Lungworms in Dogs

Updated on March 17, 2008
S.M. asks from Brooklyn, NY
6 answers

I am mom to a 6 year old beagle. I rescued her a little over 2 years ago. Vet has been treating her with panacure and drontal for over 2 years----she is still loaded with lungworms. My vet is stumped, her lungs are now scared, cause of the long period of lungworm infestation. She has major coughing fits. Please----anyone who has any info on treating lungworms, please reply. If you saw her chest x rays, you would be reduced to tears.yes, i have taken her to, 2 other vets-------they said lungworms too-same meds to give.
Thank you in advance
barni girls momma S.

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A.G.

answers from New York on

Hi S.!
I know you are in BK but I would totally reccommend my holistic vet - Dr. Burton Miller in Huntington station! It seems like these regualr meds are not doing the trick so maybe there is a holistic alternative to help your poor little lady out! It's the Animal Wellness Center - ###-###-####
animalwellness.net

Good luck!! I hope they can help you :)

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K.M.

answers from Syracuse on

I used to work for a vet, but had never heard of lungworms. I had to google it, and read about it. It seems that if she does in fact have lungworms then the right course has been taken. However, has it been the right doses, and given at the right intervals? Have you had her tested for Heartworms? Heart worms can cause the coughing too. And if she even has the slightest bit of heart worms she can get more aggressive treatment that should also take care of the lungworms.

What I read also said that if she has been allowed to feed on any dead animals that are infected with lungworms then she will continue to be infected with them. When she's out running around you just may not know what she is eating.

Here is the website I was reading. http://siriusdog.com/lungworm-flukes.htm Good luck!

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J.S.

answers from New York on

I have 2 beagles myself. My first had all sorts of worms when we got him, it took what sesms like forever to get him clear. I don't think he had lungworms altough he had so many he very well could have. I have a great vet so she was able to work through his worm issues, but she had to be real agressive with one. I would say to go to the vet you think is the best and ask if there is a more aggressive treatment. If you don't have a vet you think is great and you live in Huntington/Smithtown area I can give you the name of mine.

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L.S.

answers from New York on

As a practicing veterinarian, I would have a couple of questions. One, how did they diagnose lungworm? Was it clinical suspicion because of the xray, did they find it with a fecal sample, or did they get a sample from her lungs by sedating her and infusing saline? If they got it with an xray, their diagnosis may be inaccurate, as there are other things that can cause that type of pattern in the lungs, or it may have started as worms, and has turned into a chronic inflammation. If they got it with a fecal, she may have 2 types of lungworm, onc that is evident in the stool, but she may have another in the lungs that is not responsive to the medication they've used. If they got it from a tracheal wash, then either they may have identified the wrong worm, she could have 2 types of worms, or there is another underlying problem preventing her from getting rid of the worms, such as an immune problem. The other possibility, is that she may have had lungworm, it was treated, but it set up for this chronic pulmonary problem, causing the appearance of the xrays to be worse. In that case, steroids may be recommended. If you're fairly sure they've been very thorough, and you've had the transtracheal wash (with sedation) done at least twice, then I would think about taking her to an internal medicine specialist. If they still have a sample of the lung wash, then maybe they could sent it to Cornell or UPenn for a definitive identification. There can be different lungworms and different meds to treat them.

While I absolutely have no idea what is really going on with her since I haven't seen her or treated her, I would be concerned that this there may be another underlying problem going on with her respiratory tract, whether it is what made her more susceptible to lungworm or whether a chronic problem has been set up by the lungworm. At this point, you've been to 3 vets, I would definitely take her to a specialist at one of the larger referral places in the state. Good luck!

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L.T.

answers from Syracuse on

S.,

I have never heard of lung worms. What do they do, what are the symptoms, and can cats get it too?

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K.B.

answers from New York on

Hi S.,
My husband & I rescue cats/kittens & have 4 cats & a dog.
Have you tried a "holistic" vet? I strongly believe in Natural cures. We have treated our animals with natural things with great success. Are the lung worms gone? She needs to have her immune system boosted so her body can fight it. Drugs (help at times) but wreck havoc on the immune system. I know of a GREAT product for the immune system that we give to our animals & OURSELVES....won't be without it! Please feel free to reply & maybe I can be of some help? (If you are near Huntington there is a great holistic vet here).
~ K.

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