Prevent Lungworm - Be Aware Of The Risks
Angiostrongylus vasorum - lungworm - and your pet dog.
Lungworm, like many other canine diseases, is more common and more easily acquired 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 danger to dogs that can result from lungworm infection has recently been brought to the public’s attention by many experts including the celebrity vet Joe Inglis. An understanding of how the disease is acquired can lead to knowing how to prevent it.
The parasite A. vasorum exists in many molluscs such as slugs and snails and the ingestion of such a mollusc can lead to infection. 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 happens when a pooch gets this far? 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. As a result of this the dog may develop a chronic cough and become tired very quickly, both signs of respiratory distress.
Some of the other symptoms can be an inability for the blood to clot and a general malaise and depression.
Dr Inglis said that lungworm infection is easily treatable provided that pet health care was sought as soon as these symptoms became apparent. If, however, you do not obtain treatment right away, your pet’s health can rapidly decline to a fatal conclusion.
The assumption that a three-month worming would eliminate all parasites, including A. vasorum, might easily be made by some pet owners.Sadly this is not true. Total elimination of the lungworm requires a separate course of treatment even though, according to the Bayer Animal Health initiative, prevention is possible by 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.
Education may be the key to cutting out lungworm - why not make a list of the possible symptoms and display it somewhere prominent in your home?.
Such a list will enable you to make an instant diagnosis when your pet dog starts to show any disturbing symptoms.
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Tags: dog diseases, dog insurance, pet dog, Pet Insurance