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Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis

I had read about this fungal infection and had heard the name from other pet owners before, but to be honest, I truly did not have a healthy enough fear/respect of Blasto until I spent a year fighting it.

What is Blastomycosis?
Blastomycosis is an infection caused by Blastomyces dermatitidis, a fungus found in moist soil and decomposing wood, leaves, etc.  In the United States, the heaviest concentrations can be found around the Great Lakes, Saint Lawrence River, Ohio Valley and Mississippi River Valley.  Blastomyces dermatitidis can also be found in Canada, Africa and India.

Dogs get blastomycosis when they breathe in the spores of the fungi, often after disturbing the dirt.  The spores can be inhaled by any animal or human.  It is more difficult for humans to contract blastomycosis unless they are immunocompromised.  Unfortunately, the nature of dogs, with their noses on the ground, digging in dirt and decomposing woods- they often have their faces right in the spores when they are inhaled into the dog’s lungs.

You cannot catch Blastomycosis from another animal or human, only directly from the source- the spores in the dirt/woods.

Once your dog inhales the spores and they travel to the lungs, often this is where the infection will start.  About 85% of dogs diagnosed with blastomycosis presented with pulmonary involvement- often a dry cough and respiratory distress.  Once in the lungs, the fungi can get into the bloodstream and spread throughout the body including the brain, eyes, joints, lymph nodes, bones, and skin.  In the skin, it will present as weeping sores.
The most common symptoms for Blastomycosis include:

  • Depressed appetite
  • Coughing- can be a dry cough
  • Trouble breathing
  • Excessive panting
  • Lameness or limping- often with swollen limbs or joints
  • Weight loss
  • Shortness of breath- increased with physical exertion
  • Swollen lymph nodes
  • Depression
  • Sores- can be verrucous (wartlike) or ulcerative (open and draining)
  • Excess ocular discharge (draining eyes)

Once the fungal infection progresses, the symptoms become more serious and can include:

  • Glaucoma (swelling in the eye causing increased pressure)
  • Blindness
  • Detached retina
  • Blue/cloudy eye
  • Bone infections
  • Neurological symptoms- head tilt, unable to walk a straight line, cannot hold head up in a normal position, etc.
  • Joint and muscle pain and inflammation
  • Nail or nailbed infection
  • Inability to exercise

 

First, I will share with you all of the information most veterinarians will give you and then I will share some of my own experience.  When you take your dog to the veterinarian for concern, the first thing the vet will do is a physical examination and (hopefully) get a detailed history, especially any travel and/or potential environmental exposure.  If your dog presents with a cough, draining sores and swollen limbs or lameness, your vet might consider a fungal infection.  To confirm, s/he will order chest x-rays and probably blood tests.

Here is where I want to, once again, reiterate that I am not a veterinarian.  All of my medical training given to me by the US Army and George Washington University for humans, not canines.  I can only share my experience and hope it helps someone else.

Blastomycosis in canines is more common than most veterinarians are aware.  Because it is often not on their radar, the dog dies before ever being correctly diagnosed.  Veterinarians will also tell you that if you look at chest x-rays, you can tell if it is blastomycosis or not as it has tell-tell signs on x-ray from the swollen lymph nodes and growths in the lungs.  The attending emergency veterinarian, 2 different internal medicine veterinarians and a radiologist all at one of the most prestigious Veterinary and Specialty Hospitals in the state all said that Goliath did not have Blastomycosis because his x-rays would have looked different than they did.  Since going through Blastomycosis with Goliath, I have encountered several other people whose dog’s were either not diagnosed until the necropsy, or not until it was too late.  One young lady got a throat culture back after her dog had passed and was unresponsive to all of the antibiotics they were giving to treat the lung infection.  I have also heard many, many, many stories where the vet later told them that blastomycosis was not considered because their dog did not swollen limbs; or eyes were not draining; or there were no weeping sores- all “classic” symptoms.  If you glean nothing else from this page, please hear me on this.  There is only ONE WAY to definitively diagnose blastomycosis and it is via a urine test sent to MiraVista labs.  X-rays, blood tests, etc. may or may not be helpful, but only a urine test sent to Mira Vista can diagnosis Blastomycosis.  If you have a dog that presents with ANY of the symptoms and other treatment is not working and/or the dog seems to be degrading, please spend the $300 for a urine test.  Worst case scenario, you lost $300 but not your best friend.  Please do not wait for “all the classic” symptoms to be present either!  There are so many cases that present just with a limp- lungs sound great but no wound can be found and anti-inflammatories and/or antibiotics are not reducing the swelling.  And if you are worried it might be blastomycosis and then the eyes go blue- start antifungals immediately!

Blastomycosis is a fungal infection so only antifungal medications can help.  Antibiotics might help is there is a secondary infection in the skin, etc., however, antibiotics will NOT kill the fungus.  There are several different antifungal medications that have been used successfully including:

  • Itraconazole
  • Ketaconazole
  • Amphotericin B
  • Terbinafine

For more severe infections, itraconazole combined with either terbinafine or amphotericin B is recommended.  Itraconazole is generally well- tolerated, however, your veterinarian will need to monitor your dog’s itraconazole levels to make sure the dose of medication your dog is receiving remains high enough to be therapeutic without being toxic.  A toxic dose of Itraconazole can cause its own problems, so it is important to monitor.  If there is significant lung infection, prednisone may also be prescribed.  Another word of caution here- not all dogs tolerate prednisone well.  Goliath had a very bad case of Calcinosis Cutis from the prednisone.  Calcinosis Cutis is when the dog’s body pushes calcium deposits THROUGH the dog’s skin. As the skin is not designed to accommodate that, it rips and tears– it is essentially like getting sand blasted from the inside out 🙁  It is painful and can take many months to successfully treat and it is possible for the dog to get a secondary infection in the skin as well.  Their body is already working hard to fight the fungal infection so the immune system is not at its strongest, and now, we have added countless open wounds on the dog.  Douxo Pyo Shampoo can be ordered on Amazon and DMSO gel can be ordered via prescription from 1-800-pet meds.  These are both very helpful in treating the calcinosis cutis.  The DMSO gel helps make the skin more permeable (so the calcium can get through a little bit easier).  The Douxo Pyo shampoo does a fantastic job in helping support the skin’s ecosystem, physical barrier and help hydrate and soothe irritated skin.  It is also indicated for infections and has an anti-inflammatory effect on dermatological diseases.  In Goliath’s case, they also put him on minocycline.  Minocycline is an antibiotic but it also helps effect the permeability of the skin to help ease the passage of the calcium deposits.

It is important to know that the first 72 hours after starting antifungals can be the most dangerous for the dog.  As all the spores die off, they become toxic and the canine’s immune system can react and cause serious lung problems.  This is also why prednisone is often given initially.  Corticosteroids like prednisone help calm the body’s immune response as well as reduce inflammation.  It can be a very useful addition to your dog’s blastomycosis treatment, just be aware of and on the lookout for the potential side effects.  It is usually necessary for the dog to remain in ICU during these first few days of treatment where a prompt and proper medical response is available in the event of an adverse reaction.

Prognosis?

If caught very early, the prognosis for blastomycosis is usually favorable.  Once the disease progresses, that starts to decrease at a sharp rate.  However, even a more advanced case may still be treatable as long as you are in the financial position for the long haul.  Treating blastomycosis is a marathon, not a sprint.  Expect treatment to last at least 6 months.  In the case of my Goliath, we were only a couple weeks short of a full year treating him.  Antifungal medications are expensive, but shop around as different pharmacies will have it at different prices.  Blastomycosis is incredibly expensive to treat and, especially if there are complications, very time consuming as well.  But I have no regrets.  I am so grateful I was able to help my Big G <3  I know he would have done the same for me.  We were in the 10’s of thousands in medical bills just within the first couple of months…  I stopped counting after that.  Sold our RV and my truck and also applied for Care Credit.  I know my Goliath would give up every single worldly possession he has if it meant he could save me.  I feel very blessed that I did have the assets to sell and credit cards to put everything else on.  I know not everyone has that luxury.  I am also very aware that spending that much money does not carry any guarantees.  I could have been out all that money and still lost my buddy.  I am grateful every day that this was not the case.  God is good, all the time.

 

Here is a little video of my Goliath who bravely battled Blastomycosis for nearly a year.  He is such a testament to this breed and represents everything I love about Rottweilers.

I chronicled my journey with Goliath on our Guardian Rottweiler facebook page.  I wanted to share that here as well.

September 17, 2023
I try very hard to pass along important information when I have it, so please take the time to read this- it might save the life of a loved one.
My big, beautiful baby boy was out of state on stud service. When he got home, he had an intermittent cough after drinking water. Not necessarily unusual, sometimes, these big, thirsty babies drink too fast. When the cough didn’t go away, we started doxycycline just in case he picked up an upper respiratory (cold). Even though he has, of course, had his vaccinations including kennel cough, kennel cough is a group of upper respiratory issues rather than a single virus/infection the same way our ‘common colds’ are a group of rhinoviruses.
He started the doxy and I left for a couple of deliveries including his brother to New Jersey. When I came back Sunday night, I did not like Goliath’s progression and the doxy should have had plenty of time to work by now. Off to ******* Emergency & Specialty Hospital- supposedly one of the best. Chest x-rays, scans, blood work, urinalysis, ultrasounds and no ideas what was wrong. They were certain it was a blockage that didn’t show up on x-ray, so they did an ultrasound. When it didn’t show up there, they were certain it was a blockage that just was not showing up and that the bronchitis was potentially secondary caused by regurgitation and aspiration (vomiting and inhaling some of it). At this point, I have to say I am frustrated with myself for not sticking to my guns. I knew Goliath was not a problem child and had never destroyed a toy or ingested something he shouldn’t (other than goose poop lol). And I knew the cough preceded the anorexia/tummy troubles. I expressed this to 3 different doctors but ultimately, knowing he had just been away on stud and fearing maybe I missed something, I relented and let them open my boy up. A thorough exploratory abdominal and liver biopsy revealed no foreign body, no blockage and no issues noted. I honestly found myself praying he had something stuck because then at least we had answers, a solution and the start to fixing him. Even though I was so certain he didn’t have anything stuck, I was still devastated when there was yet something else ruled out and my boy just getting sicker ?
By Thursday his only nourishment was from his NG tube (a tube that goes into his nose and down into his stomach to get at least something in him) and he could barely stand ?
By the grace of God, one incredible doctor from his surgical team actually listened to me, his full history, including travel, and started digging more. Because he was shaved from surgery, she noticed he had some lumps/small masses on his sides that she had not noted previously. She biopsied them and finally had an answer. Blastomycosis. Often with Blastomycosis, the spores infest the skin as well and you will have open, weeping sores on the body. Thankfully, his had not progressed to the bursting open and draining stage (yet).
Blastomycosis is a fungus found in moist soil. Dogs inhale the spores through their nose and into their lungs.  Here, the spores get into the bloodstream where they are then carried throughout the body. In the case of my Goliath, his liver, skin, bones/joints, digestive track, pancreas, and of course lungs. Thankfully, this is curable with fungicide. To think, lack of a simple meditation almost took my boy from me. He is not out of the woods yet, though. As the fungicide kills the spores, they break down into a toxin that provokes an immune response causing inflammation, sometimes fatal. The first 72 hours after treatment starts is critical, so please keep my baby boy in your prayers.
Important take aways (at least for me):
1) Trust your gut- when I took Goliath to the ER, his only symptoms were an intermittent cough, decreased appetite, and a slight limp. All could have been easily explained- he injured a leg/paw jumping in or out of the truck or when breeding; he was tired and not too hungry because he had a “busy” week the week before, but his eyes looked sad, and I felt he was not ok.
2) If you live in an area or have traveled through an area that has reported cases of Blastomycosis, ask your vet to test if you are worried about symptoms. The spores attack multiple systems simultaneously and not all cases present the same. According to 3 doctors and a radiologist, his x-rays did not even remotely resemble what they expected to see if it was blasto. They were “certain” he did not have blastomycosis when they opened my boy up unnecessarily.
3) Be a stronger advocate for your beloved than I was. I failed my boy and I hope I will learn from this and not fail again. When we very first got to the ER the first night, the on-call doctor said there were 3 possibilities- viral, bacterial or fungal but that he wouldn’t consider fungal unless there were other organs involved like eyes or he had a limp as it liked to get into bones/joints. I reiterated that he had not been limping previously and that his eyes were gummy and that, given his recent travel, I didn’t want to rule anything out without testing. (Also, with the anorexia/decreased appetite, potential GI involvement should have been considered as an additional organ potentially involved) After x-rays, this veterinarian insisted that fungal would present completely differently so he saw no need for further testing– Let’s not do the $300 un-invasive urine fungal test when we can do the $4-5500 exploratory abdominal surgery + $1000+ ultrasound, biopsies, etc. to confirm ingestion of a foreign object even though owner is saying that is highly unlikely… but, I did agreed to everything because I’m not the veterinarian/expert, and that is on me. And to be fair, having been in the medical field, I know they are human and it can be easy to get tunnel vision. Refer to #1 trust you gut and be their advocate. And if you are a doctor or veterinarian, please do not be so quick to disregard owner insights and patient history in your differential.
4) Blastomycosis can take as little as 3 days or as long as 3 months to become symptomatic. IT CAN KILL and often does. The earlier you catch it, the better their chance of recovery. It is not contagious- meaning Goliath cannot pass it to people or other dogs/pets. You can only become infected directly from the spores in the soil, HOWEVER, anyone/anything that comes in contact with the spores in the infected soil can get Blastomycosis, this includes humans! Because our dogs travel and go with us almost everywhere, finding out exactly where he contracted it will likely be impossible, but you best believe testing for it when an upper respiratory is suspected will become my standard. I am so sorry my learning lesson was paid for by my beautiful baby boy ? I often feel I am unworthy of the unconditional love they freely give- now moreso than ever.
It was a rough road to get here, but I am so very grateful that we have an answer, I am so grateful for the vet that listened to me, really listened to me and cared enough to pursue, and I am grateful that it is something Goliath can, with God’s grace, make a full recovery from. Please keep my big pumpkin head in your prayers. He has done what this breed does best and taken a crappy situation and turned it into an opportunity to show the world the heart and soul of a Rottweiler. He has a huge fan club at the ER and every update I get usually begins with how much he is loved and how even after he has been poked and prodded with tubes and ports sticking out and feels lousy, he will let them do anything they need. I cannot wait for him to be feeling well enough that they can see his goofy-goober side too ?? He’s got this. The only thing bigger than his head is his heart.

Here is from my last visit with him ?? made a short video for my kids who couldn’t come with to visit <3

I was so naive in the beginning. I thought that once he got a correct diagnosis and started correct medication, that we were out of the woods.  I had no idea of the nearly year long fight that was in store for us…

September 18, 2023
Goliath update ??
Thank you all so much for your love, support and prayers. I know I don’t have to explain to any of you that he is not ‘just a dog’, he is family and a piece of my heart.
He is tolerating treatment very well all things considered. White cell count is up, blood pressure is elevated, potassium is slightly elevated and respiration is a bit more of a struggle, but all of that was expected as his body responds to the dying spores. He is thumping his tail on approach and even ate some canned cat food. Obviously they do not intend on keeping him on cat food, but the fact he ate, on his own, is awesome!! All positive signs today and even talk of when he might be able to come home and continue his treatment at home ?? Dr asked me if I was comfortable with the NG tube in if he still needed it when he came home. I said I was a combat medic in the military- not very much outside my comfort zone ? We tube feed struggling/premie/behind newborn pups all the time- at least in Goliath’s case, someone has done the hard part with tube placement! Keep those prayers coming. This boy is tough and all heart. He’s got this!

September 21, 2023
Goliath is home!!! ?? sorry for not updating sooner. Still doesn’t hardly want to eat, but have some chicken quarters in the crockpot (makes the bones fall right out ??) so hoping he’ll eat some for me. The walk from the car was exhausting, but I still got my tail thump so I’ll take it. Hard seeing such a big, strong, powerful dog so thin and weak ? but we’ve got this. ?? Keep the prayers coming ?? God is good all the time and all the time, God is good ??

Pulled chicken fresh out the crockpot. Got a couple of licks. Will try again in a bit. ?? baby steps.

 

Tweaked the chicken recipe a bit- added some more turmeric, some aloe, cinnamon, basil, chamomile, ginger and parsley. Will update how he eats today ?? Still no bowel movement, but hardly eating so not unexpected. Biggest concern currently is fluid intake. Not really drinking very much. Hoping some of the herbs I added will help ??
Tumeric- this powerful anti-inflammatory is also anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and a super antioxidant.
Parsley- this awesome superfood is also an antioxidant and helps flush toxins.
Ginger- in addition to being an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial, it helps soothe tummy troubles. If you have ever been pregnant or suffered from motion sickness, you are likely family with this awesome herb.
Aloe- we keep aloe on hand for burns, cuts, etc. But, it is also a great food to consume. Anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and boosts immune system.
Basil- tons of essential vitamins and minerals and great anti-microbial properties, but can also improve mood ??. I mean, have you ever been upset eating spaghetti with fresh basil?
Cinammon- always have this on hand and it is actually one of my secret ingredients in many of my signature dishes that you might not think about adding cinammon to including chilli! It is a great anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, but it also fights against diabetes and sepsis!
Chamomile- everyone knows it is a good nighttime tea, but why? It reduces stress, is a natural muscle relaxant, and helps with anxiety. It is also great for gastrointestinal issues and an anti-inflammatory.
Hoping he will enjoy the broth as much as the chicken ?? Ethan approves of the flavor and I might have to put caution tape around the crocpot to keep the rest of the family out ? Wish me luck with the big guy ??

 

September 24, 23
Apologies for not getting an update out yesterday- it was an insanely busy day for us. Pumpkin head is every day making small improvements and I will gladly take them. Water intake is normal again, thank goodness ? Finally had a bowel movement. Will eat small amounts, but super picky (and if you know my meathead, that is not him lol he has never turned down food before). I make him whatever he wants. Yesterday, he wanted ham and mashed potatoes, so, that is what he had. I will take any calories in at this point as he is getting so thin ? Will update with photos/video later as we are getting ready for church and I still need to bottle feed some pups. He is a wee bit more himself and I am getting my tail thump on the regular- just for turning around and looking at him ? And that is my goofy goober Goliath ? All in all, maybe baby steps forward, but only forward momentum, so I will take it with gratitude ? So much love to all of you for your continued love and support. I am so eternally grateful ?September 25, 23
Guess who got his feeding tube (NG tube) out!!! ?? Still not eating as much as he needs to, but we are eating, so I’ll take it ?? dinner was a few bites of mac n cheese and some pumpkin pie ? My boy’s a warrior! Dr. Said keep him on the blood pressure medicine and steroids until next Monday when he goes back in for his next recheck, and of course we already knew he’d be on the antifungal for an extended period of time, but he currently does not need 3 of his meds (Maropitant, gabapentin, and trazadone)!! So, all in all, he’s doing great!! ?
September 27, 23
Breakfast, it’s what’s for dinner ? chopped ham and duck eggs (they are a bit richer than chicken eggs and we are trying to stack the deck as much as we can ??). Love my big baby so much ??

September 28, 23
Little walk about with Goliath ??

September 30, 23
Back to the ER Goliath and I go ? Please keep us in your prayers ?

 

October 1, 23
Please forgive the delay in updating- it has been a rough night/day..
When I went to give Goliath his nighttime meds last night, he refused to eat, anything ? So I had to force-feed his meds. When I did this, I saw that his tongue was discolored at the tip. At first glance, I thought the blastomycosis had caused sores on his tongue as it gets everywhere and can cause weeping sores- he has a few of those elsewhere on his body also. But when I got a better look, I became very concerned that the tip of his tongue was necrotic (dead). As my mind tried to catch hold of that horror, I called the ER vet and sent them a video (uploading that here too, but please be forewarned, do not click on it if squeamish) as I prepared my boy to get loaded in the truck. When I stood him up, he did not want to bear weight on his left rear leg and as I got a better look, I saw that it was swollen and hot to the touch. Whatever was going on seemed to be systemic ? My first concern was his blood pressure as that has been a problem with the blastomycosis, but I thought we had it under control with the amlodipine. My next concern was blood clots- either from inflammation or post surgery.

Got him to the ER and vitals, including blood pressure were good. They unfortunately confirmed that the tip of his tongue is indeed necrotic, and he will lose it ? He will likely have surgery to remove it. They have him on antibiotics, continued prednisone for anti-inflammatory, gabapentin (pain) and an oral mouthwash he gets every few hours as they come up with a game plan. They are currently trying to decide if it is possible trauma (he slipped in his weakened state and bit/ injured his tongue) or if it was a blood clot- cut off blood supply to that area resulting in tissue death. If it was a blood clot, then of course the concern is there may be more with much more serious consequences, like a pulmonary embolism (blood clot in the lungs), an ischemic stroke (blood clot in the brain), or intracardiac thrombosis (blood clot in the heart). There are serious risks either way (starting meds or not starting meds) ? The presumption now is the swelling in his hock/ankle is from the lymphatic system. My head hurts. My heart hurts ? Please keep the prayers coming.

October 2, 23
Wanted to update on Goliath. Have spent most of the day crying on and off. I just feel so…. helpless. This big, beautiful boy would give his life for me, and yet, I am absolutely useless to fix him ? I would take it all for him if I could.

Holding off on surgery for now for the tongue as he is just really not doing well ? He has significant swelling in his rear leg and one of his wounds is draining pretty significantly. We are switching up his meds… another frustrating thing for me as we are switching them to the meds that, per my research and the medical journals and case study publications said was the more aggressive and much preferred approach. This whole thing has just been a nightmare. I am well over 20k into this (stopped adding a long time ago…) and it just seems like that much money should pay someone to care. He should have been tested DAYS before he was and he should have been on the more responsive medication from the jump, he did not need to be cut open when a simple urine test confirmed blasto… just… frustrating ? And to be clear, I don’t give a dang about the money- I am maxed out on just about every card, but I will sell a kidney if I have to- the money is not the point, the point is, for that much money, they should do better. He has lost almost 30 pounds- from 135 down to 107 in just a couple of weeks- that is a quarter of his body weight ? And just now, despite me complaining about his lack of appetite since the day he came home, they just now started him on an appetite stimulant ? If we cannot get him eating again, the feeding tube will have to go back in ? He will be getting a joint tap tomorrow to rule out any of the swelling being caused by secondary infections. The other medication had to be ordered- Itraconazole and terbinifine- and he will hopefully be starting them tomorrow. They also wanted to start him on methadone ? Uploading a couple of pics from today. My heart is just so heavy ?


October 5, 23
Goliath update:
Goliath was stable enough for me to pick him up this evening ? Appetite is back to what it was before this last hospitalization- meaning, not my big meathead’s normal appetite, but at least willing to eat some pulled chicken ? He is finally on an appetite stimulant and I think that is helping quite a bit. Leg swelling has almost completely subsided. Still weak and a short walk to the water bowl is enough to make him collapse on the floor. I think the Itraconazole and Terbinafine are making a huge difference, and just wish we had gone this route since the beginning ? Have upped his prednisone and gabapentin as well as added clopidogrel (plavix) and clindamycin. Was able to discontinue amlodipine (blood pressure). Poor dude is taking a pharmacy, but it does seem to be helping. Here is our biggest issue currently. His tongue. He did lose the end of his tongue, however, now, there is a thick ridge down the middle of his tongue that is also clearly going necrotic. I am absolutely terrified that he is going to lose his tongue ? For a dog his size, I do not think that would be recoverable- I am just not sure how he would be able to stay properly hydrated if that happens ? Vets are at a complete loss as to the exact cause. He is on plavix in case it was a clot, and he is on stronger medications for the blasto in case it is caused by the blastomycosis, but thus far, not improving. I am attaching photos and video. If anyone has any ideas, please let me know ? I am grateful for any and all suggestions. I have been reading every case study and medical journal entry on similar issues that I can find and have not found anything helpful thus far ? Please, please, keep the prayers coming.

I will never ask more from my Goliath’s than I deserve to ask and I will never let him suffer if this horrendous disease has made it impossible for my boy… but as long as there is hope, I have to keep fighting for my Goliath.

Where there is a will, there is a way, and with God’s grace, we will find the way. I know if the situation were reversed, he would give up everything he owns and everything he is if it would help me and it wouldn’t even be something he had to think about.

October 7, 23
Goliath update ?
Poor boy looks like he knocked off a pharmacy, but they seem to be helping, so we will stay the course ??. Miguel saw me preparing his pills and said, “dang, he takes more pills than me!” ?? (Miguel is also taking his fair share after his ipen heart surgery, so bow he has a pill buddy ??– irreverent humar, i know, but sometimes it’s either laugh or cry…) In addition to his pills, he is also getting 5ml Entyce and “Magic Mouthwash” every few hours- diphenhydramine (antihistamine and sedative), sucralfate (used for gastroesophageal ulcers/issues) and lidocaine (numbing). I think it is helping very much. He will lose that strip on his tongue, it is definitely necrotic, but, it has not spread and does not extend into the tongue as far as I can tell, so very grateful. The Entyce and increased prednisone have helped significantly with his appetite. He has discovered that hot dogs fresh off the grill (don’t judge- I also am not a hot dog fan, but am buying the best I can get for him and am honestly just so happy for any calories in at this time). Before Goliath discovered how much he liked hot dogs fresh off the grill- and yes, he is bougie and won’t eat them unless fresh off the grill, I could not find anything that I could successfully hide the pills in and I tried a ton of stuff. So I was force-feeding all of this to him 2x a day and I cannot even imagine how uncomfortable it was for him with his tongue ? especially as most required several attempts as he would just barf them back up ? Now, he gets hot dogs fresh from the grill 2x a day and we successfully hide all the pills so it is a win on so many levels- bonus calories + no force feeding pills. Leg swelling is completely gone and he can walk on that leg just fine now ?? still exhausted very easily, and still learning how to drink with his tongue, so we try to get a lot of foods with high moisture content throughout the day. Sores are no longer draining, so that is also huge. Only forward momentum! Keep the love and prayers coming ??
October 8, 23

This Goliath update is brought to you by my morning greeters ? Lord Farquad (the goose- self proclaimed lord and ruler of Rottieopolis who always has an opinion he feels compelled to share ?), Baby Roo, who is 2 and not really a baby anymore, Basil, Mouse and Hawk (Roo’s hens), Ricotta, the white guinea and Blu, Cashew (he’s a bit of a nut ? ), Delta and Echo the blue Guineas. ??. Taquito (kitty) who seems to be a bit camera shy ?
Got some special beef stew in the croc pot for Goliath, but he ate all his steak and eggs for breakfast! ?? Gonna be a great day! ?? Hope all y’all enjoy this glorious Sabbath day ?

October 9, 23
Goliath update:
Still making progress ? Baby steps, but steps nonetheless ? He did have a bloody nose today ? So doctor reduced his plavix (clopidogrel)- finding that balance between making sure to eliminate blood clots so that we do not have anymore tongue necrosis or way worse things from blood clots, and yet not open the door to a host of other issues from the blood thinning too much. Drinking much better and learning how to compensate with his tongue. Appetite is holding steady- not where I would like it to be, but present and accounted for, so I will take it. Hotdogs had a good run, but he is over them now. But loving my beef stew so still calories in ?

I have been so entirely focused on my boy that I have neglected to properly thank everyone ? Your love, support and kindness through all of this… there just aren’t words. I am overwhelmed, humbled and honored. I thank Him for each of you just as often as I pray for my Goliath. God bless you all ?

October 12, 23
Goliath update ?
It has definitely been a 2 steps forward, 1 backward week, but I will still take any forward momentum. Goliath’s Internal medicine doctor cut his Clopidogrel (plavix) dose in half, but he continued to get bloody noses. Thankfully, nothing copious and it always stopped within a few minutes, but nonetheless concerning. So today, she decided to go ahead and stop the plavix and we will see if that ebbs the nosebleeds. Otherwise, doing good. Not a Golaith sized appetite, but food intake every time I offer it, so I will take it ? Tongue is incomplete, but no further necrosis, so we are learning and adapting. He gets his whole muzzle into the water bowl ? but he makes it work ? Next week we go back to check levels of antifungal in bloodstream and make sure they are therapeutic without being toxic. He’s got this!! ?

Thank you again to everyone who has cared enough to continue to life both of us up with your love and support. ?
October 14, 23

Goliath update!
I am not home right now, but Ethan sent me these photos of my baby boy this morning ? Nicely stacked under the flag ? and every day looking a bit more like himself. No more bloody noses- I think the medication changes were exactly what he needed ? Will go back next week to check bloodwork again. Appetite is slowly creeping back as well ? For all the awesome suggestions of cheese and peanut butter for hiding pills- those are great suggestions, however, the biggest problem I faced was his tongue- I did not want to put anything into his mouth that could make it worse- get into nooks and crannies of an already necrotic tongue and precipitate an infection. Tongue remains stable ? Hoping the constant leaking slobber is learning to adjust to his new normal, but if not, then we will just keep a towel with us ? Still pausing at the steps (only 2 to get off the deck and into the yard) and psyching himself up before going up or down them, but a lot less stumbling. Continuing to move in the right direction ? ? ?

 

October 16, 23
GOLIATH UPDATE:
Continued forward momentum ? Appetite slowing improving. Still taking Entyce. Bloody noses are much less frequent and shorter. Got to play with Teddy yesterday- the play was mostly Teddy trying to play and Goliath wagging his tail and then laying down ? lol But I know having some time with a friend did him good ? Ate ALL his breakfast- 3 duck eggs with some turkey sausage and chia seeds and turmeric in coconut oil ? He sends loves and very slobbery kisses to all his family all over the world ?

October 18, 23
Goliath update:
He has a pretty significant hernia at his surgical site from the unnecessary abdominal surgery, so he will need that repaired. He also has a thick, crusty scab forming on the top of his head. Possible toxicity to the itraconazole. Will know more after blood work. But overall, loads of forward momentum! Eating much better ?? I don’t see his spine and hips so prominently anymore. No bloody nose since yesterday! ?? And we only had one stumble coming up the 2 steps of the pool deck. Drank all his bone broth for breakfast and one of our hens kept him company ??

October 19, 23

Goliath update ?
Had another checkup today with blood work. Will know the antifungal levels next week, but the rest of his blood work looks great, all things considered. Still a bit anemic- unfortunately, unnecessary exploratory abdominal surgery…but I’m going to leave that be for now because it’s a good day and we are gonna keep it that way. Liver values slightly elevated, but expected on antifungal. Dr. Bryce wants to wait for the hernia correction until weaned off steroids, but since it’s a significant hernia, my concern is of course getting a bowel loop strangulated, but i do see the benefits of course in not increasing stress on him with yet another abdominal surgery. Waiting on surgery for now and just watching my boy like a hawk. Did a skin scrape to see if there was anything obvious with his neck sores, but likely culprit is either from prednisolone or itraconazole toxicity, so reducing itraconazole while we wait for bloodwork to come back and weaning off pred. as well. We gained 1.3 pounds since last checkup!! ??? attaching a pick of neck issue as well as from the side so you can see how thickened it is ? They sent him with a cone, but that seems counterproductive as it will just rub on his neck and not even prevent him access to scratch it. Picking up Ethan from school right now then going home to put my thinking cap on. Also a photo of my sweet baby boy in the car just because it makes my heart happy. Everyone at the vet loves my big goofball, but not as much as mama ?
October 20, 23

Daily love from Goliath ?
Tahlia and Maria came to visit and Maria was so excited to see her buddy. Goliath can’t really keep up with her yet, but he did put in a valiant effort with a few feet of gallop ? All in all, doing SOOOO much better than the boy who could barely stand up 2 weeks ago ?? Tail up and happy ? makes my heart so happy ?

October 31, 23
Goliath update:
I am so sorry this is so overdue. To be completely candid, I just really needed to take a break from social media. My heart has been so heavy with everything my beautiful boy is going through and add some heartbreak that just does not seem to be getting better in my personal family, and I just needed to breathe, reconnect with my Heavenly Father and my family. Although there is far more beautiful, incredible, selfless, kind people out there than ugly people, somehow, those few still seem to pull you down ? But please do not think that all you beautiful people and your kindness go unnoticed. On the days where it just seems mission impossible to put one foot in front of the other, it is your kindness that gives me strength. You are so very loved and treasured ?

First the bad news as I very much prefer to end on a good note. Cannot schedule the hernia repair right now as whatever is going on with his skin is pretty extensive ? Vet thinks it was from prednisone and that has been discontinued, however, I still fear it was an itraconazole toxicity reaction. Will *HOPEFULLY* have results back from MiraVista labs by Thursday on antifungal levels in his bloodstream. As always, my big goofy goober is his big goofy goober self and somehow manages to find sunshine even in all of this mess. Including some photos of how his skin issue is progressing ? going down his back and around his face ? Keeping in clean with special stuff the vet had us order, but I can only imagine how miserable he is ?
Now all the good news. We peed with a leg hiked yesterday!! That is HUGE!! He couldn’t even hardly pee standing on all 4 just a week ago. Strength is slowly returning ? Appetite is much improved as well! His new favorite breakfast is guinea eggs scrambled with turkey suasage. He gobbles it up (see what I did there ? lol Normal families have dad jokes… my kids have to deal with mom puns…) I really think we have the blastomycosis in check and are now just trying to sort out and resolve this awful skin issue. Hoping the bloodwork tells us something on Thursday.
Keep the prayers and good vibes coming. So much love in my heart for all of you ?

November 1, 23
Goliath update:
I don’t rightly know where to start. My heart is so heavy and I feel… defeated. I have spent most of the day in tears and the bits in between trying to convince myself to put my big girl pants on. Goliath’s rash is extensive, and we have dressed my sweet boy in a t-shirt that we change every time he goes out as he is bleeding/oozing through it almost as soon as we put it on. We have thick socks on his feet to keep him from scratching as he must be just miserable. I wish with all my heart that were the only issue. Today when I was giving him his bath with medicated shampoo, the sun hit his eyes just the right way and I was able to see… the blastomycosis has moved into both eyes ? He has an appointment on Friday morning with an ophthalmologist and I will know more then. I just feel… defeated. We are working so hard and trying so hard and it just feels so… futile. I am failing him, and he just keeps trying for me. I love this beautiful soul so much. Please be kind in the comments. I am posting to update those that are beautiful enough to care out my boy and my heart is just too heavy to take ugly right now.

November 2, 23
Please keep Goliath in your prayers tonight. Headed to ophthalmologist in the morning as well as skin cultures. I love this boy so much. My heart is so heavy ?

November 3, 23
This is the song playing as I pull into Indyvet with Goliath. My heart is so heavy. Gotta pull myself together so we can walk in.


November 6, 23
Goliath update ?
Friday’s appointment was a mixed bag and left me with a very heavy heart, but, Goliath is counting on me, so I mustn’t get discouraged.
First, skin. The dermatologist agreed with his internal medicine doctor that he had calcinosis cutis from the prednisone. Essentially, he reacted poorly to the prednisone and his body is pushing calcium out through his skin- but of course the skin is not designed for that, so it is ripping it’s way through ? They did skin cultures as well to make sure there is no secondary infection since he is essential just a sheet of open wounds ? Currently have him on Duoxo Pyo shampoo and DMSO90% gel applied to the wounds prior to his clothes. He has to wear a cone because of his eyes, however, because of how raw his neck is, the cone was just cutting/scraping every time he managed to wiggle enough to get it above the hoodie of the sweatshirts. So, did some sewing and now have straps around the neck of the sweatshirts, below the hoodie, that attach to the collar I have run through his cone. This holds the cone over the hoodie and I am hopeful this will solve that issue. The thick slipper socks only need to be on the back feet now as I have also sewed the sleeves closed at the end to make it like footed pajamas ? Have a small piece of tape that goes around the sock just above his heel so that the bend in his foot makes it difficult for the sock to slip off. Have to give Ethan credit for that solve ? We have been red-neck engineering the last few days to make this work ? This will, unfortunately, not be a quick fix- it can take 1-2 months for the steroid to completely leave the bloodstream and the dog to recover from the calcinosis cutis ? But he is my boy, and mama’s got him ? He has also been started on minocycline. It is an antibiotic, so could do double duty and be helpful depending on what the skin cultures come back, however, our primary goal is for it to bind with the calcium so that he is not excreting as much.

Eyes. This is where my heart took the biggest hit. The ophthalmologist confirmed that the blasto was indeed in both eyes ? If you are unfamiliar with blasto, the end result of blasto in the eyes more often than not is eventual removal of the eyes ? But I am grateful that his ophthalmologist is not giving up easy either ? He has 2 different drops we are applying. Vision is already compromised in his right eye, and may not be recoverable. But no vision loss in his left eye yet, so we are going to do everything we can for him. Goliath is the king of passive resistance- burry his head on you, roll over, squint with the strength of, well, Goliath ? so it is most definitely a 2 person job to get his eye drops. He very quickly learned that he gets an oatmeal cookie after his eye drops and, true to his goofy goober self, no matter how hard he makes us work to get the drops in, as soon as they are in, he is a model citizen sitting pretty for his cookie ??
Goliath is a tougher than that baby face might lead you to believe ? And every time I walk in the room, or he catches me staring at him, or hears my voice, that tail thumps. I love this boy so much. New few weeks are gonna be rough, but we are in it together.
Thank you for your continued love and support. He goes back 1 week from today for a recheck with both the dermatologist and ophthalmologist. Praying hard for a bit of good news come next week, he sure has earned it. I find myself so bloody paranoid of the outside now! Had a puppy delivery out of state and normally, I would just stop somewhere off the beaten path for the pup to go potty as the areas that worried me were areas frequented by other dogs (like rest areas) because of the increased risk of parvo, intestinal parasites, etc. but this blasto has me terrified to let ANY of my babies touch the ground ? I ended up smuggling the pup into a bathroom and putting puppy pads down. Or course I left the restroom cleaner than I found it, my grandma raised me right ? I just don’t know how to not be afraid, no, terrified, of the outdoors ? Anyone with more experience with blasto than me- can winter kill it? Is it safe to let dogs be dogs in the winter? Have tried to look up information on line, but it has not been productive ?
Thank you so very much to all of you for your continued love and support. Y’all mean more than you could ever know. Goliath and I read each and every comment, often several times throughout the day ? I think he enjoys it just as much as when I sing to him. ?
Hugs and love to you all ?
November 9, 23

Goliath update ?
Apologies for not updating sooner. It has been a crazy couple of days. Our hot water heater up and quit without even giving us its 2 week notice ? And because we are way too cool to ever have something go out peacefully, that became a 2 day nightmare and I am so grateful to Gary Partin for being my Knight in Shining Armor! ? There are always hidden blessings, and in this case, I am so grateful that the hot water heater in our nursery went out last month (another Gary save ? ) so that we at least had some hot water on the property. For 2 days, our family showered in the dog’s grooming area ? but we had the ability to shower so blessed beyond measure ?
Now, the Goliath update ?

I thought I would start by explaining more about what is going on with his skin. There is a potential side effect from Prednisone that big dogs seems to be more sensitive to called calcinosis cutis. The easiest way to explain this is to start with oversimplification of the skin. Skin is actually pretty darned amazing when you think about it. It is our largest organ, can heal and regenerate itself, offers our bodies both protection and containment, and is a simi-permeable barrier. This means skin can absorb things, whether good or bad- drugs, lotion, oils, etc., but prevents the absorption of most things. For instance, you can go to the beach and lay in the sand, and, although you might get sand in every nook and cranny, you do not have to worry about it going through your skin and into your body. Well, unfortunately, with what Goliath is suffering from, his body is forcing calcium through his skin. If you think of skin like a cloth and use our beach example above, water should go through, but the sand should not. And if the sand was forced through, it would have to tear the cloth everywhere it was forced through as the holes in the cloth are not capable of allowing the sand to pass through. This is unfortunately what is happening to Goliath. The reason he is so raw and bloody is because he has millions of rips/tears in his skin where the calcium is being forced through even though it should not fit ? It is painful, itchy, and I cannot even imagine how not fun ? And of course this opens him up (pun intended) to a plethora of other bacteria as well as it has now compromised his protective barrier that should keep all of that out. Think of how unlikely you are to get an infection simply by touching dirty water or sitting on the ground, but then imagine how easy it would be if you had an open cut- let alone if your skin was just an open cut ? Hense the antibiotics to be on the safe side as well as skin cultures to make sure nothing else is currently trying to invade. And unfortunately for Goliath, because his body is already distracted fighting a systemic (meaning throughout his entire body) fungal infection, his immune system is further compromised. So, how can we help him?

Thankfully, one of his internal medicine doctors, Dr. Gillespe, along with being patient with my near stalking behavior of calling/emailing, has prescribed a few things to help. First, he is on Minocycline. Although this is a great antibiotic, and will hopefully have a secondary effect of helping stave off any bacterial infections in his skin, it also binds with calcium and this is our main objective. To bind with as much as possible so that it cannot be pushed through the skin. He has also been put on medicated shampoo- Douxo S3 PYO Shampoo. It is antimicrobial and contains ophytrium. This is a purified natural ingredient that helps the skin’s physical barrier as well as helps hydrate. So we start with a good scrub up, head to tail and then leave it on for about 10 minutes. Then I go through and debride the wounds as much as possible. This means removing any debris, dead tissue, buildup, etc. This is definitely not his favorite and frequent stops for loves is a requirement. After we are finished, a good thorough rinse and then loads of drying- this is indeed his favorite part as it is about the only chance he gets to have some of the itches rubbed ? After he is fully dried, we apply DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide) 90% gel. This helps with inflammation and pain, but it also has a super power of carrying things through the skin barrier. This can be both good and bad so we have to be very careful after application (hence the stylish hoodies and socks ? ). I have to wear gloves and wash very well after I apply the gel as it can have the same effect on me/anyone who comes in contact with the gel and lessen the effectiveness of the skin’s barrier and allow things in (bacteria, dirt, medicine, etc.) too easily. It is not going to be a quick fix for his skin, but I am buckled up for the long haul ? He is my partner and I am his ? I am putting the photos in the comments of the skin issues, including a couple close up so you can better see what I mean with the mechanism of how his skin is becoming damaged as I do not recommend clicking on them if you are squeamish. I want to educate as much as I can as this horrific disease is pretty well dispersed and yet no one is talking about it. Trolls and ugly people will be deleted so do not waste your time or mine.
Eyes. To be honest, this terrifies me much, much more than the skin issue (although I definitely appreciate just how miserable he has to be). Goliath wears his heart on his sleeve and loves everything and everyone unconditionally. He sees only beauty everywhere in the world. I do not want him to lose that ? His next follow up appointment is on Monday and I am holding my breath until then. I am fully aware that once blasto sets up shop in the eyes it almost always ends with removal of the eyes, but I am hoping and praying for a miracle. Having said that, as previously stated, I am in this for the long haul no matter what. If I have to become his seeing eye person, then we’ll just get me a vest and start my training ?
To end on a positive note, here is the style Goliath is rocking today ? Tahlia used to watch Duck Dynasty and I am sure that Goliath would approve ? Loads of love to you all ?
November 9, 23

**EDIT** I appreciate everyone’s suggestions very much, however, please read this post to see why a soft collar and inflatable collar will NOT work for Goliath.
**ALTERNATIVES TO THE CONE OF SHAME** ?
Many of you have suggested the inflatable collar for him as it is much more comfortable than the ‘cone’. I responded to some of you but thought it might just be easier to post it here. First, thank you all so much for loving my boy enough to worry about that. It touches my heart so very much and I am so grateful to all of you.
Unfortunately, for him, that is not going to work. The biggest problem is not whether or not he can get around to chew/scratch, although of course we do not want that. The biggest problem is his eyes. The Blasto causes them to be very uncomfortable and he was to rub and scratch them constantly as well as rub them on every surface he can find. This is the last thing they need! I know the cone is miserable for him (and not super fun for us either as he is a brute and smashes first lol), but I have to have something that extends past his face AND prevents him from being able to bend it to rub against corners, furniture, etc, and rub his eyes. This unfortunately also rules out the “soft” e collar as he can bend/manipulate it and dig at his eyes.
I did, however, just order an alternative that I am super excited to get in the mail. I will update everyone once it arrives and hope/pray it helps ? Loads of love to you all ?


November 10, 23
Goliath update! ?
His new collar came in the mail today! YEAH!! Super stoked! Will review again after he’s been wearing it a bit, but for now I am really happy with it. Grateful to Chrissa Hebert for recommending it to me!! ? Chrissa has been Guardian Rottweiler family for over a decade now and her first Guardian was a Dunjo baby! ?
So, start with the cons first. Thus far, my only con has been customer service. They have a chart that tells you what size collar you need to order based on your dog’s weight/head circumference, but they also ask for breed and weight of the dog. I ordered the biggest they had, XL for pumpkin head. I received an email asking me if my dog was mixed because Rottweilers were only 80-90 pounds and that she was sure I had ordered the wrong size collar. I responded that they were mistaken on the weight for adult male Rottweilers and that, based on their charts, this was the size recommended for my dog. She has for photos, which I sent. The tone was just condescending and it did not change throughout all of our correspondence. I do understand wanting to be sure your customer ordered the correct size, and I am glad they do follow through on that, but, again, the supercilious tone was unnecessary and unproductive. Having said that, I am, at least thus far, pleased with the product. It seems well made and the fit is exactly what he needs. The irony, Amy (CS rep), is that, even on the loosest fitting, it barely goes around my pumpkin head and is pretty snug under his chin. Very glad I ordered the XL ?

So, still had to do some red-neck engineering with it- not because of a faulty design in the product, just because of the special circumstances with my Goliath. I did not want the sharp plastic rubbing on any of his open wounds, however, I also don’t want to keep them all covered all the time as the air really is quite necessary for the healing process. So, I taped some nonstick medical pads around the edges of the cone to both protect his wounds as well as round out the edges of the cone. And because Goliath’s head is big but his muzzle is short, we did shorten the cone a bit too. The great design in the product came expecting that with lines to use as guides for shortening.
What I love about it- it is a more narrow cone, so I think he will collide less and hopefully eat/drink easier too, but time will tell with that. I also love that it is snug on his neck and yet wide enough to not be digging in. Still keeping the hoodie between the collar and him for some extra protection. Also love that his ears are not inside the cone. This is super helpful in just about any case, I imagine, for many reasons- less echoing in the cone making listening to commands harder and less moisture/lack of airflow that could potentially lead to yeast/ear infections. BUT in Goliath’s case, I am especially excited about this feature considering his circumstances with his eyes. I am trying very hard to stay positive and pray for a miracle, however, I am also in tune with reality and understand the very real probability that he will lose his eyes. This makes his ears/hearing even more vital.
**Proper credit** If you like today’s hoodie, Ethan picked it out ? Miss Kaiju is not impressed and has no intention of ever obeying anyone ?? Thank you so much for your continued love and support ?
November 13, 23

Sitting at the vet waiting and my heart is in my throat. Hoping and praying for miracles and good news. Goliath has appointments today with dermatologist, internal medicine and ophthalmologist. Figured I use this time to answer some of the FAQs
1) What is wrong with Goliath?
He has blastomycosis. It is a fungus found in soil. He was traveling out of state, and being a dog, he sniffed dirt and inhaled some spores into his lungs. Here the spores got into his bloodstream and hitched a ride throughout his body. By the time he started showing symptoms, the fungas was systemic (throughout) ? There is a lot more info on this horrid disease if you scroll back further on this page to some of the original posts during his first hospitalization. Unfortunately for Goliath, he has had some terrible complications along the way that have made this insidious disease even worse. He threw a blood clot to his tongue after an unnecessary abdominal surgery when the doctors were attempting to find out what was wrong and he lost the tip of his tongue. Still grateful as it could have been so much worse. Blood clots can kill! If one gets in the brain, it can cause a stroke; in the lungs, it can cause a pulmonary embolism, killing part of his lungs, in the heart, it can lead to a heart attack or death, and it can cause loss of limbs. All in all, we were blessed.
He is also suffering from a side effect of prednisone called calcinosis cutis- more about this in an earlier post. His latest complications is that the blasto has started damaging his eyes. Unfortunately, more often than not, once this happens, removal of the eyes is the end result ?
2) Is it contagious?
Although anything (including humans) can get Blastomycosis, they must get it directly from the source (soil, decaying plant matter, etc.). It is NOT contagious from one animal/person to another. Think of it like cancer. Anything alive is capable of getting cancer if exposed to carcinogens, but you cannot catch cancer from someone. Thankfully, unlike cancer, there is no genetic component to Blastomycosis. Just dumb, rotten luck.
3) What are his chances of survival?
Blastomycosis scares the crap out of me after these last 2 months. It is enough to make me terrified to let anyone/anything I love ever go outside again. But of course that is not the solution either ? Blastomycosis is aggressive and devastating. I honestly don’t know the stats, but I do know that his chances of surviving are zero if I don’t try.
4) Is he suffering?
He is on a great regime of topical and oral medication for inflammation and pain. Having said that, I am sure he is uncomfortable. I can only imagine having a fungus eat my eyes and rocks or calcium tear through my skin like I have been sandblasted. But true to this breed, every time he catches me crying, he wants to comfort me, as though my wallowing in pity is what needs attention/loves. As I said before, he is not “a dog”, he is family. I have had plenty of suffering in my human family- everything from bad, disfiguring accidents, to cancer and even worse… but NOT ONCE did I deem their life to be of so little value that they should not fight and make it out the other side. There is a difference between a hopeless situation where additional suffering would be selfish vs. This sucks, but we can beat this.
5) How old is Goliath?
He will be 4 years old in 4 days ??
6) Will he ever be able to breed again?
To be completely candid, that question is so far off my radar that I hadn’t really contemplated it. I have been so focused on today that tomorrow has been a problem for tomorrow. I suppose the answer will be in how he survives once he beats this. Certainly, if you have owned an intact male, especially a Rottweiler, you know that even if he lost his vision, that wouldn’t deter him I’m the slightest ?? The blasto itself is neither contagious nor has any genetic component, so that also would not prevent him standing as stud down the road. The biggest determining factor I think will be if it gets into his testicles or prostate. Because it can be hard to treat if that happens (same as eyes) as the antifungals penetrate poorly, neutering is the recommended path. Obviously, his life is paramount so that will be a very easy decision if it comes to that. Having said that, especially after everything Goliath and I have been through in the last 2 months, I hope and pray it does not come to that as his genetics and especially his temperament are everything Guardian Rottweilers stands for. He is tolerant, patient, forgiving, generous, trusting, and just the absolute embodiment of unconditional love.
It is a long road ahead of us. Absolute minimum treatment for Blastomycosis is 4-6 months, and with his complications and setbacks, I presume we will be closer to a year. But he’s got this, and we’ve got him ?
PS- I just love it that they have a heart for the “i” in his name on the door. All the staff here love him, but that’s not too hard with this baby boy ??
November 14, 23

***AT THE RISK OF SOUNDING REPETITIVE***
I am sharing Goliath’s journey to hopefully help someone else down the road or maybe even now. IF YOU WANT TO JUDGE ME- first, take the time to learn about Blasto- countless hours of reading medical journals and case studies in both human and canine and make appointments, some that you have to travel out of state for, just to learn more and be sure you are making educated decisions. Then speak with all the doctors on Goliath’s team and get ACTUAL MEDICAL OPINION from specialist and professionals who have studied medicine for years giving up a decade or more of their life just to learn their profession (rather than Dr. Google), then reach out to Dr. Jeff Udrsols, a darn good veterinarian that has known Goliath since he was a pup and can offer an opinion based on his knowledge and experience. Then get to know Goliath see who was before this and how he is doing now; Then get to know who I am and whether I would ever make any decision for any of my babies on a whim or for any selfish reasons. THEN, if you actually care enough to do all of that, then you are welcome to offer an opinion on MY CHOICES for MY FAMILY. Until then, you will be deleted with as much forethought as you have given myself and my situation.
Sorry I did not update yesterday on Goliath. It was dark when we got home and by the time I got done with all of the rest of the pups/critters here and did Goliath’s nightly routine, I was just beat, physically and emotionally.
Start with the cone first as I had a few questions about it. It definitely required some modifications- some just because of the raw wounds Goliath is dealing with, but some because it just didn’t last past about an hour and he isn’t even trying to take it off or give it a hard time. Just 100+ pound meathead banging into things. But, just like the expression says, if you can’t fix it with duct tape, then you are not using enough duct tape ? I will post some pics later of our after market modifications ? as well as some places where you can get this cone as I really do like the design.
Bloodwork from yesterday was pretty good, all things considered. He is still anemic, but again, considering everything his body is fighting, it is not unexpected. Also sent out itraconazole levels to Miravista labs to make sure he is still in therapeutic and not toxic. Skin is progressing ok. Not nearly as ‘gooey’ and vet said I’ve been doing a great job with his skin care. He has gained 11 pounds!! I am so proud of him!

Now, the not so super news, eyes. His right eye will likey not recover vision. He has glaucoma (pressure build up from the blasto) ? We are still treating, however, as vet said it might not have to be removed. Biggest problem with both eyes currently is that, because they don’t feel good, he is squinting so tightly that it is rolling his eyelashes in. And because he keeps them tight like this pretty much all the time, combined with the thickening of his skin from the calcinosis cutis, his eyelids/lashes are scraping and scarring his eyes ? He had a procedure done which looks and sounds painful- stapling his eyes. But it keeps him from injuring himself with his eyes. We will keep treating the eyes with the eye drops and hope that, absent the reinjury, we can make some progress. This poor dude. Sometimes, I feel he just can’t catch a break ? But of course, if I really step back and look at it, 2 months later, he is still alive, and currently, his only issues, despite being in the grips of a disease that kills more often than not, the only 2 things he is currently really struggling with are his eyes and skin. Liver, kidneys, digestive system, lungs, bones and joints, central nervous system- all doing great. Blasto gets everywhere and amputations are very common, as is, unfortunately, damage to the central nervous system. Blasto often is fatal in the lungs and antifungals are hard on the liver. So the fact that he is doing well in all these other areas, we are grateful for. Goliath and I are choosing to focus on the half full part of the glass and continue to count our blessings ? Think I am going to make him some egg drop soup. My grandma always made that for me when I didn’t feel good as a kid- all the good that chicken noodle soup can do for you with the added benefits and protein of eggs ?

November 14, 23
Didn’t get to post this earlier, but Goliath sized pot of chicken n rice egg drop soup ?? It was a hit and he shared it with his friends ??

 

November 17, 23
Happy Birthday to my heart ?? And he wishes his brother, Gubal, a very happy birthday too ??

We’ll celebrate his birthday this weekend so that my adult kids can be here. I’m thinking of making him a pumpkin-peanut butter pie ? I can pack it wirh more nutrients than a cake ?? But also considering a meat pie… will let y’all know what we decide and post birthday pics ?. My handsome boy is 4 years old today ? So blessed that we are celebrating his birthday together ??

 

 November 26, 23
Apologies for the delay in getting this uploaded. This past week was rough for me ? Thankfully, not because of Goliath. He is doing fantastic, all things considered. Will give a mote thorough update tomorrow as he goes to see ophthalmologist again (please keep the prayers for his eyes coming!). But for now, wanted to get some of his Birthday party uploaded ??. in this video, we have Goliath, Qi’ra and Teddy getting ready for peanutbutter pumpkin pie with bacon cheddar sausage “candles”. Someone got an extra slice, but Goliath and Teddy aren’t telling ? (don’t worry, they each got another piece since we were not entirely sure ? and of course that meant our vacuum, aka Qi’ra had to get another piece too. Good thing I made 2 pies or the rest of their friends woulda been outta luck ?

Or course hims got a birthday steak too! Biggest New York Strip I could find and it just looks like a piece of pizza with big G ?

 

November 28, 23

Apologies for not updating yesterday. Internet was out- joys of living in the sticks.
A more comprehensive Goliath update ??
Skin- thr “new scabs/lesions” are so significantly decreased ?? He does still have some scabs/open areas, but not gooey/constantly draining like before. I think the DMSO (know in our house as the stinky gel) and Douxo Pyo shampoo have helped dry him out significantly and are totally worth all the waiting/soaking and “open all the windows so I can breathe” ? His last skin culture showed pseudomonis so marbofloxacin has been added to his meds. We have officially run out of ways to trick him into meds (I even bought a pestle and mortar to grind it up and hide, but that also resulted in complete food refusal *sigh*) so, 3 Itraconazol, 6 terbinafine, 4 minocycline, 2 marbofloxin, 2 gabapentin, 1 carprofen and any supplement have to go down the hatch 2x a day and for a dog missing part of his tongue, he has surprising skill. I will have my whole hand down his throat and he will still spit the pill out!! If anyone has any suggestions, I am all ears. What we have tried: various meats- steak, turkey, bacon cheddar sausage, hot dogs (they had a good run…), peanut butter, cheese, cream cheese, lasagna, omelets, Mac n cheese, meatballs, and I’m sure I’m forgetting something… but crowd sourcing for something we haven’t thought of!
Eyes- vet visit went ok yesterday. I say ok because Goliath was not having it. I am so used to seeing a dog who will let me do absolutely anything I want/need to him that it was honestly quite strange for me to see the “don’t touch me” side of him yesterday with Dr. Kline and her staff. I definitely have some dogs that I would expect nothing less from lol, but G is about as chill as a dog could be, so it was a new experience for him. They were fantastic, by the way, and so patient. They said with everything he’s got going on and how painful his skin and eyes had to be and strangers making it hurt more while his vision was compromised that it was an expected reaction. Yes, agree, with a normal dog lol, but it was the first time in 4 years that I had heard a rumble from G for anything other than talking to me. What’s that expression, “as soon as you say, ‘my kid would never…’ here they come never nevering like they never nevered before!” Even though he was not outright aggressive, as Dr. Kline so accurately put it, “he’s just bigger than just about everyone in this room…” so they decided to knock him out so he wouldn’t be stressed. But Goliath was not having that either so I went ahead and poked him for them. The switch in his acceptance was instant. He couldn’t have cared less when I injected him and just leaned into me. He trusted me, I was his family. Wait 10 minutes, he’s not out; wait 15… 20… second shot, rinse and repeat. Lol, this dude- I think he needed horse tranquilizer! Lol. He was legit snoring at one point, then as soon as Dr. approached, he stood straight up! She said, “I have never had a dog stand up like that!” They didn’t want to give anymore drugs at that point as he had maxed out, so it became a team effort. When G pulled his head back with a rumble, I grabbed his muzzle and said, “no sir!” He then tried to hide under me. (We were all sitting on the floor with him and he legit tried to plow under me to hide lol) I couldn’t even be mad, bless his heart. I was so grateful to the staff for not only being so patient, but for trusting me to help in ways that an owner probably does not usually help. RIGHT eye- the one that will not have any vision- glaucoma (pressure from the blasto) still present, but ulcer completely healed! Hopeful that even though he won’t see, he might be able to keep that eye ??. LEFT eye- ulcer still there, but looking better. Vision still present!! ?? Continue the treatment course and go back in 2 weeks- this time taking trazadone beforehand ?

Everything else about him is moving in the right direction and I am so grateful ?? He is completely back to his goofy, loving, huggable self and the other animals here have gotten great at avoiding the cone when he wants to snuggle lol. When we are with him, he does not have his cone or hoodie or socks on which I think is also helping out so much. Of course overnight or when we are gone he needs to be protected from himself ? but even that he is so good at. He knows the routine and puts his head into his hoodie and then helps me get his arms through. He is still my goodest boy ??

 

 

November 30, 23
We had a WIN today!! Cut slits in bits of summer sausage and stuffed a pill in, then wrapped that in cream cheese then cut a sweet/sour meatballs (homemade and slow cooked in crockpot) in half to make a sandwich. GOT ALL PILLS DOWN WITHOUT ANY FORCE FEEDING!! Of course had to do a lot of unstuffed meatball/cream cheese sandwiches offered immediately after to try and encourage less “investigating” in his mouth and a lot of “training” with enthusiastic “good sit” so it felt like reward treats for some basic obedience lol… this dog is turning me into Canine Gordon Ramsey Cabaret Performer!
December 1, 23
Today’s med win- stuffed into salmon chunks that were then mixed in a bowl of canned cat food and put where the cats eat. Then mom stepped outside to “call the cats” “without realizing I left the door open for Goliath ? (oh no…)” When I came back in, he was trying to hide behind a shoebox in the kitchen. ???? I wish I woulda been able to get a photo of it! I had my whole speech ready of “Goliath! You got in the cat food!” but I didn’t even get a chance to perform because I was too busy laughing! ??December 4, 23

GOLIATH UPDATE ??
Back to the drawing board on sneaking his meds… this boy is just too smart!
All in all, doing great! Good appetite (except for meds lol), keeping eyes open a lot more, skin slowly improving, and energy/cheeky-ness definitely back in full stride ?? Got a little clip of tonight’s bath/soak/wound care. Love this boy very much ??
December 6, 23
My daughter tried to get video of Goliath passed out and snoring during his bath, but he woke up. Love this goofy goober ??
Big G update-
Doing great across the board (except meds… those are still fun….) skin is everyday a little better as are eyes. He has gotten so good at putting his hoodie on after a bath- I need to get video of that ??. He slides his head in for me and then leans in for loves before giving me one foot and then the other. I don’t know if he understands how desperately I am trying to help him with all the nonsense I subject him to ? but he definitely knows he is loved and loves so deeply in return ??

December 13, 2023

Goliath update! ??

Visit with ophthalmologist went well. He was a total ham with one of the vets and just wanted loves and snuggles and even wanted to love on Dr. Kline. His glaucoma (pressure in the eye from the blastomycosis) has gone down significantly! Recheck next Thursday, but he might be able to stop one of his eye drops ?? His left eye is also looking much better with no ulcer and only healing of scar tissue left before we will know for sure if there is any vision loss in the left eye. Goliath goes back to internal medicine next week where we hope the good news will keep coming! ?? Definitely back to his goofy goober self ??

December 18, 23
Goliath update-
His next vet appointment is on Thursday- ophthalmologist, dermatologist and internist. Hoping to keep the good news rolling! Meds continue to be… fun. Today, rolled in cream cheese, then coated in peanutbutter, wrapped in bred and then hidden amongst some leftovers. This boy making me work! Lol. Good thing he’s worth it ?

December 21, 23

At the vet with Big G ?? Already saw ophthalmologist and he can discontinue glaucoma drops ?? now just working on some scarring on the left eye to improve field of vision. Right eye is blind, but recovered from blasto and will not need to be removed ??
Waiting on internal medicine and dermatology now ?? Goliath was such a good boy for ophthalmologist too! Cooperated with very little help from mom. I’m so proud of him ?? Only tail wags and snuggles ?

Tears of joy! Internal medicine and dermatology went great too!! ?? Already has some fur growing back and the raised thickened areas are a bit more supple in many spots. Has some prominent granulomas (thickened scarring) that will probably stay and some hematomas (blood blisters) that are still rupturing, but overall, such a dramatic difference in his skin. He will continue Duo baths and DMSO gel (aka stinky gel lol) and continue all meds. Anemia has reaolved! Liver values are great and he weighed 126!!! I am just so pleased I could hardly articulate responses when talking with Dr. Bryce! I am so grateful for all the love and prayers. I am so blessed to have you all in my/Goliath’s life ?? So much love for you all ??

December 29, 23
THIS!! Mandy Shippers, sorry it won’t tag you, but I was so STOKED to get this!! This is so perfect!! Keeps him out of his eyes without the cone of shame and bonus, he looks super cool ? I made sure it was the first gift he opened!! You are so awesome!!! He also got a Sonic the Hedgehog hoodie for Christmas and it paired perfectly with his super cool shades!!! He is officially stylin now ?

A common training problem I hear all the time is, “he only behaves like that when it is a high value treat or bone so we just avoid those” or “she only acts like that around skateboards, so we just avoid those…” or “she only barks like that when someone tries to come in so we just put her in the bedroom”.

The problem with avoiding is that you are not fixing the training deficiency that is causing the inappropriate behavior, and then what happens when you find yourself in a situation where you cannot avoid? A dear friend and very respected trainer in Holland (Hans Schiltcamp) said it best: “the dog is always the loser” when we fail to properly train. If you have a problem area with your dog, don’t ignore it, work on it. If you are unsuccessful, find a trainer. Teach your pup what is expected in your pack. 2 males, 2 females here, everyone is intact except Teddy, one is pregnant and one has compromised vision and they live in 3 different homes and only get to see each other maybe once a month and yet, even with peanut butter filled hooves and knuckle bones, there are not problems. Yes, good breeding is paramount- it gives you the foundation to build on. But you must then build on that. They love with everything they have. It is up to us to be worthy of that.

January 10, 23

Good day beautiful people!! Apologies for the hiatus, have been traveling. The older I get, the more I miss my bed and my home when I travel, however, did NOT miss this weather! Last delivery was Dominican Republic and Ethan and I stayed a few days. Beautiful country, beautiful people, delicious food- can’t wait for an excuse to go back!
GOLIATH UPDATE!

Tahlia and Jeremiah helped Miguel hold down the fort while Ethan and I were traveling and Tahlia tended to my baby boy. He is doing so, so great!!!! He already has fur growing back and looks fantastic! He has been through so much and I am so humbled by his grace throughout all of this. Goliath is everything I love about this breed. Thank you, as always, for your continued love and support. I am honored to have you all in our Guardian Rottweiler family ?

February 3, 23
Big G waiting for his stinky gel to set. Not his (or ours) favorite part of the daily routine, but he’s a good sport ??. Isn’t he looking amazing??

February 10, 23
Father and daughter ??. Goliath and Guardian O.G. von Gottschalk ?? Copy/paste! Lol
(don’t mind Kaiju in the background barking because someone other than her is getting loves lol)
You can follow Goliath’s journey on our Guardian Rottweiler facebook page. He has been fighting for his life since September of last year with a fungal infection called blastomycosis. He has been through so much and still has nothing but loves and happiness. He embodies everything I love about this breed. This insidious disease usually kills, so we are very blessed to still have our sweet baby boy ?

February 14, 23
Goliath wants to wish everyone he loves (and that’s everyone) a happy Valentine’s Day ??

March 4, 23

Big G update!
First, apologies for the length of time between last update and this one. Between a couple of family trials that have consumed me, too much travel and newborn potatoes ? I just haven’t had the luxury of getting on fb.
Goliath is doing awesome, all things considered. Tahlia brought him in last week while I was out of the country to his ophthalmologist appointment and he was able to get his staples removed from his eyes! Yeah! They thought he would have to be sedated for the procedure as he is kinda over getting poked at so much, but my goodest boy did so good- didn’t need any sedation! Skin is a marathon, not a sprint, but we are definitely moving in the right direction and have all gotten (at least somewhat) used to the stinky gel ? If you have ever been around big dogs who play rough (or horses) then you know that sometimes, when the dermis (skin) is damaged, white hair will grow back. Well, my pumpkin head definitely has some white splashed throughout his coat now, but more hair growing back than expected, so I’ll take it. We told him that it makes him a distinguished gentleman ? We are at the vet right now for surgery drop off to finally get his hernia repaired (had to wait until skin was doing better). I know it is a relatively easy surgery, but after everything he has been through, I haven’t been able to sleep last 2 nights and my heart just keeps squeezing. Goliath has been bound and determined to not do anything the easy way this far, so please keep my handsome hunk in your prayers today. Will update when he is out of surgery ??

They just updated me that they have started anesthesia and will soon start surgery. I said please take good care of my boy because he is very loved. She said, “he is very loved here too.” ?

And… we are back in the cone of shame ?

March 14, 23
Goliath made a new friend ? Her name is Luna and he is so funny with her. I will try to get some videos. If you ask him where Luna is, he will go and find her and put is arm around her ? Love this pumpkin head ? SOOOOO happy with how Goliath is coming along too! And he is 100% back to himself. I think he must have really been uncomfortable with the hernia because he is just a totally different dog after the surgery. He is completely back to my Big G- happy, goofy, full of love. I am so proud of this big, strong boy. He is all heart and I am so blessed to get to share his life with him ? Doesn’t he look AMAZING???

April 7, 23
Haven’t done a Goliath update for a bit, thankfully it’s only because there is no new news. Staying on the upswing and will just stay on antifungals until his Blastomycosis levels test zero, then stay on the meds for one more month after that and test again and if we get a second zero, then we are done with blasto!!! Took this video this morning and wanted to share it ??. Luna and Paco are new friends and Goliath LOVES then, especially Luna, she’s his buddy ?? They have 10 acres, pond, creeks, woods, and what are we doing? Laps around the pool ?????????

April 7, 23
So, ignore Paco and Luna off to the left side… Luna is NOT in heat, but Paco has a one track mind and feels compelled to be sure…. every 5 minutes…
BUT… what I was trying to capture was Kaiju gate keeping ? Qi’ra knew Kaiju was gonna try and grab her on the way past so there was a standoff until Big G went to go help ?

April 26, 23
Got a request for another Big G update ? Only forward momentum allowed from now on! Mama said!! I cannot tell all of you how grateful I am for your strength, love and prayers while we have gone through this. I know a lot of people thought I was either foolish, selfish or both; but for anyone who really knows me, I hope you know I would NEVER, but truly never put my wants above a beloved- I didn’t for Diesel, Serenity, Isis, Yuri, and many other very, very special friends I have had to bid farewell to over the years. If at any point in time, Goliath would have indicated that he was done, then I would have respected that. But Goliath didn’t give up, so I couldn’t either. He would have never given up on me were the situation reversed. We remortgaged the house, sold the RV and my beloved Black Widow truck, but I wouldn’t trade one more moment with those ‘things’ for my baby boy. I have no regrets other than, of course, that Goliath had to endure this and that I couldn’t just take it for him. But here we are now! Still some skin healing to do and still gotta stay on anti-fungals until we are at a “0” two times, one month apart. As you can see in the photos with his happy tongue out- the tip is gone forever, but do not let that suggest to you for one moment that he does not still gives the best puppy kisses! We are completely blind in one eye and compromised in the other, but compensating so well that you would never know! We have some white hairs salted into our beautiful black coat, but that is just part of his superhero cape! There are some scars that may never heal, but they are skin deep only and do not touch his spirit! I am so very honored to call him my friend and he makes my heart happy every single day. Life has been very hard on my soul the last couple of years, but I know Heavenly Father will never give us more than we can handle (even though it feels as though He completely overestimates me at times!) but just as importantly, I know He will never leave us alone. I am grateful He allowed me the great privilege of having such a faithful friend to lean on when my heart is so heavy and I am glad this big ol’ pumpkin-headed brute is strong enough to carry me when I am too weak to stand up and put one foot in front of the other. I love you all more than you will ever know. I am humbled by your grace and your love and I hope one day I am able to pay it forward.

April 29, 23
A couple of pics of Goliath and his buddy Guardian Ravi von Gottschalk ? Ravi was keeping Big G company for his Douxo soak and stinky gel (DMSO) ?

June 12, 24
DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!! Goliath’s blastomycosis test was NEGATIVE!!!!!!!! So now, we continue all the antifungals for 1 more month and then stop for 1 month and then retest on August 13th. If he is still negative on August 13th, then we retest 3 months after that and if that is negative, Blasto is in the rearview!!!!!!!!! ?

August 13, 24
Didn’t sleep at all last night… at vet with Big G. He has already seen international medicine, just waiting on opthalmology. Submitting a urine sample to Mira Vista labs and praying for 0 on the blastomycosis antigen test. It will take about a week for the results to come back. If he is a zero again today, then retest in 3 months and if still zero then he’s done with Blastomycosis!!!!! Just a few weeks short of a year we have been fighting this monster. Goliath lost the end of his tongue, is completely blind in his right eye and mostly blind in his left, he has had emergency explatory abdominal surgery, calcinosis cutis that ravished every square inch of his skin, been hospitalized in ICU several times with NG tube, and yet, this, this right here has been his temperament throughout everything ? He has been poked and prodded from stem to stern, had his eyes painfully swollen from Blastomycosis poked and puffed and stapled, had a feeding tube put down his nose and into his stomach, IVs, and more pills than I could ever count (at one point 37 pills a day!!!), had cones and goggles and hoodies and Christmas socks, scabby, bleeding skin scrubbed and soaked and marinated in ‘stinky gel’…. And yet, he is still excited to come to the vet and get loves from his “friends”; he sits patiently even when he knows handfuls of pills will be forced down the hatch; and he is even polite on shaking when get bathed/scrubbed/soaked and waits until mom steps back before flinging the scabs, blood and ooze everywhere. I could not ask for a better partner. I do not deserve such a special soul, and yet, I am so grateful he is mine and I am his. Keep us in your prayers for zero!

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