Oslerus osleri tends to occur sporadically and in certain regions. Filaroides hirthi occurs sporadically, and periodically appears in some kennels or in individual dogs. The prevalence of Eucoleus boehmi is not well known, but it seems to be worldwide in distribution.

Are there areas where these infections are more common?Įucoleus aerophilus seems to be found wherever there are dogs or cats. Once swallowed, infective stages of the parasite complete their life cycle by migrating through the body from the intestinal tract and to their final destination, either the nose, the bronchi or the lungs. For the majority of other lungworms, infectious forms of the parasite are transmitted though the environment. Oslerus osleri is transmitted mainly through the saliva and most commonly occurs when a mother dog grooms her puppies. They may also become infected through food or water that has been contaminated by infectious forms of the parasite. These infectious stages may remain in the saliva for further transmission or may be swallowed and pass through the intestines and into the feces.Ī susceptible animal may pick up an infection directly from an infected animal through saliva or nasal secretions. With some species, the eggs are passed into the environment where they continue to mature into an infectious stage, while with other species, the eggs hatch into larvae which then mature into an infectious stage. The next stage in transmission depends on the species of parasite. Adult female worms lay their eggs in the tissues of an infected animal. The life cycle of other parasitic lungworms that infect dogs are more direct. Dogs can become infected with Crenostoma vulpis by eating slugs or snails, or by eating another animal, such as a frog, mouse or bird that has eaten a slug or snail.

After the larvae enter the slug or snail, they develop into the infective stage that is capable of infecting dogs or other canids. They then pass into the environment through the feces and are picked up by slugs or snails. These larvae will be coughed up and then swallowed. When a susceptible dog eats infected larvae, the larvae will mature and complete their life cycle by laying eggs that will hatch in the bronchi. The life cycle of Crenostoma vulpis is complex and the parasite larvae require an immediate host, specifically a snail or slug, in order to complete their life cycle. The exact means of 'picking up' the infection varies according to the life cycle of the particular parasite. How does a dog get a lungworm infection from one of these parasites?ĭogs can get a lungworm infection by swallowing infective stages of parasitic lungworm. Angiostrongylus vasorum live in the arteries of the lungs. Filaroides hirthi adults live in the lungs. Adult worms of Oslerus osleri and Crenostoma vulpis live in the trachea and bronchi. The adult worms of Eucoleus boehmi live in the nasal cavity of dogs and related canids. The others are parasites that infect dogs and other related members of the canid family. It is an emerging parasite in North America, currently only seen in the Atlantic provinces of Canada and the eastern U.S.Įucoleus aerophilus is primarily known as a parasite of foxes but it has also been found in dogs, cats and other carnivores. Angiostrongylus vasorum (French heartworm) may also be considered a lungworm due to the lung damage it causes. In North America, the parasitic lungworms that infect dogs are Eucoleus aerophilus (formally known as Capillaria aerophilus), Oslerus osleri (formally called Filaroides osleri), Crenostoma vulpis (fox lungworm), Eucoleus boehmi and Filaroides hirthi. A lungworm infection is caused by one of several parasitic roundworms.

Snail poop