Katrina Flanagan, from Maidstone in Kent, says she was distressed and extremely concerned when her 18 month old cocker spaniel, called Woody, suddenly went lame in his hind legs.

Woody was quickly referred Southfields Veterinary Specialists for emergency care with Katrina anxiously hoping they could find a cause and a cure.
She explained: “I first noticed something was wrong when I woke up to find Woody sitting at the bottom of the stairs when he would usually be sleeping upstairs.

“He was lame on his hind legs, was unable to pass urine and I was very apprehensive as I had no idea what was wrong.

“It was only after he had been referred to Southfields and undergone an MRI scan that I was told he had a bleed on his spine caused by a severe case of lungworm.

“On the one hand I was relieved that the cause had been found and diagnosed but I was still very worried about if he would get better.

“The next day, his condition worsened to affect all his limbs, and he was completely unable to walk. I was very concerned that Woody may not walk again, and may have to be put to sleep if his quality of life was poor.”

Southfields’ neurology specialist Bruno Lopes had other ideas, though, and his expert care and treatment has seen the young dog make a remarkable recovery.

Bruno said: “Lungworm is a potentially fatal infection which dogs get through eating larvae found in infected snails, slugs or frogs.

“The lungworm larvae then grow inside the dog and the adult lungworms move through the animal’s body and settle in their heart and blood vessels.

“In severe cases, this can cause heart problems, breathing problems, pneumonia or neurological issues like Woody’s bleed on the spine.

“Woody’s MRI showed a lesion within the spinal cord, which was consistent with a bleed. At the same time, a bedside blood test was performed and identified the antigen of lungworm on Woody’s blood.

“Unfortunately, Woody worsened straight after the MRI and became unable to walk on any of his limbs. However, with the adequate treatment, lots of support from our wards team, and a lot of strength and dedication from Woody and Miss Flanagan, he has come a long way and he is able to walk independently.”

Katrina is understandably full of praise for Bruno and the rest of the Southfields team, adding: “Woody had to be hospitalised for a week but I received daily updates on how he was doing, which was greatly appreciated.

“When I finally collected him to take him home, they had clearly looked after him with the highest of standards as he was in great condition considering his situation.

“Then once at home, I was able to call Southfields with any worries or concerns at any time of day.

“All the staff I spoke to treated me with patience and kindness which helped make this stressful time a lot easier.

“That’s why I would highly recommend Southfields due to their swift response in diagnosing and treating Woody, the standard of care they gave him while hospitalised and the support they gave me once home.

“Best of all Woody’s now able to stand and walk, although he does knuckle his feet occasionally and can lose balance at times.

“He is still on the road to recovery but continues to make improvements with the help of physiotherapy and hydrotherapy.”

Bruno says dog owners need to be alert to the very serious dangers of lungworm infection.

He said: “Dog owners should seek veterinary advice on regular lungworm anti-parasite treatment and worming regimes.

“Prevention is always better than a cure so owners should be extra vigilant if they see slugs or snails in their garden or on local walks.

“They should make sure their dogs do not eat slugs, snails or frogs and should regularly change the water in any outdoor water bowls to prevent infection.”