17/03/2025
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📞 Call 01733 977200
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Recently it was reported that cases of Lungworm in East Anglia are on the rise and for pet owners to be more vigilant.
But what is Lungworm?
Lungworm or Angiostrongylus Vasorum is a parasitic worm, the larvae of which is spread by slugs and snails, it can infect dogs and be potentially fatal.
Dogs do not have to ingest slugs or snails to become infected, just having contact with the slime trail left behind by an infected gastropod can be enough. This could be on a toy left outside overnight, a food or water bowl even long grass in the garden or on a walk.
The risk of infection can be greatly decreased:
🐌 By picking up toys and bowls and washing them on a regular basis.
🐌 If your dog is a scavenger then to try to stop them from consuming snails and slugs.
🐌 By having a parasite preventative program. Lungworm prevention MUST be given monthly.
Symptoms of Lungworm are: coughing, breathing issues, lethargy, weight loss, poor appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea, excessive bleeding, nose bleeds, anemia.
Dogs may have just one symptom or a combination of several, and in the early stages may not show any symptoms at all.
Of course the above symptoms may also be indictive of other illnesses so you should consult a vet if you are worried.
If you wish to discuss a suitable parasite preventative program (we have two different programs available) or to find out more about lungworm you can talk to any of our RVNs, who will be more than happy to help you.
You can also look at an interactive map put together by Elanco showing where reported cases in the UK are https://mypetandi.elanco.com/en_gb/lungworm-map
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