# Pythiosis



## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Are your dogs okay??


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

I hope all is well.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

hotel4dogs said:


> Are your dogs okay??


Rose is asymptomatic but she tested positive through PavLab and negative thought Auburn Univ. (however I have seen two other cases where Auburn tested negative and later it was determined that the dog was positive). I am doing the Immunotherapy for the first round of three injections. She has ultrasound every 6 months due to the Mast Cell Tumor so we will keep that up and keep on checking to make sure she fights it. Auburn offered re-testing her in a month. 

I have seen other dogs in VA that tested positive. A friend lost his lab recently and I am 95% sure it was pythiosis; however the vets did not want to test for it. You have to fight with the vets to both test it and also get the serum in them.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

Sending good thoughts that she will be okay!


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## Neeko13 (Jul 10, 2010)

Hoping your dogs get better with the meds they are taking. It is quite scary.... and thanks for the reminder.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

hotel4dogs said:


> Sending good thoughts that she will be okay!


Thank you! 

Rose's immune system was down from the surgery and radiation therapy, and not to forget she also had a bee sting. Poor thing had no breaks this year. I have re-run her Nutriscan and that showed so much improvement. Between new diet (homemade and freeze dried), Colostrum, Wei Qi booster and Milk Thistle I have a feeling she is fighting it well. 

Normally dogs with good immune system are able to fight this on their own. Older dogs, puppies and immune compromised dogs are more at risk.


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## Sweese (Sep 25, 2013)

I have not heard of this but our gun dogs are certainly exposed to a lot out in the field that can cause problems. For my dogs, I add Purina's Forti Flora probiotic to their food every other "normal" day at home and every day when hunting, traveling or running hunt tests. Also, I take my own water or bottled spring water to my dogs when away from home.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Claudia M said:


> Rose is asymptomatic but she tested positive through PavLab and negative thought Auburn Univ. (however I have seen two other cases where Auburn tested negative and later it was determined that the dog was positive). I am doing the Immunotherapy for the first round of three injections. She has ultrasound every 6 months due to the Mast Cell Tumor so we will keep that up and keep on checking to make sure she fights it. Auburn offered re-testing her in a month.
> 
> I have seen other dogs in VA that tested positive. A friend lost his lab recently and I am 95% sure it was pythiosis; however the vets did not want to test for it. You have to fight with the vets to both test it and also get the serum in them.




I have to give you a lot of credit Claudia. I know how much you are doing for Rose as well as others in your training group re: pythiosis. And you have told me how difficult it is to have suspect water tested. You have been on top of this.


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## gdgli (Aug 24, 2011)

Sweese said:


> I have not heard of this but our gun dogs are certainly exposed to a lot out in the field that can cause problems. For my dogs, I add Purina's Forti Flora probiotic to their food every other "normal" day at home and every day when hunting, traveling or running hunt tests. Also, I take my own water or bottled spring water to my dogs when away from home.



I think it pays to do a little research on this. I think that the map showed disease clustered around the Gulf. One reason vets north of this are unfamiliar with it.
PS Gastrointestinal is not the only form, it can also be cutaneous or multisystemic. Has been called SWAMP CANCER.


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Sweese said:


> I have not heard of this but our gun dogs are certainly exposed to a lot out in the field that can cause problems. For my dogs, I add Purina's Forti Flora probiotic to their food every other "normal" day at home and every day when hunting, traveling or running hunt tests. Also, I take my own water or bottled spring water to my dogs when away from home.


The spores are on plants and they travel by water they swim in. I also take my own water with me. I rotate between RX Probiotics and Proviable but this is not a bacteria - it is also not a fungus - it is fungus like spore around ponds, lakes and standing water. This year the east coast had quite a lot of it. They are working to develop the technology to test the water. MSU has a center but I was told that there are many false negatives as the spores dissolve by the time they actually get to the lab.


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