27/05/2025
***UPDATE***
This was a PHYSALOPTERA worm (AKA stomach worm)!!!
1. Life Cycle:
- Dogs become infected by ingesting intermediate hosts (like beetles, cockroaches, or crickets) or transport hosts (like rodents or reptiles) that have eaten infected insects.
- The worm matures in the dog’s stomach and attaches to the stomach lining, feeding on blood and tissue.
2. Symptoms:
- Vomiting (sometimes containing worms)
- Anorexia or reduced appetite
- Weight loss
- Dark, tarry stools (from bleeding ulcers)
- General discomfort or abdominal pain
Some infections can be asymptomatic, especially if the worm burden is low.
3. Diagnosing Physaloptera infections can be quite challenging, and here is why:
- Physaloptera eggs are thick-shelled, heavy, and do not float easily in standard f***l flotation solutions.
- They are shed intermittently, meaning even a properly collected sample may not contain detectable eggs.
- When present, the eggs can be mistaken for other parasites or missed entirely due to their low numbers.
4. Treatment:
Anthelmintics like pyrantel pamoate, fenbendazole, or ivermectin are commonly used
5. Prevention:
- Control of insect and rodent populations
- Prevent dogs from hunting or scavenging
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🐾 Cool Case of the Month!
Meet Porter – Our Curious Labrador!
Porter, a playful 1-year-old Labrador Retriever, came to us with persistent vomiting. He was initially treated at IVS for sudden onset vomiting and sent home with medication for a possible Helicobacter infection. While his symptoms improved briefly, the vomiting returned once his anti-nausea medications were stopped.
Next, he was tested for Addison’s disease — but that came back negative. Still determined to get to the bottom of Porter’s problem, we performed endoscopy. And that’s when we made an unexpected discovery!
💡 Can you guess what we found?
Hint: It was a pesky parasite — but we won’t say which one just yet!
After removal, Porter bounced back quickly and is now happy, healthy, and vomit-free!
Drop your guesses in the comments, and we’ll reveal the answer — along with some fascinating details about this case!
