Black Mould Toxicity?

RE: Black Mould Toxicity?

Luca Poddighe — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 18:35:00 GMT

I suppose it could be a possibility, but a not so common one. In my experience, treating aspergillosis, even the localized forms, is not the easiest of the therapy, requires a complete diagnostic process involving often biopsies and specific culture assays. After diagnose is made sure, aggressive treatment with high concentration antimycotic drugs is required. Unfortunately if money is not a lot, you will keep having the doubt.

RE: Black Mould Toxicity?

Dagmar Steele — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 19:25:47 GMT

Yeah, I know, you still ponder about what it could be. (Gets to me every time that owners refusing to let you do some tests leave you wrecking your mind about it, to an extend where I have done the tests on my own expense...) Re the mould stuff and US vs Europe: I've attended a CPD lately where the speaker mentioned that ddx for bone cancer is often mentioned to be mould, but that only applies for the US as we don't see it here.

RE: Black Mould Toxicity?

Tom Ward — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 19:12:59 GMT

Thanks all. I'm well aware that we have very little to go apart from clutching at symptoms that could be attributed to a whole raft of diseases. Essentially I just wondered if it was a possibilty more than trying to reach a final diagnosis (which we are probably never going to manage).

RE: Black Mould Toxicity?

Dagmar Steele — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 17:32:40 GMT

They could be anything really, rat poisoning being one of them for the first dog, splenic tumor and so many other things. I've grown out of guessing in the meantime. I'm sorry for the dogs, but without some basic stuff (like examination to start with ;-) ) this will all remain speculation. So far mould has been a problem for me in nasal aspergillosis/lung infections and mould ingestion if a dog got hold of the dustbin, both have rather different symptoms (apart from the epistaxis maybe).

RE: Black Mould Toxicity?

Utlendigur — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 17:32:32 GMT

Was the site American? I know there is a much bigger problem/concern with toxic moulds over there. I suppose the answer is that yes it could be some sort of systemic mycosis, but just because X can cause symptom Y, does not mean that anything showing symptom Y has got X...

I had a case several years ago of a client with 2 middle aged GSDs who died within a few weeks of one another of abdominal neoplasia, probably haemangiosarcoma. I didn't see the first, but did PM the second one because the owner was convinced the dogs had been poisoned (an event seared in my memory due to the fact that I did the PM in the back consult room just as the front of the practice was filling up with visiting vets for a local BVA meeting - and didn't realise the floor sloped into reception causing a pool of blood to flow under the door).

RE: Black Mould Toxicity?

Tom Ward — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 17:30:02 GMT

Interesting! I just found this in the Merck Veterinary Manual...

Disseminated [aspergillosis] in dogs is seen most often in middle-age, female German Shepherds and usually involves A terreus, A deflectus, and A niger. The clinical signs of disseminated aspergillosis may include lethargy, lameness, anorexia, weight loss, muscle wasting, pyrexia, hematuria, urinary incontinence, generalized lymphadenopathy, and neurologic deficits. Lesions are frequently found in the abdominal and thoracic lymph nodes, kidneys, spleen, and vertebrae. Discospondylitis is common.

RE: Black Mould Toxicity?

Anthony Dennison — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 17:16:03 GMT

Could be some sort of systemic Aspergillosis? There was a bit on the BBC news recently about people drying their washing on radiators being at higher risk of respiratory infections. One woman interviewed had aspergillosis and was quite ill.