Dogs Are At Risk From Lungworm
09 Jul 2010
Angiostrongylus vasorum - lungworm - and your pet dog.
There are many canine diseases, of which lungworm is but one, that are far more common and easily contracted than most dog owners realise. Even though lungworm is easily treatable, it’s important to keep up your pet insurance policy so that the grave consequences otherwise possible are avoided.
The celebrity vet Joe Inglis is one of many experts who have recently expressed their concern about the dangers to pet dogs of lungworm. An understanding of how the disease is acquired can lead to knowing how to prevent it.
Molluscs such as slugs and snails often harbour a parasite called A. vasorum so that their ingestion can lead to the contraction of lungworm. The problem is caused by this organism even though it does not affect humans.
A dog can easily unknowingly eat one of these unsavoury molluscs whilst chewing a toy or scavenging.
What are the consequences that follow this? According to Bayer Animal Health, which is currently running the Be Lungworm Aware campaign to raise public interest in the issue, the main problems that come with digesting an infected mollusc is the fact dogs can then easily contract the disease in a cycle which is hard to interrupt or eliminate. The reason for this is that their excrement contains the parasite which is thereby passed on to other dogs.
The research showed that in spite of over 60% of UK dog owners knowing that lungworm could be fatal, only about half knew how the infection was acquired.
Disturbingly, said Dr Inglis, nearly half had never heard of the disease at all.
The blood vessels that lead to the lungs become infected as a result of the adult parasites making the heart and vascular system their home. This can in turn lead to respiratory distress, manifested in tiring easily during exercise and a chronic cough.
Bleeding copiously if cut - because of damage to its blood clotting mechanisms - and a general lifelessness are additional symptoms.
It is important to realise that lungworm is an easily treatable disease, Dr Inglis said, as long as pet health care is sought as soon as these signs become apparent. If you fail to take the appropriate action as soon as the symptoms appear, your dog could easily undergo a rapid deterioration and die.
Some owners of pet dogs may assume that their three-month worming will kill off all parasites, including A. vasorum.This assumption is wrong. A completely separate course of treatment is necessary to eliminate the lungworm although prevention is possible, say the Bayer Animal Health initiative, by means of the monthly application of a topical solution.
The chances of your pet catching lungworm by cross-infection can be reduced by clearing up any dog mess that you might come across.
It was important, stressed Dr Inglis, that everyone should collect and take indoors all objects that might, if left outside, become a residence for molluscs.
Displaying a list of symptoms and thereby spreading information about lungworm would be one way of getting rid of the disease.
Such a list will enable you to make an instant diagnosis when your pet dog starts to show any disturbing symptoms.
