Is your dog's unusual barking a secret code for something mysterious?

[lillybettybabs]

A chap has posted a warning on one of the gundog forums i go on. It's on the increase:shock:

 

 

Just thought i would give everyone a little warning as my brother nearly lost one of his dogs to Lung worm this last week.

 

His dog started losing energy and then labouring when breathing and then was coughing blood. gums were white (anaemia) and the dog was generally sick.

 

Anyway afer some treatment she seems to be recovering but is not of the woods yet.

 

Your normal wormer wont protect against Lung worm and it is lethal, often resulting in death if not caught soon enough. The Vet said if this dog wasnt so healthy and a fighter it would ov been a goner.

 

The lungworm parasite is carried by slugs and snails. If your dog accidentally or on purpose! eat these by eating grass, drinking from puddles or outdoor water bowls, or pick them up from their toys then you could be in trouble.

 

All this could have been prevented though - Make sure you protect your dog against it by using Advocate (Correct dosage)on a fairly regualar basis (Monthly). It is easilty applied to the skin on the back of the neck when the dog is dry. I have 2 cockers and just done them at about £8 ea so thats £100 ea a year but far outweighs the vets bills. I would say if you cant afford it all year then least do it when the parasite is most rife

(Warm and wet climate - Spring and Summer)

 

Anyway - just making people aware cos not everyone realises the severity of it or that it exists.

 

Speak to your vet - look on the web - dont loose your dog to it

[The Dogmother]

There's an alert about this on the lurcher forum too - it's a regular, yearly concern.

[LuckyChickenLover-]

I saw a video about this at my vets the other day Scary stuff.

[karlotta]

I ask the vet about lungwom every year at vaccination time and was reassured that he said there was no sign in this area yet... But the wormer we use (milbemax) does cover lungworms (but for full coverage it needs to be given monthly). All that said I very rarely get to see a worm and haven't seen a slug in years! The chickens/ducks sort that one out! There's no way a pair of newfies could beat a chicken to a slug!