Confirmed cases of Lung worm Bolehills

[teeny 10]

copied from Broomhill vets .

 

 

 

We have a confirmed case of lungworm in the Bolehill area of Sheffield. We therefore advise ALL dog owners to use protection against lungworm. Protection comes in the form of a liquid product containing Moxidectin, which prevents infection or in the form of a tablet containing milbemycin, which treats the infection. Please be vigilant and contact us with any worries.

The lungworm (Angiostrongylus vasorum) is a parasite that can cause serious health problems in dogs and can even be fatal if not diagnosed and treated. The parasite is known to spread quickly.

Lungworm infections can result in a number of different signs, which may easily be confused with other illnesses, but improved detection methods including blood test and poo sampling mean more and more cases are now being confirmed. Lungworm is now endemic throughout much of the UK and is NOT known to infect humans.

POSSIBLE SYMPTOMS OF LUNGWORM

1 Breathing problems: Coughing and tiring easily

2 Poor blood clotting: Excessive bleeding from even minor cuts or wounds, nose bleeds, bleeding into the eye or anaemia (paleness around the eyes and gums)

3: General sickness: Weight loss, poor appetite, vomiting and diarrhoea, depression, lethargy

4: Seizures (fits)

SLUGS, SNAILS AND THE SPREAD OF LUNGWORM

Slugs and snails carry the lungworm larvae, and dogs can become infected when they eat slugs and snails accidentally or deliberately.

Your dog can also get infected after swallowing the slime of an infected slug. Some dogs will happily ignore a snail or slug, but many will want to investigate, perhaps even choosing to eat them on purpose. The size of some small slugs and snails means they can be accidentally swallowed when your dog plays with toys, drinks from puddles or water bowls, eats grass or rummages through the undergrowth.

Dogs have plenty of opportunities to come into contact with slugs and snails on walks. They hide in grass or under objects left in the garden, and seek out areas of moisture. You can never be sure where they are lurking. Spring and autumn are peak times for slug and snail activity.

OTHER WAYS LUNGWORM SPREADS

Poo from infected dogs spreads the lungworm larvae into the environment, slugs and snails that come into contact with the poo will become infected, increasing the chances of other dogs becoming infected.

Foxes can become infected with lungworm and have been implicated in the spread of the parasite across the country.

Frogs can also carry the larvae, presenting a risk to dogs

With more people travelling in the UK with their pets, and foxes roaming up to 50km, the risk of the parasite spreading around the country will continue.

PREVENTION & TREATMENT

Once diagnosed and treated, most dogs make a full recovery. The key to successful treatment is taking action early.

Treatment is available and can result in full recovery, but as this parasite can be fatal it is important to consider prevention. Preventative products are available and with regular monthly use prevention is easy to achieve.

Most worming products are NOT effective against this particular parasite. For lungworm it is vital to use suitable preventative products MONTHLY. Treatment only every 3 months (often advised for intestinal worms) leaves the dog unprotected against lungworm, risking disease and even death.

Monthly treatment is available in the form of prescription-only worm tablets or prescription-only “spot on” worming products. Please ask the vet for advice on suitable treatments.

OTHER PREVENTION TIPS

Regularly clean water bowls. Slugs thrive in damp conditions and will seek out any source of moisture they can. This makes a dog’s water bowl left outside an ideal target for slugs and snails. Make sure you change your dog’s water regularly, especially if the bowl sits outdoors.

Pick up toys from the garden. Toys left in the garden overnight are exposed to slugs and snails, who are most active when the sun goes down. Smaller snails can reside in the crevices of toys or burrow underneath them and can be accidentally swallowed by dogs when playing with the toy. Be sure to pick up your dog’s toys at the end of each day and store them in a snail proof container.

Pick up the poo. The poo of a dog infected with lungworm will help spread the parasite to other slugs and snails, where it will develop. If two or more dogs share the same environment and one is found to be infected, the others may be at high risk due to exposure to the same surroundings. Foxes can also become infected with lungworm, and their increasing numbers have been implicated in the spread.

 

Please ask the vet if you have any questions or concerns about lungworm.

 

---------- Post added 24-04-2018 at 18:14 ----------

 

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