This is Dr. Aleda Cheng posting.
I am so sorry for your loss!
Tom did a great job listing helpful organizations! I just wanted to add that Care Credit is another possibility. Care Credit is a low interest credit card which can be used for any medical service including veterinary, and human services and medical treatments. Application for care credit is available online and at many veterinary offices. It would give you time to pay back any bills incurred.
Are you sure your dogs' were affected by only the stachybotrys black mold? It is uncommon for multiple pets in the same household to be affected simultaneously and to the same degree since the mycotoxin produced by stachybotrys has a penchant for those with weakened immune systems, deficient upper respiratory systems, those afflicted with asthma, COPD, heart disease, chronic bronchitis, or lung tumors.
X-Rays are the most important tests to determine the effect on the lungs due to stachybotrys mold mycotoxin. Another test would be a transtracheal wash and than culture and sensitivity of the acquired discharge. However, if the causative agent has already been identified than diagnostics are no longer necessary and money could be better spent on treatment only, which would include anti-fungal medication respiratory therapy and supportive care.
Holistic therapies would include immunostimulants such as Colostrum, Missing Link, Wei Qi Booster, Yin Qiao, and others. Please post again for a detailed list of holistic therapies.
Good luck Julie, with yourself and Sappo! Please keep us informed!
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH FOR ANSWERING THIS QUESTIONS. I APPRECIATE IT
AND WILL TRY ONE OR ALL OF THE ABOVE MENTIONED PLACES FOR ASSISTANCE.
I WAS TOLD THAT THEIR ARE FOUR DIFFERENT FUNGUS INVOLVED AND I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH MY OWN HEALTH DUE TO THE FACT THAT I HAVE LUPUS. I BECAME VERY SICK AND AM CONTINUEING TO STRUGGLE DEALING WITH IT AS WELL AS THE DEPRESSION THAT COMES ALONG WITH.
I WILL DO WHAT EVER I CAN TO SAVE MY SAPPO. HE IS THE SON OF THE FEMALE I JUST LOST AND MY SHEPHERD 6 MONTHS AGO. THEY WERE BOTH 11YEARS OLD
AND MY SHEPHERD HAD EXISTING ALLERGIES, BUT MY FEMALE WAS VERY HEALTHY. SHE HAD BEEN HIT BY A TRUCK ABOUT SEVEN YEARS PRIOR AND
I HAD TO BRING HER TO EMERGENCY AND CARE FOR HER DAY AND NIGHT FOR
THE FIRST MONTH. BUT SHE MADE A FULL RECOVERY . THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS IT HAS BEEN SO HARD FOR ME.
THANKS AGAIN,
JULIE WRIGHT
Oh sorry, I just saw that Tom did mention Care Credit. My mistake. Thanks Tom!
I am sorry to hear about the loss of two of your pets. I am not familiar with the "toxic black mold" that you mentioned, but one of our veterinarians may know about it. DId your veterinarian diagnosis these three cases or did he/she do an autopsy on the other two pets?
I wanted to address your financial concerns and hopefully provide you with some possibilities. First, I agree, it's tough in these economic times to make ends meet and when a medical situation arises, it just adds a lot of stress to the situation.
The title of your post says you can't afford "these tests". What kind of testing are you referring to? Diagnostics, like bloodwork, can be indispensable when trying to determine a root cause of an illness or even to help formulate a prognosis for the pet. Without diagnostics, veterinarians can make reasonable guesses, but things like xrays, ultrasounds, etc help narrow the potential problems and focus treatments.
There is help when veterinary bills are hard to handle. You can try to apply for personal financing at sites like carecredit.com or chasehealthadvance.com. These companies pay the bill and then you pay them back with monthly installments...kind of like a credit card for your pet.
There are organizations out there like the American Animal Hospital Association's Helping Pets Fund and IMOM (In Memory of Magic) that might be able to assist you, but you will need to get your veterinarian's recommendation and assistance in applying for these funds.
Pet insurance and pet health savings plans are excellent ways to help save money for pet related expenses, but obviously, this is not going to help you right now.
Finally, at the practices where I work, we always mention to people to try neighbors, family, and friends. After all, they know you best and know your ability to repay. You might be surprised at the generosity of people that you already know! :-)
Good luck to you....let us know how things progress