The new threats facing our pets

Sponsored Content

Founder of The Liverpool Vets, an award-winning independent city centre clinic, Danielle Greenberg discusses how lockdown has created new threats for our city’s pets.

AROUND LOCKDOWN WE SAW a big increase in the number of new puppies moving into the city; we also had incredibly good weather and the daily exercise allowance saw a huge number of people walking their dogs in Liverpool’s parks. Fast forward a few months, and we are now seeing the knock-on effects of all those dogs spending time together in relatively compact spaces.

WORMS

I have never seen so many puppies and adult dogs with worms in Liverpool as I have recently. Toxocara canis, known as roundworms, are making a big comeback and the worry is that they can make a young dog really unwell and can infect children causing blindness.

Toxocara can be passed to puppies from their mum in her milk. If infected dog poo is left uncollected, eggs can end up in nearby soil and can be picked up by the next dog sniffing in the park, or by children who touch the soil and then their mouths.

The worms are big, look like noodles and you may see them in poo or vomit, but the eggs are microscopic and cannot be seen. The worms can be easily treated with a reputable medicine such as Panacur, Milbemax, Advocate, Moxiclear or Drontal.

Although I usually recommend worming for roundworms every three months, I’d suggest every month at the moment, just to be safe. Most important of all, please remember to pick up your dog’s poo.

PROTOZOA

I’ve also seen a big increase in puppy diarrhoea caused by tiny organisms called protozoas. Giardia, Isospora and Cryptosporidium often cause blood to be passed in the faeces, although the puppies tend to still be well in themselves.

By sending a sample to the lab, we can distinguish which type of protozoa your pet has and help to dispense the right medicine as each type can need a different antibiotic and/or wormers. The organisms are shed intermittently, so I often see clients who are worried that the cause is food allergies as they feed their puppy something, it gets better, and then the upset tummy returns so they try another food.

But more often than not, it’s parasites. We need to find them and get rid of them. There are also a couple of species that can infect humans and cause gastric symptoms. Usually they are mild, but for immune compromised individuals it can be more serious.

I always advise that we search thoroughly for parasites by sending a sample to the laboratory, if you have a dog who has ongoing issues with diarrhoea.

Once again, picking up poo is the absolute key to protecting other dogs and your family.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES

Increasing numbers of dogs in the city, in the parks and in daycare facilities means that other diseases can spread rapidly between pets.

Kennel Cough and Parvo are the most worrying and prolific in Liverpool so please make sure that your dog is up to date with their vaccines if they lapsed during lockdown, and that your puppy has had a full course of vaccines finishing after they were 12 weeks of age.

THE GOOD NEWS

Having a canine companion has great positive mental health benefits and getting out for those daily walks has a huge impact on our physical health too. We have really enjoyed hearing the countless stories of how much joy a dog or new puppy has brought during these uncertain times.

Far from the doom and gloom press expecting to see huge numbers of abandoned puppies after lockdown, we have seen quite the opposite, with families keen to continue to keep their dogs in top health as much as any family member.

THE FUTURE

We will certainly never forget all those puppies queueing in Cleveland Square for vaccines in the days and weeks after lockdown. But we already look forward to helping our clients keep those precious pups and their established pets happy, healthy and safe as their lives and adventures in Liverpool after COVID begin in earnest.

Related posts:

The Liverpool Vets’ Danielle Greenberg on what lockdown has meant for the city’s pets Flea advice from The Liverpool Vets’ Danielle Greenberg The Liverpool Vets | Getting to the root of the matter The Liverpool Vets | Lockdown life for our pets Get ‘fit to fly’ with expert testing from Liverpool-based DAM Health UK Liverpool-based e-bike company ‘inundated with orders’ since start of lockdown