Top tips on how to keep your dog safe from fatal disease, on the rise in the UK
Watch our video feature where vet Luke Gamble and dog lover, former Blue Peter presenter and Crufts commentator, Peter Purves give advice about lungworm
Recent research has shown that 86% of dog owners in the UK see their dog as a key part of the family, with more than a third saying they treat their dog with the same care with which they’d treat a child.
One of the biggest health risks for dogs is the threat of lungworm (a. vasorum); a potentially fatal parasite that dogs can contract from eating slugs and snails and it’s on the rise in the UK. With the increasing spread and population of urban foxes, who can carry the disease, the disease has been seen in more and more areas. Vets and animal health specialists are also concerned about the level of awareness of the disease amongst dog owners and are supporting the Bayer Be Lungworm Aware campaign this April to help keep the nation’s 8 million dogs safe and healthy.
Mark Bossley, chief vet at leading pet charity Blue Cross says: “We regularly advise dog owners of the dangers of lungworm because, sadly, we treat so many cases every year. It is a hidden killer so we are very supportive of the ‘Be Lungworm Aware’ campaign in the hope that more dogs will be saved from this horrible disease. We urge dog owners to talk to their vet about preventative treatments and be vigilant with their dogs when in the garden or on walks.”
To find out more about lungworm and how you can keep you four-legged friend safe, watch our video feature where vet Luke Gamble and Peter Purves give advice on preventing, spotting and treating the disease.
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