The Spirocerca lupi worm lurks in subtropical regions and can be deadly should it infect your precious pooch. Read on to learn all the necessary worm treatment and prevention methods that every paw parent needs to know!
The Spirocerca lupi (S. lupi) worm is a pesky red worm that uses dogs as hosts to carry their larvae and can be fatal to dogs should they be infected. These infectious worms use dung beetles, mice, birds, lizards, and frogs as transport hosts, and after a dog ingests one of these transport hosts, the worm completes its life cycle in the stomach, aorta, and oesophagus of the pooch.
Spirocercosis (the disease caused by being infected by the S. lupi worm) can be fatal to a dog, and therefore, it is super-duper important for all pooch parents to what worm treatment options are available and how to treat any infections as well as, how to prevent your precious pup from being infected with the worm in the first place.
If you have never heard of Spirocerca lupi, follow this link to learn exactly what it is, its lifecycle, and how to identify if your pup has been infected: Spirocerca: Everything you need to know about this pesky worm!
Now, that you have all the background knowledge, let’s get into the nitty-gritty stuff! Read on to learn about treatment and preventative methods for Spirocercosis.
Spirocerca Lupi Worm Treatments
If you have seen the tell-tale signs of Spirocercosis in your four-legged friend (such as vomiting, shortness of breath, weight loss, fever, or swollen feet), it is very important to contact your local vet and undertake the necessary tests to confirm that the S. lupi worm has infected your pooch.
Once your dog has been diagnosed with Spirocercosis, there are a few worm treatment methods that your vet can use to try and get rid of this pesky parasites. Treatment of this disease is complex and difficult as it is aimed at killing the adult worm living in the dog’s oesophagus as well as the young S. lupi worms that are migrating from the aorta to the oesophagus.
Treatment methods that your vet may use to treat a simple infection or small nodule will include applying a weekly application of Advocate® to the back of your pup’s neck until the nodule in your dog’s oesophagus has gone, or by using an anti-parasitic drug which can be administered through an injection or given orally. Repeated treatment is often required, as this stubborn worm is often hesitant to leave its cosy home.
Unfortunately, there is no treatment for oesophageal nodules that have become cancerous. Cancerous nodules require surgical treatment. This is the reason why it is so important to catch this disease in the early stages, or better yet, to prevent your pup from being infected!
While you’re here, read: How to Calm Your Dog at the Vet: 7 Simple Tips
How to prevent your pup from being infected with the S. lupi worm
As your mum always taught you, it is better to be safe than sorry. In the case of Spirocercosis, this couldn’t be more true!
The first step is to try and prevent your precious pet from eating dung beetles. This can be prevented by simply removing your dog’s “number 2’s” from the garden regularly. This will deter dung beetles from coming and searching for faeces to feed on. This is a task that many paw parents dread; however, it is a task that you shouldn’t skip out on.
As you have learned, other animals can become S. lupi transport hosts should they ingest an infected animal and, as hard as you try, it can be very difficult to prevent your pooch from snacking on a frog, lizard, dung beetle or bird. Therefore, the safest and surest option to prevent your pooch from being infected with S. lupi is to give your pup a preventative medication, such as Advocate® or Milbemax™.
Advocate® is a topical parasite and worm treatment that needs to be applied once a month and is effective at treating and preventing parasites, such as fleas, ticks, intestinal worms, and heartworms. Milbemax™ is given orally to your pup and provides broad-spectrum protection from intestinal worms and prevents deadly heartworms when given monthly to your fluffy friend. Most importantly, both of these preventative methods protect your pup from the S. lupi worm.
Speak to your vet about the most effective preventative measures that are most suitable for your precious pet!
Read: How to Care for Your Pet: 5 Preventative Care Treatments
Don’t stress when it comes to the vet bills, Pet Insurance can have you covered
Spirocercosis is a disease that you need to protect your dog against, and should your pet become infected, you will need to see a vet as soon as possible. This means that there are vet bills involved, and we know that this is stressful for many paw parents. That’s where Pet Insurance can help!
We recommend Oneplan Pet Insurance, because they’ll pay you before you visit the vet, you will have the freedom to go to any vet of your choice, you won’t need to deal with any tedious paperwork – and there’s so much more!
Ensure that worm treatment and prevention is high on your list of routine-care priorities to make sure that your pet’s always in peak health.
