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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

The doghouse

Linguatula Serrata - tongue worm

64 replies

partystress · 23/02/2016 08:32

Does anyone have any experience of this? Got a gorgeous rescue corgi/collie cross 9 days ago and it turns out she has this parasite. Vet has consulted and put her on panacur, frontal and an antibiotic, but says it is "experimental". Vet played down seriousness and risk to us, but having googled I am concerned -also for our existing dog. Any advice or experience would be really appreciated. Thank you.

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partystress · 23/02/2016 12:17

Bumping and correcting frontal = drontal!

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pigsDOfly · 23/02/2016 13:11

Never heard of this so googled it. Obviously, I'm not a vet or any sort of expert, but couldn't just ignore your post as you sound very worried.

Are you in the UK? As far as I can see this is virtually unknown here - probably why nobody has responded to your post.

In your shoes I'd be very concerned as well. Have you spoken to the rescue.

Hard as it sounds I'd be looking to return the dog to the rescue. They homed the dog with you with this pre-existing condition and as far as I can tell from what I've read, it's pretty much untreatable - obviously, like you, I'm just going from websites, but I wouldn't take a risk with this. I'd be very worried I'd be putting my family's and existing dog's health at risk.

I'd also talk to the vet again and see what he/she says about your concerns.

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partystress · 23/02/2016 15:59

Thanks for reply. Yes in UK. Back to vet this afternoon as her eye is inflamed and the vet treated her in the car as didn't want her in surgery. Now waiting for referral to Royal Vet School for scan to see how bad the infestation is. Not looking good. She is such a lovely dog though, it is awful to think we might have to say goodbye.

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Miloarmadillo1 · 23/02/2016 17:06

I'm sorry you are dealing with this. I'm a vet and I had to go and Google it, it's virtually unheard of in the UK. Was the dog imported from overseas?
I would be very very cautious, particularly since it is zoonotic (infects humans) and potentially fatal. Probably unlikely but why take the risk?
tries not to rant about the foolishness of importing foreign parasites and diseases into the UK, most rescue organisations have not a clue what they are potentially dealing with

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Floralnomad · 23/02/2016 17:41

Is this something that will horrify me if I google ? As I don't want to be horrified which countries does this come from ? OP , sorry you are having to deal with this but I think I'd be returning the poor dog ASAP .

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Miloarmadillo1 · 23/02/2016 18:17

Endemic in the Midddle East.

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partystress · 23/02/2016 22:01

She was brought into UK from Romania by a charity which distributes dogs to several centres nationwide. We got her from a very long established local rescue centre with a good reputation and links with local vet practices. We didn't seek out a dog from overseas, but went for her due to appropriate size and age and the way she interacted first with us, then with our existing dog. I wasn't really aware of the controversy surrounding dogs from overseas - tbh I was just delighted to find a rescue dog that wasn't a Jack Russell, bull terrier or husky. She had been checked on arrival into UK and into the centre, where she had been for 3 weeks before she came home with us. It must have been incubating for a long time.

The eye is more swollen now and although she has brightened up this evening, the vet is I think gently edging us towards accepting there may not be anything we can do, although she is still trying to get an emergency scan booked. The vet does not feel we are at risk, but has said to keep the two dogs separate. This is all so desperately sad - she was just beginning to fill the gap left by our beautiful first dog, who died very suddenly last month. Not sure if we will be able to go through this any more if we do have to have her pts. Thank you for the replies - too upset to talk to people IRL.

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Miloarmadillo1 · 23/02/2016 22:22

What are the rescue saying? They have (unwittingly I'm sure) put you in this horrible situation. Are they paying your vet bills?

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partystress · 23/02/2016 22:57

Very sorry to hear it, have contacted their vet to take advice. They have said to let them know if they can help, but I'm not sure what they could do. She came with 4 weeks charity cover with PetPlan, so we hope that will cover at least up to the scan.

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Floralnomad · 23/02/2016 23:23

Is there anything you can give your other dog to possibly prevent him/ her catching it as presumably they were mixing until this diagnosis ?

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partystress · 24/02/2016 16:26

Our vet has just recommended Drontal. Waiting to hear what the rescue centre vet has recommended for dogs who were close to her there. She is currently at the RVC at Potters Bar waiting for a scan and nasal vacuum - probably take place tomorrow now. I think they will have a clearer idea then of whether it is so severe there is no hope, or whether it might be treatable.

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Floralnomad · 24/02/2016 19:24

Good luck , you sound like a very caring owner .

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muddiboots · 24/02/2016 19:31

Just be careful running up a big bill, it's likely insurance will contest this as a preexsisting condition.
And sorry , horrid thing to deal with

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Miloarmadillo1 · 25/02/2016 09:20

Good luck.

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Floralnomad · 26/02/2016 11:29

Any news OP ?

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partystress · 26/02/2016 14:17

Thank you for asking. She had surgery yesterday to remove a lot of infected tissue and scar tissue from her sinuses, nasal cavity. They found nodules on her oesophagus and taken together think all of this is damage caused by the parasite she sneezed out having made its way from the gut. They are now analysing the tissues and samples of poo to see if there are any eggs or larvae present. They are also trying to sex the parasite. If it is male and there is no sign of eggs or larvae, then I think she is in the clear. Apparently this morning she is completely full of beans and the vet from RVC said you would not know that she had had anything wrong at all.

Not sure what the next step is if they do find eggs. We should hear more this evening, so I will try to update. If we get a good outcome I promise to post a homecoming pic so you can see how gorgeous she is.

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Floralnomad · 26/02/2016 14:35

Wow , sounds fairly major stuff , fingers crossed for you all . Who is footing the vet bill ,it sounds like it's going to be a big one ?

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partystress · 26/02/2016 15:00

Hopefully insurance will cover most of it so far - she came with 4 weeks free cover from the rescue centre. They have, of course, been cagey on the phone, but there were no clinical signs evident in any of her previous checks and in fact she had put on a kg in the 3 weeks she was at the centre, so I don't think they can exclude it as a pre-existing condition. Anyway, one worry at a time is my motto at the moment.

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partystress · 26/02/2016 19:14

Bad news. Samples clear, but parasite female and full of eggs. It seems as though we couldn't be confident that she is not shedding eggs through nasal fluid or faeces for the next six months. RVC have advised we would have to keep the two dogs apart and wear gloves when handling the new girl. DH and I have decided this is just not liveable with. We will speak to the rescue centre tomorrow to see if they could take her back for six months, or could fund quarantine. Think they need to be responsible for the decision to pts which is the alternative, even though she could now be perfectly healthy. What a nightmare.

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ItsAllGoingToBeFine · 26/02/2016 19:18

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Floralnomad · 26/02/2016 19:43

What a shame but it's not really feasible for her to be in a home environment ,she needs a quarantine situation , perhaps the people who originally bought her into the country would fund it .

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StillYummy · 26/02/2016 19:58

This is such a horrid situation. I am so sorry for you all

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Floralnomad · 27/02/2016 22:38

Did you have any news from the rescue today OP ?

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gallicgirl · 27/02/2016 22:51

I thought animals had to be quarantined for 6 months on entry to UK ? Is that no longer the case?
Poor thing. I hope the rescue centre look after her.

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Lonecatwithkitten · 28/02/2016 07:53

Gallic girl this has no longer been the case for a long while. 2000 pets from Europe and rabies free countries could enter on passports and from 2005 pets from anywhere in the world could enter on a passport.
The passport requirements relate to rabies and a particular tapeworm nowadays ( originally we treated for a particular tick to).
The number 'exotic' diseases has dramatically increased in the UK including several that are potentially harmful to humans. General opinion in the veterinary world is that rabies is only a matter of time.