Just Dogs

Be aware of the dangers of Snails and Slugs

16 Jul 2010

We don't want to scare any of our readers but we do believe it is always best to be kept aware.

Snails and Slugs carry a type of lung worm that can be life threatening to our dogs.  

With all the damp, humid and wet weather we are having up in Scotland, I have noticed a big increase in the number of snails we have in our garden.  Luckily for us our dogs Daisy and Sam are not very interested in the slippery creatures. Some dogs will deliberately try to eat these molluscs and there is also the risk that the snails crawl onto a toy or a chew or are hidden amongst undergrowth your dog may be rummaging in.

As explained on the Lungworm Aware website there are two main problems caused by dogs becoming infected with lungworm:

• Infection with lungworm can cause serious health problems in dogs, and is often fatal if not diagnosed and treated.
• Dogs infected with lungworm spread the parasite into the environment, as the larvae of the parasite are expelled in the dog’s faeces. This increases the chances of other dogs becoming infected.

Lungworm symptoms can be as follows:

• breathing problems
• poor blood clotting
• general sickness
• changes in behaviour

Sometimes the symptoms can be difficult to spot so if you are unsure it is always best to seek advice from your Vet who can do tests to confirm if your dog is infected with the lungworm parasite. 

What can I do?

• Your veterinary surgeon can recommend a parasite control programme that takes into account the risk of your dog becoming infected with lungworm.
• If your dog eats slugs or snails, but is not showing any symptoms, arrange a check up with your veterinary surgeon as a precaution.
• If your dog has had lungworm your vet may recommend regular check ups to allow early detection if your dog becomes re infected.
• If you own a number of dogs and one becomes infected, make your veterinary surgeon aware as he or she may want to examine other dogs which share its environment.
• In line with preventing worm infestations in your pets and family (the lungworm Angiostrongylus vasorum does not infect humans), keep your garden and surrounding areas as free as possible from dog mess

For more information visit the Lungworm aware website   

• By Gemma Johnstone
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