Hello everybody,
I'm new to this board. My name is Marta, I'm writing from Italy so please excuse my English!
I'm a member of a board similar to this one in Italy (it's all written in Italian, but here it is: www.micimiao.net/forum) and I'm looking for help for a cat called Attila, whose owner has been a member of the same board for years. Attila is 3 y.o. and he was diagnosed a rare disease called "orbital aspergillosis". It's a fungus that hides behing the eyes and quickly spreads to invade eyes, nose and brain. Attila lost his left eye and will soon lose his other eye as well, but this is not going to be enough to save his life, unless we find a newer, more effective therapy than the one his vets prescribed... which seemed to be the best available for the moment. The therapy consists of oral posaconazole (the drug is called Noxafil and costs about 800 Euros in Europe... we raised funds thanks to donations from all over Europe to buy it!) but it's not working very well.
The reason I'm writing, is that we read on this website (http://www.jaaha.org/cgi/content/abstract/42/4/302) that the only other case of orbital aspergillosis in a cat was in the USA, a persian cat was successfully cured in your Country and we are trying to get in touch with the owners of this cat and/or with the vets who cured him/her. We have no idea where they live and exactly when their cat got this disease, but considering the drug "posaconazole" is a quite recent one, we hope they can still be reached. Maybe they read this board, maybe someone knows them or can help us find them.
We would like to get in touch to compare our experience with theirs, to understand if their cat went thorough the same pain that Attila is enduring and knowing that he was saved, maybe we can find a little hope for our dear, lovely Attila. We really are desperate to find them and to get in touch with anyone who can give us any help or support in this situation, so if you can help us please feel free to get in touch at: attilathecat@libero.it
We have sent an email to the researchers who wrote that study, we hope they'lle get back to us, but any other kind of help is welcome.
If you don't know about this disease but would like to help, please forward this message to any pet rescue group you know about or to your veterinarian or to your friends, I know it's a shot in the dark but maybe if this message circulates we can find someone who can help. We don't want money, we just want to find a cure to this disease that can save Attila's life and other cats' lives in the future who might be affected with the same fungus.
Thanks for reading! Marta
ps: this is a link to a video where you can see Attila: http://picasaweb.google.it/valinattila/ ... 8966313282
Help for cat with a rare disease (ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS)
Re: Help for cat with a rare disease (ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS)
Marta,
I've heard about the use of oral posaconazole for this infection, and supposedly IS the best option in treatment. However, did the vet diagnose specifically, with serology and cultures sent to a qualifed lab for confirmation?
You said you contacted the authors, but in case you have different contact info on them, here is more info (keep in miind, it would be better for your vet (or the client's vet) to get in contact with them directly, as opposed to you or any other pet owner. Vets and professors will respond better and quicker when the inquiree is actually a professional (i.e., vet):
Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Gillian J. McLellan (who is also a veterinary opthalmologist)
Office Phone: (515) 294-2134
Clinic Phone: (515) 294-4900
Fax: (515) 294-9281
E-mail: gillmcl@iastate.edu
Address:
1832 College of Veterinary Medicine
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
USA
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Joann Kinyon
Phone: 515-294-1950
Email: jkinyon@iastate.edu
Veterinary Pathology
Ronald K. Myers
Phone: 515-294-0876
Fax: 515-294-5423
Email: rkmyers@iastate.edu
I would cc an email to each of them, or try calling them, or their departments, and explaining your situation, with the emphasis you are in Italy, and would request your vet and them get in contact with each other for treatment protocols. Talk to your vet immediately so that maybe some sort of dialog can be done between them. Again, best to have your friend's vet actually try the contacts.
Also, regarding the study, it might not be relevant to your case, I believe the study notes the cat in question had a rhinitis form of the aspergillosis, don't know if orbital/occular involvment was present. In any case, if you and/or your vet can get in touch with the vet authors at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, particularly the first vet mentioned here, that would be ideal. The client (your friend) may have to pay a small fee for long distance communication between the vets, but it would be helpful and useful to get the opinions of the vets who authored the study. They might even be able to refer to the case or refer the client and vet to others for additional help.
I wish you much luck, hopefully the vet can get in contact with the vets mentioned above and discuss the case for an effective treatment protocol. Attila is a beautiful young boy, he so deserves the best treatment. Let us know how this persues, ok?
I've heard about the use of oral posaconazole for this infection, and supposedly IS the best option in treatment. However, did the vet diagnose specifically, with serology and cultures sent to a qualifed lab for confirmation?
You said you contacted the authors, but in case you have different contact info on them, here is more info (keep in miind, it would be better for your vet (or the client's vet) to get in contact with them directly, as opposed to you or any other pet owner. Vets and professors will respond better and quicker when the inquiree is actually a professional (i.e., vet):
Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Gillian J. McLellan (who is also a veterinary opthalmologist)
Office Phone: (515) 294-2134
Clinic Phone: (515) 294-4900
Fax: (515) 294-9281
E-mail: gillmcl@iastate.edu
Address:
1832 College of Veterinary Medicine
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
USA
Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Joann Kinyon
Phone: 515-294-1950
Email: jkinyon@iastate.edu
Veterinary Pathology
Ronald K. Myers
Phone: 515-294-0876
Fax: 515-294-5423
Email: rkmyers@iastate.edu
I would cc an email to each of them, or try calling them, or their departments, and explaining your situation, with the emphasis you are in Italy, and would request your vet and them get in contact with each other for treatment protocols. Talk to your vet immediately so that maybe some sort of dialog can be done between them. Again, best to have your friend's vet actually try the contacts.
Also, regarding the study, it might not be relevant to your case, I believe the study notes the cat in question had a rhinitis form of the aspergillosis, don't know if orbital/occular involvment was present. In any case, if you and/or your vet can get in touch with the vet authors at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, particularly the first vet mentioned here, that would be ideal. The client (your friend) may have to pay a small fee for long distance communication between the vets, but it would be helpful and useful to get the opinions of the vets who authored the study. They might even be able to refer to the case or refer the client and vet to others for additional help.
I wish you much luck, hopefully the vet can get in contact with the vets mentioned above and discuss the case for an effective treatment protocol. Attila is a beautiful young boy, he so deserves the best treatment. Let us know how this persues, ok?
..........Traci
Re: Help for cat with a rare disease (ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS)
Hello Traci, thank you for your reply!
I actually found the contacts for the authors of that article on the Iowa Stare University website, and I sent them an email asking for thier help in this case.cat
I believe you're right, it would have probably drawn their attention a lot more, if it were Attila's vets who'd have asked their help, because they didn't reply to me, so far...
The really sad thing is that Attila was examined by two different veterinary hospitals so far, and they didnt collabor very much because each of them wanted to keep the "case" for themselves (I don't know, maybe because it's a rare disease they hope they will become famous if they cure it... but Attila is not "a case" he's a lovely cat who needs help!!!
) and so these vets are not very willing to get in touch with other vets... It's incredibly sad, I'm lost for words, they care more about trying blindly some therapies they don't know than about actually saving Attila's life... 
On the other hand, if we just tell them we WANT them to contact other vets we are afraid they will say they won't cure Attila anymore, and we do need vet support near here, even if the researchers in the US offer their help and suggest more tests and therapies to try, we still need a vet who has the skills and technology near here to do what they suggest, so if we lose our vets, who seem to be the best in this area for this kind of disease (even if not good enough, they are still the best we have...), what are we going to do?
It's a ridiculous ego-problem and meanwhile we are losing precious time. We are thinking of asking another vet, without telling the ones who are curing Attila right now, to get in touch with the researches you mentioned and explain them the situation... all it matters is that they reply and suggest something if they can...
I'll let you kow if this works and what happens...
Marta
ps: I hope vets and researchers are a bit less selfish in the States, here in Italy the situation is quite sad and something to be ashamed of, no worder the best science men leave our Country for the US or Japan...
I actually found the contacts for the authors of that article on the Iowa Stare University website, and I sent them an email asking for thier help in this case.cat
I believe you're right, it would have probably drawn their attention a lot more, if it were Attila's vets who'd have asked their help, because they didn't reply to me, so far...
The really sad thing is that Attila was examined by two different veterinary hospitals so far, and they didnt collabor very much because each of them wanted to keep the "case" for themselves (I don't know, maybe because it's a rare disease they hope they will become famous if they cure it... but Attila is not "a case" he's a lovely cat who needs help!!!
) and so these vets are not very willing to get in touch with other vets... It's incredibly sad, I'm lost for words, they care more about trying blindly some therapies they don't know than about actually saving Attila's life... On the other hand, if we just tell them we WANT them to contact other vets we are afraid they will say they won't cure Attila anymore, and we do need vet support near here, even if the researchers in the US offer their help and suggest more tests and therapies to try, we still need a vet who has the skills and technology near here to do what they suggest, so if we lose our vets, who seem to be the best in this area for this kind of disease (even if not good enough, they are still the best we have...), what are we going to do?
It's a ridiculous ego-problem and meanwhile we are losing precious time. We are thinking of asking another vet, without telling the ones who are curing Attila right now, to get in touch with the researches you mentioned and explain them the situation... all it matters is that they reply and suggest something if they can...
I'll let you kow if this works and what happens...
Marta
ps: I hope vets and researchers are a bit less selfish in the States, here in Italy the situation is quite sad and something to be ashamed of, no worder the best science men leave our Country for the US or Japan...
Re: Help for cat with a rare disease (ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS)
Marta, maybe contact the following from the European College of Veterinary Opthamologists, ( http://www.ecvo.org/public/index.htm ) I'm not sure how current their info is, but it's worth a try (hopefully these two aren't the ones you're already seeing):
Dr. Adolfo Guandalini
Phone: +39 6 82059207
Fax: +39 6 78395105
Centro Veterinario Specialistico
Via Sandro Giovanni 51/53
I-00137
Rome, Italy
Dr. Claudio Peruccio
Phone: +39 11 670 9074
Fax: +39 11 6709074
Dipartimento Patologia Animale
Via Leonardo da Vinci 44
I-10095
Grugliasco (TO), Italy
You could also try contacting any of the veterinary universities in Italy for help, and for referrals to veterinary opthamoligists in your area.
It also appears that the first author of the study was the secretary of the above mentioned organization, don't know if she still is, but here is another contact info for her, be aware this info could have been prior to her residency at Iowa State University, so the info might not be current:
Dr. Gillian McLellan
Secretary ECVO
Department of Surgical
Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison
4134 Mandan Crescent
Madison
WI 53711
USA
Phone: : (+1) 608-531-1968
FAX: (+1)815-717-9523
email: mclellan@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu
I would suggest whichever vets you are seeing/talking to, that you remind them that you are paying them for their services, and that you would gladly pay for the price of a consult with a veterinary opthamology specialist, and to insist they refer you to one immediately. Do try the above contacts.
As a last resort, you could try the European consult in your area for help and possibly referrals.
This is an urgent case, so please have your friend do whatever necessary to try to get to see a veterinary opthamology specialist right away. If she can, that vet can then also try to contact the authors or other specialists familiar with this condition. Hang in there, and don't give up, might take a bit of leg-work, but try to find a vet opthamologist specialist right away!!
Dr. Adolfo Guandalini
Phone: +39 6 82059207
Fax: +39 6 78395105
Centro Veterinario Specialistico
Via Sandro Giovanni 51/53
I-00137
Rome, Italy
Dr. Claudio Peruccio
Phone: +39 11 670 9074
Fax: +39 11 6709074
Dipartimento Patologia Animale
Via Leonardo da Vinci 44
I-10095
Grugliasco (TO), Italy
You could also try contacting any of the veterinary universities in Italy for help, and for referrals to veterinary opthamoligists in your area.
It also appears that the first author of the study was the secretary of the above mentioned organization, don't know if she still is, but here is another contact info for her, be aware this info could have been prior to her residency at Iowa State University, so the info might not be current:
Dr. Gillian McLellan
Secretary ECVO
Department of Surgical
Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison
4134 Mandan Crescent
Madison
WI 53711
USA
Phone: : (+1) 608-531-1968
FAX: (+1)815-717-9523
email: mclellan@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu
I would suggest whichever vets you are seeing/talking to, that you remind them that you are paying them for their services, and that you would gladly pay for the price of a consult with a veterinary opthamology specialist, and to insist they refer you to one immediately. Do try the above contacts.
As a last resort, you could try the European consult in your area for help and possibly referrals.
This is an urgent case, so please have your friend do whatever necessary to try to get to see a veterinary opthamology specialist right away. If she can, that vet can then also try to contact the authors or other specialists familiar with this condition. Hang in there, and don't give up, might take a bit of leg-work, but try to find a vet opthamologist specialist right away!!
..........Traci
Re: Help for cat with a rare disease (ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS)
Marta, I also wanted to mention, be sure the vets have ruled out potential accompanying infection, such as sinusitis, or mycobacteria as a secondary infection to the aspergillosis. Also check oral health, nasal passages etc, because any primary disease condition can incite a secondary process such as infection, and sinus, nasal problems can indeed affect they occular functions. Treating aspergillosis should involve supportive treatment like antibiotics and other supportive care anyway, but ensure your vets are doing that.
..........Traci
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Tina B and crew
- Posts: 2536
- Joined: Fri Apr 25, 2003 9:48 am
- Location: Virginia
Re: Help for cat with a rare disease (ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS)
Marta, Attila is a beautiful cat and I hope you can find the help you need. I can't offer any advice, Traci is always best at that, but did want you to know I'm thinking of Attila and praying a solution can be found.
Tina B and "what a crew!"
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
How we behave towards cats here below determines our status in heaven ~Robert A. Heinlein
Re: Help for cat with a rare disease (ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS)
Hello! I just wanted to post an update: in the end the vets in Milan have decided to get in touch with the Australian researcher who replied to my request for help and said she was available to help.
We discovered that in Italy amphotericin B liposomal was never even tried on a cat, the vets in Milan were surprised to hear about that therapy and decided we should try it asap!
We are buying 1 vial of "Ambisome" (that will be enough for 2 weeks) at 295 USD in Switzerland (because that drug is not available in Italy, it's only sold by the authorized dealer to hospitals here so we cannot go to the phamacy and buy it... plus, it costs around 500 USD!!!) and this week they are checking Attila's renal functions and blood urea because this drug may affect them, so we need to check these things often to make sure there won0t be any damage during the therapy. Attila is going to be treated intrvenously 3 times a week, it will take about 2 hours each time so he's going to have to be a very patient good boy... but it's worth trying, since it seems that several cats were cured in Australia using Ambisome.
We are raising funds in Italy to buy the medicines and also to pay for the exams, CAT scans and so on... people are being very generous, we're getting donations from people we don't even know who read our story on the web... it finally seems there's a little sparkle of hope for Attila... he's staring the new therapy on Monday, let's hope his body's reaction will be the right one.
I'll keep you posted!
Marta
We discovered that in Italy amphotericin B liposomal was never even tried on a cat, the vets in Milan were surprised to hear about that therapy and decided we should try it asap!
We are buying 1 vial of "Ambisome" (that will be enough for 2 weeks) at 295 USD in Switzerland (because that drug is not available in Italy, it's only sold by the authorized dealer to hospitals here so we cannot go to the phamacy and buy it... plus, it costs around 500 USD!!!) and this week they are checking Attila's renal functions and blood urea because this drug may affect them, so we need to check these things often to make sure there won0t be any damage during the therapy. Attila is going to be treated intrvenously 3 times a week, it will take about 2 hours each time so he's going to have to be a very patient good boy... but it's worth trying, since it seems that several cats were cured in Australia using Ambisome.
We are raising funds in Italy to buy the medicines and also to pay for the exams, CAT scans and so on... people are being very generous, we're getting donations from people we don't even know who read our story on the web... it finally seems there's a little sparkle of hope for Attila... he's staring the new therapy on Monday, let's hope his body's reaction will be the right one.
I'll keep you posted!
Marta
Re: Help for cat with a rare disease (ASPERGILLUS FUMIGATUS)
I'm glad to hear you have found a vet who's helping, finally!
DO check renal values frequently, but ALSO check liver values too, this is important! Also, have the consulting vet inform you of the potential side effects so that you're prepared....this type of the drug is noted as less toxic than the other amphotericin, but there are still risks with this drug. Please also keep in mind that there is a risk of failure in treatment, i.e., the aspergillosis can reoccur, but hopefully, your vet can get Atilla on treatment ASAP and treat it effectively the first time!!
DO check renal values frequently, but ALSO check liver values too, this is important! Also, have the consulting vet inform you of the potential side effects so that you're prepared....this type of the drug is noted as less toxic than the other amphotericin, but there are still risks with this drug. Please also keep in mind that there is a risk of failure in treatment, i.e., the aspergillosis can reoccur, but hopefully, your vet can get Atilla on treatment ASAP and treat it effectively the first time!!
..........Traci