Lung Worm

[DaisyDoodle]

Daisy was diagnosed with lungworm today. In the last few months she has had a couple of spells; one this past Sun where her gums & ears were pale & her feet were cold. In Oct /Nov she was hypoxic--tongue blue, trouble breathing.

 

After first episode CBC & chest film were normal. This weekend she pinked up by the time vet tech at e-vet saw us, so we didn't see vet. We went to GH GP vet yesterday, got result today that fecal was low negative for lungworms.

 

Questions--panacur, how much, how long? Rx is for 14 days, don't know dose yet. Price: >$100. Is that high?

 

Should I do other tests beside fecal? Need other meds? Should I go to internal medicine specialist right away or wait & try Panacur?

 

Sorry if this is easily found by search but I'm on my phone. Thanks for any & all help.

Donna

[greyhead]

Should I do other tests beside fecal? Need other meds? Should I go to internal medicine specialist right away or wait & try Panacur?

 

Sorry if this is easily found by search but I'm on my phone. Thanks for any & all help.

Donna

http://www.petmd.com.../c_dg_lungworms

 

Here's a link to get you started. I'll post more if I find them and they look helpful. Don't know about the price of Panacur these days.

[/url]ETA: http://www.capcvet.o.../lungworms.html#

Edited January 17, 2012 by greyhead

[turbotaina]

Donna - I use goat Panacur. It's liquid and a better value, assuming Daisy doesn't mind it on her food. The dosage is 50mg per kg. For Heyokha, he comes in about 76 pounds, and I used a 100mg/ml suspension. One bottle of the stuff (at Tractor Supply) costs $20 and lasts about 6 or 7 days (125ml bottle). His dose was 17ml (or, a bit over a tbs). Daisy's about 65lbs or so? Her dose would be 15ml, or one tbs exactly Two bottles of the stuff will get you 14 days, easily.

 

Another option is to buy Panacur granules. That's a lot more expensive though. The packaging has the dosage. I think I figured for Heyoka, he would have needed 2 4g packs per day. I ordered it from Entirely Pets in to supplement the goat panacur that I already had ( had some left over from Turbo and was going to supplement with the Safeguard, but EP didn't ship my order on time I ended up just buying more goat fenbendazole) and two packages of three 4g granules (which would have lasted 3 days) cost $23. They generally have the best prices on dog panacur. The generic Panacur is Safeguard and Petsmart sells it, but again, it's more expensive and the goat stuff works just fine Good luck!

Edited January 18, 2012 by turbotaina

[Burpdog]

Do you live in the States?

 

 

[DaisyDoodle]

Yes, Diane, we do live in the States. Part time in southern New England, and part time in southwestern PA.

 

I understand that the vectors for this nematode are slugs, snails, and earthworms. So, I'm guessing Daisy acquired this at home in PA, where we have a fenced yard. Even with a muzzle on, she is known to snuffle through the mulch and come in with her muzzle all wet and dirty (as the reason for the muzzle was to keep her from eating fledgling birds and occasional poopsicles). I'm going to upgrade to a stool guard or duct tape on the muzzle.

 

In New England, she is usually leash walked. Occasionally, she spends time with a local GH family, but their pups are fine.

 

I'm guessing that this is an unusual worm for a dog to get in the states. I ran across a Bayer website for the UK that makes it seem like lungworm is a big problem there. (Or, at least Bayer would like the consumer to be frightened into buying their drug for this problem.)

 

Thanks Mary & Meri for the website and Panacur info. Unfortunately, I bought the meds from the vet already, but I'll know for next time.

[greyhead]

You're most welcome, Donna. Hope the Panacur does its job for Daisy. It doesn't sound like a fun thing to have!

[Burpdog]

I thought you were & up east. I have read of some case in the south, but none up north.

 

How did they diagnose them?

[DaisyDoodle]

I thought you were & up east. I have read of some case in the south, but none up north.

 

How did they diagnose them?

 

The lungworm was diagnosed through a fecal.

 

I don't think Daisy's really been south of PA in two or three years.

[turbotaina]

I thought you were & up east. I have read of some case in the south, but none up north.

 

How did they diagnose them?

 

 

One of our New England foster dogs had them off the track a few years ago. This was a dog from the Raynham track. His were diagnosed in the coughing phase of the infection.

Edited January 20, 2012 by turbotaina

[DaisyDoodle]

I thought you were & up east. I have read of some case in the south, but none up north.

 

How did they diagnose them?

 

 

One of our New England foster dogs had them off the track a few years ago. This was a dog from the Raynham track. His were diagnosed in the coughing phase of the infection.

 

We live less than an hour from Raynham in southern NE, FWIW.

 

Daisy really doesn't cough much, if at all. It's just been the strange circulatory issues I've noticed which gave me the impression her oxygen levels weren't what they should be. The day she turned blue she had some gagging or struggling to breathe; but I don't recall coughing, per se.

Edited January 20, 2012 by DaisyDoodle