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Dog Lungworms: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Lungworms have been widespread in cats for a long time. In recent years, however, the annoying parasites have also become an increasing problem in dogs. In view of the serious consequences that an infestation with lungworms can have for dogs, owners should by no means underestimate the risks associated with them and counter a possible infection as soon as possible.

Find out below how dogs get lungworms, what symptoms they cause, and how they can be treated.

Dog Lungworms

What are lungworms?

Lungworms are parasites that infect the airways and lungs of their hosts. In dogs, Crenosoma vulpis, a type of roundworm, are particularly prevalent.

The lungworm larvae are ingested orally, burrow through the walls of the small intestine and migrate via the liver and heart to the lungs and then into the dog's bronchi. There they develop into adult worms. These form larvae, which the dog first coughs up and then swallows.

The larvae are then finally excreted with the faeces and can thus spread further.

How dogs get infected with lungworms

Lungworms use snails as intermediate hosts. If your dog eats an infected mollusc, the parasites enter its body, where they can nestle and multiply in the lungs and bronchi.

In view of the fact that snails can be found in almost every garden and can also cross your four-legged friend's path when walking in forests and meadows, the risk of infection is quite high.

To make matters worse, snails distribute tiny worm larvae with their slime. Even if your four-legged friend would never eat a snail, it can therefore come into contact with the larvae of the lungworm.

Sometimes it is enough for a snail to crawl over a drinking bowl in the garden. That being said, dogs that frequently eat grass are also exposed to a correspondingly high risk of infection.

Symptoms of lungworms in the dog

Lungworms can cause a number of symptoms in dogs. Since these are quite unspecific, it is hardly possible to infer an infection with lungworms based on the symptoms.

The following symptoms can indicate a possible lungworm infestation in dogs:

  • A cough
  • Accelerated breathing
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nasal discharge
  • Sneezing
  • Circulatory problems
  • Heart failure
  • Fever

Symptoms can vary depending on the exact type of worm and the severity of the infestation. If an otherwise healthy dog has only a small number of larvae, the symptoms can be limited to a slight cough. However, a heavy infestation with lungworms can also be life-threatening for dogs.

Lungworms in dogs: diagnosis by the veterinarian

If you suspect that your dog may have lungworms, you should see a veterinarian promptly. With the help of various examinations, they can tell you whether your fears are correct.

As a rule, the veterinarian will first ask for a faecal examination. Since worm larvae are not excreted with each drop of faeces, it is necessary to examine the faeces for several days in order to obtain the most meaningful test results possible.

A negative test result does not necessarily mean that your dog does not have lungworms. In order to get to the bottom of the cause of the symptoms, the veterinarian will very likely also use imaging tests and check your dog's lungs for possible changes.

If this does not allow an unequivocal diagnosis, further tests may also occasionally be necessary to detect an infection with lungworms in the dog.

Treating lungworms in dogs

If your dog is infected by lungworms, treatment should start as soon as possible. The veterinarian will usually prescribe a suitable anti-parasitic agent for the four-legged friend. For example, the active ingredient milbemycin oxime, which is administered in tablet form, can be used.

Apart from that, there are also various spot-ons available that are also suitable for treating dogs with lungworms.

Prevent lungworms in dogs

Of course, it is best if your dog does not become infected with lungworms in the first place. You should therefore refrain from leaving food and drinking bowls outside overnight and also make sure that your four-legged friend does not eat snails on your trips together.

You will probably not be able to stop it from eating grass completely, as it is, to a certain extent, a natural behaviour of dogs. However, when this habit gets out of hand, action should be taken, not least because it may well be that a health problem is the cause.

Regardless of this, many dog owners rely on prophylactic deworming to prevent their dog from becoming infected with lungworms and other worms. However, you should bear in mind that the administration of a worming treatment represents a burden for the organism of the four-legged friend that should not be underestimated. So weigh up the benefits and risks of this approach before you decide for or against it.

Bellfor Vermal: the natural worming cure for dogs

With Bellfor Vermal we have developed a natural worming cure for dogs. The digestible powder contains selected ingredients such as carrot, pumpkin seeds and wormwood.

With its special composition, Bellfor Vermal reliably creates an environment in the intestine that is hostile to worms and thus makes a decisive contribution to getting rid of the parasites again or preventing an infestation from the outset.

As Bellfor Vermal does not contain any chemical active ingredients, the worming treatment does not burden the dog's organism and resistance does not develop even with repeated use. If you want to counteract a worm infestation in your dog in a compatible way, you are exactly right with our natural alternative.

View Bellfor Vermal in our shop.

Intestinal Rehabilitation in Dogs After a Worm Infestation

Parasites such as lungworm larvae burden the intestinal flora of the dog. After the four-legged companion has been dewormed, it is advisable to perform a so-called intestinal rehabilitation. This means restoring the balance of the intestinal flora. For this purpose, we recommend administering Bellfor Gastro Activia. This is a high-quality supplementary feed containing valuable probiotics and prebiotics, which can effectively support the intestinal recovery after the lungworm infestation.

Learn more about Bellfor's Gastro Activia >

Lungworms in dogs: the most important things at a glance

Lungworms are becoming increasingly common in dogs. The infestation usually manifests itself with quite unspecific symptoms, and some of them can also be completely absent. In order to prevent possible serious consequences for your four-legged friend, we recommend that you consult a veterinarian promptly in case of suspicion. They can examine your dog and, if necessary, prescribe a suitable de-wormer for dogs.

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