Vet warns of lethal worm ingested by dogs

A lethal worm has recently invaded the North Coast which is causing horrific tumours and has claimed many a dog’s life, reports North Coast Courier.

The number of spirocerca cases being seen by local vets is dramatically on the rise, according to Ballito Vet’s Dr Louis Gouws.

“We saw our first case in 2001 and they were rare and far between until recently. We have probably seen close to 300 cases since then and there has been a steep increase with probably one dog a week coming to us with spirocerca.”

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While there are various theories about where this worm comes from, which can be fatal if not caught in the early stages, Dr Gouws said he believes hadeda birds are to blame.

“The theory is that the spirocerca eggs are eaten by small dung beetles that becomes the intermediate host as the eggs survive until it enters into a canine’s body. My theory is that the hadedas eat the dung beetle as they are the only birds that catch them in the ground.

“These eggs survive in the hadeda poop which some dogs think is very tasty. Once the egg is in the dog’s body, the larvae hatch.”

The larvae then travel to the oesophagus where they form tumours or “nests”.

A spirocerca nest.

“Sometimes the larvae miss the nest and they can hit the spinal cord, which is bad, or they end up in the aorta and can cause it to explode, which means your dog will bleed to death in about two minutes.”

Dr Gouws said the owners of 90 percent of the spirocerca-infected dogs he has seen have said their pets eat hadeda faeces.

“Hadedas are spreading this worm at a frightening rate. I think we are just seeing the tip of the iceberg.”

If caught early, it is treatable with a course of six injections over six weeks, but Dr Gouws said by the time dog owners notice the symptoms it is sometimes too late.

Another symptom of spirocerca is swelling of the paws and legs.

“This is a silent killer because the symptoms can be so subtle. If you notice your dog is battling to swallow, vomits its food and eats it again, drools a lot, burps or has lost a lot of weight suddenly, you need to see a vet immediately.”

He said while normal dewormers do not work against spirocerca, giving your dog Advocat or Milbemax monthly should give protection from the worm.

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