Lungworm is becoming more common across the country, and vets are urging owners to be aware of the danger it poses to their pets.
Lungworm is a type of parasitic worm — called Angiostrongylus Vasorum — which can affect dogs, foxes and badgers. It lives in the heart and blood vessels that supply the lungs.
Traditionally, lungworm only appeared in certain “hot spots” in the south of England, but in recent years it has been identified in dogs in most of the UK, according to Vets Now.
Dogs pick up the larvae that cause lungworm by eating infected slugs and snails or by drinking from puddles, eating grass or licking paving stones that slugs or snails have crawled along, Team Dogs reports.
But slugs and snails in themselves are not toxic to dogs and the parasite cannot be passed from dog to dog.
Dave Leicester, Vets Now head of telehealth and one of the UK’s leading emergency vets, advises dog owners to restrict their pets access to areas where slugs and snails frequent.
“Avoid leaving your dog’s toys and water bowl in the garden. But be careful if you decide to use slug or snail pellets to exterminate them,” he said.
“The chemical in these pellets, metaldehyde, is highly toxic to dogs.
“Speak to your daytime vet about prescribing a regular worming treatment. These usually come in the form of tablets or spot-ons and are administered monthly."
You should be aware that not all wormers, particularly over-the-counter treatments, are effective against lungworm.
You can find out more about lungworm by clicking here.
If you’re worried your pet has become ill with lungworm then you should contact your vets or nearest out-of-hours one as soon as possible.
