In the game,The Last of Us, people are infected with a parasitic fungus–Ophiocordyceps unilateralis.
This is a real fungus that infects insects and turns them into zombie insects. No, it doesn’t infect humans, thus far, but one never knows.
Now, I can hear you shouting; ‘Okay, River Lady, here you go with another outlandish story about living on the Concord River.’
Not so. I’m just starting this post by making a comparison between the real zombie-like fungus the game is based on and the fungus that has infected my dog’s nasal passages. After all, life does imitate art.
No, my dog hasn’t turned into a zombie but, in my humble opinion, the fungus creating crusty layers of plaster-like plaque in her sinuses and nasal passages is as irritating as any zombie infestation could be.
Here’s the story: When Bailey was bitten by two ticks back in summer of 2024 she developed an autoimmune condition called IMPA, which stands for Immune-Mediated Polyarthritis, ‘a painful condition where the immune system mistakenly attacks multiple joints, causing inflammation, swelling, stiffness, lameness, fever, and lethargy.’ (Thank you, AI)
Those tick bites: one shown here on her shoulder…
ultimately resulted in several nights in intensive care (for Bailey, not me) …
a damaged liver (again for Bailey), a shattered molar (yup, Bailey), ring worm (Bailey), (and tons of medication (for both Bailey and me. Anxiety rules).
One of the medications Bailey took copious amounts of was prednisone. Ah, prednisone, so potent and so damaging to the body. Cue liver issues and a shattered molar.
Bailey seemed to heal and I did my due-diligence of making payments on the $32,000 in vet bills. Sigh, no trip to Italy for me.
I type ‘seemed’ to heal because the fungus Aspergillosis had yet to rear its crusty, fungal head.
Until now.
When an immune system becomes compromised, this nasty fungus sinks its little fungal spores into the nasal passages of dogs, cats, and humans, too. In dogs it’s called Dog Nose Fungus.
‘Dog nose fungus” usually refers to a serious infection in a dog’s nasal passages, causing yellow and bloody discharge, sneezing, pain, and facial swelling, and deterioration of the delicate bones in the nasal passages, especially in long-nosed breeds.’ (Again, thank you AI)
Long, miserable story later and Bailey ended up at Mass Vet Hospital again for a rhinoscopy. Hey, AI, you’re up: ‘ Rhinoscopy in dogs is a specialized endoscopic procedure using a tiny camera to see inside the nasal passages and sinuses, helping vets find causes for chronic discharge, bleeding, or sneezing by identifying tumors, fungal infections (like aspergillosis), or foreign objects, often combined with CT scans and allowing for guided biopsies for accurate diagnosis and treatment. Performed under general anesthesia, it’s a key tool for diagnosing nasal diseases, removing obstructions, and collecting samples for analysis, with most dogs recovering quickly.’
The procedure went well but the doctor wasn’t hopeful she had gotten all the fungus. Bailey might need one or two more scrapings. Or, as with some dogs, the medical team might have to enter the nasal area via the temporal bone.
Okay, breathe, Cynthia, breathe. The thought of my baby going through that is overwhelming to me. But, we’ll get through it.
So, Bailey is home and on more pills, including antibiotics for pneumonia. Oh, had I failed to mention she developed pneumonia and spent a few nights in intensive care? Well, she did…and did.
Now comes the pitch. Ahem.
This last round of medical work cost over $12,000, bringing my total debt past $40,000. And more procedures loom. Soooooooo, I’m asking you to post this Go-Fund-Me link to your FaceBook page, Instagram page, or any other page, to help me raise the money to cover the costs associated with treating Bailey.
Bailey and I thank you.
Blessed be :}
Mi manchi profondamente, mio amato immortale.
concordriverlady.com 