Does my dog have lungworms?

Any change in your dog’s condition or behaviour needs attention but sometimes the symptoms are slight and could be ignored for a while.   Any dog can become infected with lungworm although the disease is usually more severe in younger pets, those under two years old are likely to show clear symptoms.   With an older dog it might be a chronic condition but definitely one that needs immediate veterinary treatment as it will undoubtedly cause ill health and can be fatal.   There are several types of the parasite but Angiostrongylus vasorum is the  common one and causes most of the symptoms we see in our dogs.

So what are the symptoms?    A dry harsh cough with panting and difficulty in breathing.   If a normally active dog suddenly doesn’t want to out for a walk or want to play, this is a sign that something is wrong.  O.K. we’ve been far enough – let’s go home, can be another symptom that your dog is infected with lungworms.   The vet will check your dog for heart failure.   There may be blood clotting changes too.    A diagnosis can be confirmed when the vet sends your dog’s stool sample to a vet laboratory .  Many vets now have their own lab so this will not take long.

My dog doesn’t mix with other pets so how has he become infected?    Because he hasn’t caught this from another dog.   Foxes are the natural host of the lungworm parasite and the worms need an intermediate host.  Slugs, snails and frogs carry the parasite which they’ve picked up from the faeces of foxes.   If your dog eats a slug carrying the lungworm eggs then he will without a doubt get the disease.   The lungworms migrate through the bowel wall into the blood and lymphatic system, eventually reaching the heart and the pulmonary artery.   Monsters inside him!   No wonder he feels poorly.    The parasites mature into adults and begin to lay eggs which are then carried into the lungs where they tunnel into the airways, eventually being coughed up and the whole lifestyle begins again.

Eat a snail?   You must be joking!   My dog is the fussiest creature ever, he would never eat a frog or a snail.   Alright, but he might pick up a bone or a toy that has snail slime all over it.   Or lick his dish out not knowing that it’s just been used by an infected frog.   Keeping the garden clear of toys and dishes is the only way to be sure there is no contamination.    Washing toys is a safeguard too.   Throw bones away when they’ve been chewed or only give them indoors.

If my dog has lungworms what can I do?   Your vet will know the severity of the infection and will advise you accordingly.   Don’t panic!   Treatment is usually straightforward and has a good outcome.  Ordinary wormers won’t tackle lungworms but veterinary Advocate spot-on is very effective.   Your vet may advise that you use it monthly during the summer.   Lungworms like warm weather but this wormer will kill them dead.   Prevention is better than cure so extra care with pet dish hygiene and returning to the vet if the symptoms come back at all should keep your dog free of the parasite.

Can I catch lungworm?    Relax, it isn’t transmissible to humans.   Some other pet parasites are though so make sure the worming programmes are always up to date.   Cats don’t catch this lungworm either although they do have their own lungworm parasite it does not present such severe symptoms as those in dogs.  It’s usually mild but any cat with a recurring cough should be examined by a vet.