'Every dog could be at risk': Warning after Wakefield dog suffers life-threatening lungworm infection
The potentially fatal parasite affects dogs’ hearts and lungs
A Wakefield vets is warning of the dangers of lungworm after fighting to save the life of a family’s dog.
Quentin, a seven-year-old Sprocker Spaniel from Sandal, was rushed to Chantry Vets’ Veterinary Hospital in Brindley Way, Wakefield, after his persistent cough suddenly worsened and he began bringing up blood.
His owners Rieko and Mark Gibson initially feared he may have had a grass seed lodged in his lungs, but a CT scan revealed widespread bleeding throughout his lungs and no foreign body.
Further tests confirmed Quentin was suffering from lungworm, a potentially fatal parasite that affects dogs’ hearts and lungs.
The condition required intensive treatment, including a blood transfusion from one of the practice team’s own dogs to replace vital clotting factors and platelets, medication to control bleeding, steroids to reduce inflammation and treatment to eliminate the lungworms.
Quentin remained under a light anaesthetic overnight while the medication took effect, with the hospital’s dedicated night team providing continuous monitoring and critical care.
The following morning was a crucial point in his treatment as vets assessed whether he could breathe without intensive support.
Thankfully, Quentin began to stabilise and continued to improve over the following days.
He will continue receiving treatment to ensure the parasites have been eliminated and will remain on regular preventative worming medication to help prevent the disease returning.
Clinical director Fraser Reddick, who led Quentin’s treatment, said the case highlighted how dangerous lungworm can be and why prevention is so important.
He said: “Quentin was an incredibly sick dog and there was a point where we genuinely didn’t know whether he would survive.
“Cases like this require rapid diagnosis, advanced imaging, intensive nursing care and a huge team effort.
“Although we don’t see large numbers of cases locally, Quentin’s experience shows it is present in our area and that every dog could potentially be at risk.”
Quentin’s owners said they had not realised how serious lungworm could be before their pet became ill.
Mark Gibson said: “We had no idea lungworm could make a dog so critically ill.
“Seeing Quentin fighting for his life was terrible and we were distraught, but the care he received was incredible.
“We’ve been sharing his story because so many people have told us they didn’t know about lungworm either.”