Sick Lab (Help)

[duckbuster]

Labby I would not advise hunting the dog this fall. I disease is in the lungs by working the dog you are not letting the healing process to take place. Look at the big picture, let him/her heal so you can have 8-10 more years of enjoyment. Mine got sick in August that year, I know its tough not to have the dog by your side in the woods but it's the right thing to do. I was told it takes 5-6 months to clearly get this out of there system. 4 pills a day, 2 in the morning & 2 at night. I told you they were expensive, amazing hey. Isn't it mind boggling how our country sells this pill for 8-10 each but the EXACT same thing in mexico is 1.25 each!!!!

Good luck with your fight and remember, Pay now or pay later I think you would rather pay now. It's obvious that you truely care for this animal.

[Labby]

Duckbuster
How long was it until the coughing seemed to get better. I know it takes at least 4 months to rid it from his lungs completly. Some days he seems better then he is bad the next. He eats well some days then he wont eat for the next 2. This is hamburger and trimmings he wont even look at dry food. The other day I had him in the truck for a ride with my 11 year old son looking for some birds. We spotted a bird in a ditch so we got out and walked it and left him in the truck (nearly killed him) My son shot the bird and it fell in the corn. We couldnt find it so I let the dog out. 30 seconds later he flushed another rooster right over my head. I shot that on and he made teh retrieve on the first bird. He was looking good so we walked down the road a couple hundred yards. He flushed 8 more birds 6 hens 2 roosters and we filled out within 20 minutes of hunting. After working the birds he acted like he was healed up. I think the excitment got him going but I have not hunted him since and I dont plan on doing so. He is just not right. I just hate going and not having him with. We had 2 trips to SD planned and I doubt I will be going to these. OH well I guess there is next year.

[BLACKJACK]

Good luck Labby! I can feel your pain, the last 10 years I've had two labs around 'just in case' one gets hurt, now I'm down to one, hate to think what would happen if she got hurt, two trips to SoDak planned, lots of birds in MN. Ouch. Shes six, was thinking of waiting two more years before getting another, shes right in her prime and has plenty of get up and go, but you never know. Might be time to get a pup in the spring... Been trying to convince myself that IF she did get hurt then I could always bowhunt more, but then what about SoDak??! Give up 10 days of hunting pheasants and drinking beer and talking smart?? Yikes!

Good luck to you!

[This message has been edited by BLACKJACK (edited 10-16-2003).]

[duckbuster]

Labby our's never had the coughing issue. It was the lost of an eye and open sores, couple on her paws and 2 on her back. She seemed very lethargic but your right they never lose the desire to hunt. I had to take her to the shack each weekend I went but generally left her in the cabin when I went grousin. It killed both of us. Patience is the key word, keep it in the back of your mind at all times. Next fall you will shoot twice as many birds with him by your side!!!!

Keep us posted on the progress.

[can it be luck?]

Blasto, my friends GSP got it last year, the dog died. Very, very serious condition.

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http://groups.msn.com/canitbeluck

[Guest]

Nice to hear a happy ending for you and your dog.

[Labby]

I would just like to say thanks to everyone who posted here either for advice or encouragement. Just to give you folks an update on how my dog is doing. I had him to the vet last week for a checkup and the vet said he is fine now. It looks as if the meds have worked. He still needs to be on the medication another 60 days to be sure we wiped it all out but he said I can start to exercise him a little bit and some moderate hunting. We were out within the hour for a short hunt in one of my favorite sloughs. In 30 minutes of hunting we baged 4 roosters and had several other hens flushed. I could just see the excitment in his eyes when he brought back every bird. Thanks again to all of you out there.
Lab

[Crossin' Eyes]

It does my heart good to know that everything is looking up for your hunting buddy Labby!
Good Hunting!!

Mike Lee

[Kallista]

When i lived in lily wis, i lived on the wolf river, and i am wondering if this is the same thing your all talking about, it is some mold that has spurs that if your dog goes to rivers and lakes in fall they can breathe it in and most dogs do not recover form it? Cause i been earing about something that sounds the same as in wis up here in the north woods too... But i do not remember the name of it

[bwtrout]

From thepetcenter.com: "Infective spores are more likely to be present in organic soils such as are present along streams, lakes, ponds and even within the dried mud mortar of beaver lodges. Landscaping soil and even potting soil can harbor Blastomycosis organisms and any cat or dog digging up these soils may be exposed to Blastomycosis."

I've known a number of dogs who contracted this in and around Ely.

[Kallista]

I was down at fall lake, and this man and women were pulling in their boat and saw Hunter so they stopped and talked with me for 20 minutes or so... Great people, anyways one of their dogs got that, he was telling me that his dog stop eating one day and he knew something was wrong and took her in asap, cause she would never miss a dinner.. He said the vet used something? or maybe hand and hit over and over on the chest and the dog was coughing and he said they saw the spurs come out in the coughs into the air....

Now if this is true, why cant we do that after taking our dogs in from outside and get the spurs out?

He said it came from dirt, Also he told me of another breeder here in ely , wont say who, but he had 6 dogs that got it too...

Its scary to even take your dog out, with everything going on, but what can you do? he needs to go his things too, and be in the woods..

Is there anything we can do to help prevent this?