19 Ryde Road, Pymble, NSW 2073
Bailey’s Near Fatal Run In With Snails!
By Helen Burns | Dated August 4, 2017
Bailey is a delightful 12 week old Border Collie puppy who presented for a devastating disease we see occasionally in the area around Gordon Vet Hospital. Angiostrongylus cantonensis or “rat lung worm” is a parasite who’s normal host is the rat but it causes a devastating paralysis if it happens makes it’s way into other hosts such as puppies or even people.
This nasty parasite hitches a ride within slugs and snails that may be found in your back yard. Curious puppies that have a penchant for French cuisine can pick up the parasite from eating these slippery delights. From there the parasite makes it’s way up the spinal cord and can cause severe neurological issues.
Luckily for Bailey, there is symptomatic treatment to reduce the inflammation of the spinal cord. This involves anti-inflammatory medication and antibiotics and has prevented the condition from being fatal in her case. While she is slowly improving, some dogs never regain full function of their back legs, tail or bladder as a result of this terrible disease.
Interestingly, we do not aim to kill the parasite as that causes more swelling of the spinal cord and potentially more damage.
It is important to remember that while we always strongly recommend stopping puppies from eating snails and slugs that many snail and slug baits are highly toxic to pets and should not be used in areas where pets have access. Often a beer trap or keeping puppies out of the backyard during the night hours can be helpful.
Darling Bailey recovering from rat lung worm.
Written by Helen Burns
Helen graduated from Sydney Uni in 1997 with First Class Honours and worked in a practice on the Northern Beaches for 16 years. Helen joined the Gordon Vet team early in 2014 and our clients have really enjoyed getting to know her. She loves being a vet and takes a keen interest in all of her patients. Her gentle, friendly nature helps pets to feel relaxed when they visit the vet. Helen lives locally and has 3 children. At least one of her children seems destined to be a vet! When not ferrying her children around, Helen cares for her menagerie of pets. These include Chloe the dog, Obi and Leia the cats, Little Cocky the galah and Rosie the very tame eclectus parrot who all happily coexist at her house. In her spare time, Helen likes to be active outdoors, running, kayaking, camping or playing any manner of sport with her children.
