Lungworm warning

As I was Reading the paper this morning I noticed a large article/advert about lungworm in dogs.

They are warning owners to be careful of dogs eating slugs and snails as they can carry the life threatening Angiostrongylus Vasorum disease.

More info can be found on a website set-up called www.lungworm.co.uk

Sorry if this had already been done but wanted to share incase people didn't know about it.

When I took my dogs into the vets in March for their annual vaccs.. he was telling me about this, and how it was going to be in the dog papers this month.

He said they are seeing more and more cases of "lung worm" throughout the country.. and the dangers of it... Lungworm can kill!!

He also said, that "vets" are going to promote "Advocate" as a prevention over other other flea treatments, as it covers all flea/tick/mite treatments.. along with "Lung worm"

There was a warning last year about the very same thing, something to bear in mind and be on the alert.

Mo

Yes I was considering changing to Advocate - anyone use it? Does it enter the blood stream or does it coat the skin? Any side effects known?

I`ve used it, found no side affects.. you put it on like any of the others.. I would expect it works the same way

Here you go, found this......

http://www.advocate-spot-on.com/4366.0.html

A cautionary tale......

One of my border collies is just getting over lungworm. She has been very ill and we almost lost her. She was not showing any symptoms and we did not know that she had it until we took her to the vet for what I thought was a cut her foot.

The cut was in fact a small lump, which was not actually related to the lungworm. The vet decided to do a routine blood test to see what the lump was and I was shocked to be told that my dog's blood platelets were dangerously low which meant that her blood was not clotting and she could bleed to death.

It was then that Lungworm was diagnosed. The vet said it was rife in the southern counties of England and they had 4 cases in their practice within the last week. He also said that she may have had this for sometime and if we had not bought her in she may well have died.

The treatment was strong steroid tablets which actually made her very ill. She became very lethargic and bloated and drank copious amounts of water which meant that she peed a lot and sometimes she was unable to get out in time, so for the past 5 weeks my partner and I have taken it in turns to stay downstairs with her all night, letting her out every hour.

I am glad to say that after 5weeks of the steroids her blood platelets are back to normal and we are slowly reducing the medication and getting back to normal.

This parasite that causes lungworm can be contracted in a number of ways and you may think like I did that my dog does not go near slugs and snails, but she does eat dirt and she does drink from puddles and she does smell other dogs poo, and she contracted it from one of these.

We now have protected all our dogs with Advocate and I would urge all other dog owners to do the same.

Is it only if the dog eats the sanils/slugs? As mine do not eat them but obviously the slime is everywhere! Even in the house when they bring them in on their coats.

hi
no they can also contract it by the trails of slugs and snails,ie toys that have been left in the garden a 'slimed' water bowl,blade of grass etc

hi
it is systemic,so does enter the blood stream....i have known no side affects,but anything is possible,supposedly some collies can have a reaction(mainly rough) but i(and clients) have used it on their collies with no adverse reactions,it has also been rigourously tested at many times the reccomnded dose.
ive seen what lungworm can do so its advocate for my lot,even my collie

I use advocate, never had any problems with it x