In a special Vets’ Surgery Live,
TV vet Luke Gamble and Blue Peter favourite Peter Purves will be answering
questions from pet owners live from Blue Cross Animal Hospital.
As part of Be Lungworm Aware month, Luke and Peter are
helping dog owners spot the causes and symptoms of the potentially fatal
parasite, as well as how to avoid it.
They will be taking questions and offering their top tips on how to keep
your dogs happy and healthy. A live
lungworm examination will also help pet owners spot the signs that their pooch
needs treating.
Lungworm (A. vasorum) is a parasite that dogs become
infected with through eating slugs and snails which carry the larvae of the
parasite. Once inside the dogs system,
the parasite travels through the lungs, ending up in the heart. If the infection is left untreated, the dog’s
health can rapidly deteriorate, and can be fatal.
Recent research shows 36% of vets confirming a diagnosis
of the potentially fatal parasite in practices across the UK. This has more
than doubled since a survey in 2008, when the figure was 16%. This increase can be attributed to various
factors including climate change making for milder conditions so that infected
slugs and snails can survive for longer.
And there is concern from vets that despite the increase
in cases over the last four years, the level of awareness of the disease
amongst pet owners is very low with more than a third of dog owners surveyed
saying they have never heard of lungworm.
Join us live from the Blue Cross Animal Hospital to learn
how to help keep your dog happy, healthy and lungworm free.
Watch Vet surgery Live
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