Lungworm Count Kit

Lungworm is becoming much more common, and is now a risk to dogs across much of the UK. Lungworm can be fatal and is very hard to treat once the symptoms appear. A lungworm screen looks for larvae though you should always be aware of lungworm symptoms; coughing; fast, heavy, noisy breathing; weight loss; unexplained bruising and bleeding; seizure.

Lungworm larvae are invisible to the naked eye. If your dog likes to eat grass, slugs or snails they are at risk of catching lungworm. Dogs who eat a bird or animal who has eaten a snail or slug can also become infected.

How your dog gets lungworm

Your dog swallows the lungworm larvae which then leave the gut and migrate to the lungs via the blood. The larvae hatch into adult lungworms and make their way up through the lungs. If your dog gets to the point where they’re coughing up lungworms they’re in serious trouble. Which is why diagnosis and early treatment are essential.

Do the lungworm test if:

• Your dog licks or eats grass, slugs or snails
• Or eats dead animals and birds
• You don’t worm your pet at all
• You want to check that your regular worming schedule is providing cover
• You would like to worm your dog less often but remain protected
• You raw feed your animals
• You live in a lungworm hotspot

Benefits of a lungworm test

• Inexpensively check for lungworm*
• Especially good if you can’t worm your pet for any reason

This is a three day test requiring three samples in total. Post the samples on day three to make sure they’re as fresh as possible when they arrive at the lab. Open the kit. Take a sample of your dog’s poo from that day using the small spoon provided. Put the sample into one of the the smell proof bags, dispose of the spoon! Repeat for days two and three. Put the smell proof bags into the freezer bag the kit came in.

Fill out your details on the enclosed form and put the lot into the Freepost bag. Post as soon after collecting the last sample as possible. Try to take the sample on Sunday to Thursday so the sample isn’t sitting in the post box for a couple of days.

The sample goes directly to the lab for testing. The results are emailed to you within 24/48 hours of receipt.

• Full instructions
• Disposable gloves
• Collection spoons
• Smell proof bags
• Outer bag
• Freepost envelope

Lungworm screens can be done any time from 14 days after worming. We don’t recommend doing a test before 14 days has elapsed as the worming treatment you have used will need those 14 days to work its magic.