Lungworm hotspots in BCP dog owners need to know about

It is a type of parasitic worm which affects dogs and foxes and lives in the heart and major blood vessels supplying the lungs.

Lungworm can be spread in the environment in several ways, as the larvae become present in their faeces of animals it has infected.

Other animals can ingest this, or it can be eaten by slugs and snails, which, if eaten by dogs, can further spread the disease.

How many cases of lungworm have been recorded in BCP?

Cases of lungworm have been compiled in an interactive map by the website My Pet and I.

Overall, there have been 171 cases of lungworm reported within a 50-mile radius of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole since 2009.

The biggest hotspot in the area was Old Christchurch Road in Bournemouth, with 10 cases recorded over that time.

Meanwhile, three had been reported near Kinson Road in Wallisdown and two near North Road in Poole.

Overall, 10 cases of lungworm have been reported around Old Christchurch Road (Image: My Pet and I)

Other areas which had a singular reported case included Stokewood Road, Hinton Road, Knyveton Road, Hurn Road, Purewell, Stony Lane and Wessex Gate Retail Park.

Lungworm symptoms to look out for

According to the Blue Cross website, lungworm symptoms include:

• coughing
• breathing problems
• not wanting to exercise
• loss of appetite
• vomiting or diarrhoea
• weight loss
• if a dog gets a minor injury, like a small cut, it might bleed for longer

Speak to your vet straight away if you think your dog might have lungworm.

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How to stop your dog getting lungworm

You can prevent your dog from being seriously harmed by a lungworm infection in the following ways:

• Regular worming treatments
• Picking up your dog’s faeces quickly.
  This will help prevent the spread of lungworm
• Removing toys and bowls from the garden overnight so they are not exposed to slugs and snails
• Changing the water in water bowls frequently

It should be noted that lungworm cannot be transmitted from animals to humans.