This may be a long post, sorry. Our girl Dauntless had a weepy left eye about 10 days ago. It was a very windy day and we had been out and about so I cleaned her eye and put a cool compress on it. It was a little weepy for a couple more days and I decided I would get it checked. I called and made an appointment with the Vet. Then last Friday she had an abrasion between two toes on her back left paw. Cleaned it, put neosporin on it and it was fine. Suddenly on Saturday she had a bloody nose, but had been wrestling with Candor and they knocked heads a few times. The bleeding stopped within a minute or 2. Sunday she was limping slightly on her right rear paw. Couldn't find anything wrong with it and chalked it up to the wrestling the day before, but a red light started flashing in my mind. Called the Vet, they asked if anything seemed really serious. I said no, I just was starting to feel like things were adding up to a bigger problem. They asked if she needed emergency care, or could she wait til Tuesday for her appointment. I said I thought it could wait and just wanted them to add it to be checked at her visit. They said if anything else happened, or she got worse to call right away. Just to clarify, through all of this Dauntless didn't slow down, refuse food or water, and was not lethargic in the least. Monday she was the same nothing new or worse. Tuesday came and to our horror she could not stand. We had to help her up, and when she walked, very slowly, she started to knuckle at the toes. We have a dog carrier assist that has handles and goes around the hind quarters and behind the shoulders so that in an emergency a large dog can be helped to walk or even carried. So got her to the Vet, she was examined, tests were done. Blood excellent, kidneys excellent, liver excellent, brain excellent, heart excellent, lungs excellent and yet she was critical. The Vet was stumped, called in other Vets, all were stumped, the thinking was either cancer that was hiding very well or some type of infection from a parasite. The diagnosis, although it speculatory til the tests come back, is Blastomycosis, a fungal infection that sometimes affects the neurological system in animals and humans. It can be fatal. They started her on meds to counter act the infection as even if she didn't have it, the meds would not hurt her and without doing anything other than just waiting for that test, she would not make til Friday. Even if she does have it, the nuerological damage has been done and the odds of her ever being able to walk easily or run are at about 20 percent. She went down so quick it was incomprehensible. The meds gave very little relief. If there is not significant improvement by tomorrow, Friday, then we are going to put her down. She has been so athletic her entire life until last Sunday. She has been on Fromm dog food, sees the Vet regularly, gets plenty of exercise, is kept groomed, is extremely well trained and just the sweetest most gentle dog. I have no words. Please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. I can't stop crying. My heart hurts.
My apologies for the long post, I'm sure I left things out, but I needed to let everyone know, please hug your fur babies.
My apologies for the long post, I'm sure I left things out, but I needed to let everyone know, please hug your fur babies.
Symptoms that seem so minor leading to this...? I hope she makes a turnaround. Stay strong! We are thinking of you!
I have heard of this happening to another dobe owner, blastomycosis, and it's so tragic... its just in the soil. I hope she responds to treatment. Prayers for you guys 
