Dog owners warned of deadly disease

MILLIONS of dog owners are unaware of a deadly disease spreading across the UK, according to new research. While 52% of dog owners are aware of lungworm, 39% admitted they didn't know exactly what it is, and a further 1 in 10, mostly younger respondents, were unaware of lungworm entirely.  Thousands of cases of the potentially fatal disease have been reported across the UK, with 21% of the dog owners saying that their own dog has had a case of lungworm, while a quarter know a dog who has had a case of it. 19% of dog owners whose pet has actually had a case of lungworm admitted they still weren't entirely sure what it is, while 5% didn't know at all. Dog owners in the North East of England (40%) and in London (39%) are most likely to have directly experienced lungworm in their pet.  Vets4Pets, who carried out the research, is now working with Bayer to help inform owners of the dangers of this deadly parasite.

Dr Huw Stacey, vet and director of clinical services at Vets4Pets, said:- "Our research has discovered that awareness, and particularly knowledge, of the parasite lungworm is still pretty low amongst UK dog owners. It appears that many people still don't fully understand how their dogs can contract it, what threats it poses and how important, and easy, prevention is. Most worryingly a ⅓ of those surveyed admitted they don't currently give their dog any preventative treatment to protect their dog against lungworm. And when asked why they don't, we found that the most common reason was apathy, or a lack of awareness, as 35% said they didn't even know that lungworm was preventable. There are many simple steps owners can take to help prevent their dog contracting lungworm, but ensuring your dog is given lungworm preventative treatment prescribed by your vet monthly, is really the only way of keeping them completely safe and protected. The parasite was originally believed to be limited to southern Regions, but research has revealed the parasite's presence in north England, and even Scotland, which were not previously considered at risk, so this is something all UK dog owners need to be aware of."

Lungworm is a parasite that can be deadly to dogs if ingested. It uses multiple animals to help complete its lifecycle, with dogs and foxes as the primary hosts, and slugs, snails and even frogs as the intermediate hosts.

Vets4Pets' research found that less than a ⅓ of dog owners were able to correctly identify that slugs (32%) and snails (27%) spread the lungworm parasite. 13% thought the parasite is spread by sheep or rats, and 6% of UK dog owners even thought otters were to blame.

Evidence shows that foxes are also spreading the disease, which only 13% of those surveyed knew, as they can host the parasite, alongside dogs. A recent survey revealed that lungworm prevalence in foxes in Greater London has reached nearly 75%, while the national average is only 18.3%.

"Lungworm is spread when the parasite's larvae are produced inside a dog or fox and passed through their faeces, which are eaten by slugs, snails or frogs who then become infected with the parasite,. Unlike other diseases, lungworm can't be passed from dog to dog, but instead if a dog accidentally eats an infected slug or snail, or comes into contact with their slime, they can contract the disease. And the risk of dogs coming into contact with these infected molluscs is high, as it is believed that the average British garden contains over 20,000 slugs and snails, and the larvae which are released in the slime can survive for at least 15 days. That's why, as well as using preventative treatment, it is crucial owners don't leave their dog's toys or water bowls outside overnight, or let them pick up sticks in the park, as these could all have been exposed to slug or snail slime. Our research revealed that pet owners whose dogs have previously contracted lungworm are significantly more likely (97%) to leave their dog's items outside overnight, compared to just 35% of dog owners whose pets have never contracted lungworm; so it is an important extra precaution." explained Dr Stacey.

Older respondents were able to identify more physical signs of lungworm. On average, dog owners aged 18 to 34 could identify 2.2 symptoms of the condition, whilst respondents aged 55 or over were able to identify an average of 3.7.

"Common signs of lungworm include coughing and breathing problems, but also weight loss, vomiting, diarrhoea, tiredness, blood clotting or excessive bleeding from small wounds and changes in behaviour. However, in many cases, a dog doesn't display any clear signs of the disease for quite some time, or if they do, the signs can present very differently in each dog. Signs like coughing and breathing difficulties can even often be confused with conditions like kennel cough. This means lungworm can sometimes be hard to diagnose, so it is vital that owners are aware of the risks, protect their pet from the parasite and visit their vets if they have any concerns." continued Dr Stacey.

Vicky McAlister, senior brand manager at Bayer, said:- "We are working with Vets4Pets to raise awareness of lungworm to try and combat these knowledge gaps amongst dog owners. However, while we want to educate dog owners on what exactly lungworm is, the main thing we want them to take away is knowing that this disease is easy to prevent with a monthly preventative treatment. With the parasite spreading throughout the UK, this information is relevant to dog owners across the nation."

Dog owners can check if there are cases of lungworm in their local area via Bayer's map at:- LungWorm.Co.UK.  For further information on lungworm, please visit: ets4Pets.Com.

44% of working renters in the North West only 1 paycheque away from losing their home

WITH little or no savings to fall back on, 44% of private renters in the North West could not afford to pay their rent for more than a month if they lost their job, new research from Shelter shows. Surviving from one paycheque to the next the Shelter and YouGov study found that almost 360,000 private renters living in the North West could be just 1 paycheque away from losing their home. What is worse, a job loss would render 232,000 of these workers (29%) immediately unable to pay their rent. Looking at the national picture, the situation is particularly bleak for families with children in England. The charity found that a staggering 60%, or 760,000 working families who rent privately could be just 1 paycheque away from losing their home. This concerning snapshot of life for struggling renters' chimes with the government's own figures, which reveal 63% of private renting households in England have no savings at all. Sadly, this is not surprising given they spend on average 41% of their monthly income on rent costs; making it incredibly difficult for private renters to put anything aside. Shelter is using its latest findings to argue for more social homes as the only stable and genuinely affordable alternative to private renting for millions of people. With the country in a state of political and economic uncertainty, the charity is urging all parties not to side line the housing crisis, and to ensure social housebuilding is at the centre of any domestic agenda. Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said:- "By allowing the number of genuinely affordable social homes to plummet, politicians have super-charged our housing emergency. Tens of thousands of working people in the North West are now caught in an endless cycle of paying grossly expensive private rents they can barely afford - with all the insecurity that brings. Many are terrified that even a short term dip in income could result in them losing their home for good. Warm words and piecemeal policies will not solve this deepening crisis. The only way politicians can fix what has gone so wrong is with a clear commitment from every party to deliver three million more social homes over the next 20 years."