Lungworm
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Lungworms are
The most common lungworms belong to one of two groups, the superfamily Trichostrongyloidea or the superfamily Metastrongyloidea, but not all the species in these superfamilies are lungworms.
The lungworms in the superfamily Trichostrongyloidea include several species in the genus .
These include Metastrongylus elongatus (apri), found in pigs; Oslerus osleri found in dogs; and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus[2] found in cats. Some of these have indirect, and complex, life-cycles; several of them involve slugs or snails as intermediate hosts, where the habit of sniffing at slug trails, or even licking them, causes the parasite egg to enter the dog's respiratory tract. In the case of A. abstrusus the cat is normally infected by eating a bird or rodent that has itself eaten the original host.[3]
Lifecycle
The general life cycle of a lungworm begins with an ingestion of infective
Symptoms
The most common symptom is coughing and other typical symptoms are wheezing and weight loss. These symptoms are caused by larvae that reside in the lungs where immunity develops and the accumulation of mucus cause blockage of the airway into the lungs.
Diagnosis
If an animal is suspected of lungworm infection, there are many ways to detect this parasitic infection such as performing one or more of the following techniques: a complete medical history including lung auscultation (stethoscope examination), doing a chest X ray, fecal examination for detection of ova or larvae, examination of respiratory secretions for ova or larvae, and/or a complete blood count (CBC) to check for signs of increase in eosinophils,
While examination of feces is more commonly performed in cattle as a diagnostic, transtracheal wash cytology can occasionally yield lungworm eggs in infected animals.[5]
Treatment
Lungworm infestations can cause significant distress to the animal but are usually treatable with drugs. If infected with lungworm parasite, an
In the case of a severe reaction, an anti-inflammatory drug of
To treat tissue inflammation, the corticosteroid Prednisone is usually given (5–10 days). However, there are some side effects such as increased urination or appetite.
The drugs fenbendazole or moxidectin are usually administered to kill the parasite.
There are several different lungworm parasites that have been identified. Although they all originate from the lungworm parasite, they are treated somewhat differently and requires a combination of various drugs to treat the parasite. [citation needed]
Prevention
Repeat chest X-rays in 2 and 4 weeks after treatment. Also, recheck a fecal sample to monitor for the presence of larvae or ova in 2 to 4 weeks. This will confirm if the parasite is still living inside the respiratory tissue.
In popular culture
Lungworms and other sheep parasites feature heavily in the 20th century novel Independent People (Sjálfstætt fólk) by Icelandic author Halldór Laxness.
References
- ^ "Symptoms of Lungworm". thekennelclub.org.uk. The Kennel Club. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
lungworm usually causes progressively worsening signs of cardiac and respiratory disease
- PMID 26271902.
- ^ "Lungworm Infection: Introduction". The Merck Veterinary Manual. 2006. Retrieved 2008-01-09.
- ^ "Lungworm Facts". Dr. Allan Donais, DVM. Archived from the original on 1 December 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
- ^ "Veterinary Record Case Reports".
External links
- Lungworms in Cats Retrieved on 5/4/09