Dog owners are being cautioned over a fatal infection which can originate from animals consuming from puddles.
A nationwide study of UK dog owners and veterinarian staff has actually revealed that lots of people can’t find the dangers of lungworm – a parasite that can trigger serious health problem and even death. Lungworm utilized to be discovered just in specific hotspots in the UK, generally in the South of England and Wales.
However, research study information reveals that lungworm is spreading out throughout much of the UK, and it is now likewise endemic in Central England, with an increasing variety of cases being reported in Northern England and Scotland.
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For Phoebe Claydon, a dog owner living in Milton Keynes, her puppy was uncommonly sluggish and an unexpected fall from a couch was the very first indication that anything was wrong. The next day, Gracie, the one-year-old working Cocker Spaniel, woke with an inflamed face and bruised, black skin leading to an emergency situation dash to her routine veterinary practice.
Gracie was dealt with by regional veterinary cosmetic surgeon Kim Hart who transferred to Milton Keynes in June 2022 from a practice in Bedford.
She said: “Education is needed to make sure lungworm is covered with prescription treatment for those dogs at risk. Off-the-shelf medications will not be effective, and they can leave animals vulnerable to lungworm. Pets could have lungworm for several months undetected and it is either detected by owners only when symptoms have become very severe, or if a secondary problem triggers a visit to a veterinary practice.”
Gracie is back to complete health following treatment and has “more energy than ever”.
Phoebe said: “I didn’t know lungworm could be fatal and if it had been left longer it might have been different. Luckily Gracie was treatable.”
Survey information reveals that a person in 4 dog owners do not identify the signs of lungworm, which can consist of behavioural modifications, low energy levels and unforeseen bruising, as experienced by Gracie. One in 5 dog owners are uninformed of how lungworm is transferred through typical activities such as consuming turf, drinking from puddles or water bowls left outdoors, along with consuming slugs and snails.
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