the cyst like bumps appear to be receeding. Fingers crossed! Only 3 weeks til early teal.

[Jimspur]

Glad to hear that she's doing well, I'll also keep my fingers crossed for
her and you!

[g8rvet]

Goodtime is right on.  Best test is biopsy.  Rules out fungal infection, atypical mycomacteria, actinomyces, autoimmune and other odd diseases.  It may not give a definitive diagnosis, but will point your vet in the right direction and not waste tons of different tests. 

I also think it is reasonable to treat and closely monitor.  Chest rads would be nice to have as well.