ARTHRITIS
ARTHRITIS IS THE TERM USED TO DESCRIBE PAIN, STIFFNESS AND SWELLING IN THE JOINT. THIS CAN BE DUE TO NATURAL WEAR AND TEAR, OR SPECIFIC INFECTIONS. EITHER WAY, THE JOINTS BETWEEN THE BONES CAN BECOME VERY PAINFUL. WE MOST COMMONLY SEE THIS IN THE LIMB JOINTS OF OUR MORE ELDERLY PETS, BUT IT CAN ALSO OCCUR IN THE SPINE. THE CARTILAGE THINS AND LIGAMENTS STRETCH WITH AGE SO THE BODY REACTS BY TRYING TO GROW NEW BONE TO SUPPORT THE JOINTS, THIS RESTRICTS JOINT MOVEMENT AND CAUSES PAIN AND DISCOMFORT.
LUNGWORM
WE HAVE SEEN SEVERAL CONFIRMED CASES OF LUNGWORM RECENTLY. THIS IS A STRANGE PARASITIC WORM WHICH IS BECOMING MORE COMMON. IT CAUSES A VARIETY OF POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING SYMPTOMS INCLUDING COUGHING, BLEEDING, WEIGHT LOSS, VOMITING AND DIARRHOEA, AND EXERCISE INTOLERANCE. MORE RARELY IT CAUSES NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS AND SEIZURES. THE WORM INVOLVED (ANGIOSTRONGYLUS VASORUM) SPENDS PART OF ITS LIFECYCLE AS A LARVA IN SLUGS, SNAILS OR OCCASIONALLY FROGS.
CLICK HERE TO SEE A LIFE CYCLE OF THE LUNG WORM AND PICTURES OF LARVAE
DEFINITE DIAGNOSIS IS POSSIBLE BY LOOKING FOR LARVAE IN A FAECAL SAMPLE COLLECTED OVER A FEW DAYS.
IF INFECTION IS SUSPECTED, A SPOT ON TREATMENT IS AVAILABLE ON PRESCRIPTION. THIS WILL KILL THE LUNGWORM AS WELL AS TREATING A LARGE RANGE OF OF OTHER PARASITES.
IF YOUR DOG HAS ANY VAGUE UNEXPLAINED SYMPTOMS, PLEASE GET IT CHECKED AT THE SURGERY.
