What sort of a worm is the tongue worm?

This parasite (LingUatula serrata) gets its popular name from its appearance; it is long and worm-like and flattened like a tongue. But in reality it is not a worm at all but an unusual variety of mite which has no legs. The ‘worms’, which can be up to 5 inches (12 cm) long, attach themselves high up in the nasal chambers of the dog and the irritation they cause can at times result in nasal discharge, sneezing and difficulty in breathing. The eggs passed out by the females need to be eaten by an intermediate host (horse, sheep, cow or rabbit) before they can develop further. A dog acquires an early stage of the parasite by eating uncooked meat from one of these animals and after migration to the nasal chamber it develops into an adult ‘worm’. The parasite is best removed by surgery. Like the nasal mites (Pneumonyssus caninum), which in the USA, Australia and South Africa also infect the nasal chambers, unsuspected tongue worms may suddenly emerge from the nostrils of dogs undergoing irihalation anaesthesia.

Is it safe to use worming remedies bought at the pet shop?

In countries (for instance Britain and North America) where there are legal restrictions on what drugs can be sold for this purpose other than by a qualified pharmacist or veterinarian, the answer is probably yes. But it is subject to the proviso that these remedies are used strictly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.

Unfortunately, owners may misdiagnose their dog’s illness as being due to worms and therefore delay getting proper advice and treatment. Or they may overdose their dog, particularly if the first treatment does not produce the expected improvement, which can have tragic consequences. Also, because of restrictions upon sale, several types of worming drugs (anthelmintics) are not sold from pet shops and similar retail outlets, and invariably this includes those most recently developed, and most effective.

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Couldn’t the vet give my dog a local anaesthetic instead of a general one?

In most cases, local anaesthesia is used to remove sensation from a relatively restricted and superficial part of the body. The local anaesthetic (otherwise known as a local analgesic) in the form of a drug solution, is injected either around the sensory nerve endings of an area, or around the nerves which receive sensation from that area (the latter is referred to as nerve blocking). As a result, the transmission of sensations, including pain, from that area to the brain is temporarily prevented, and the animal is unaware of interference to that region of its body.

Spinal anaesthesia is seldom practiced on dogs, but this technique results in complete blockage of the lower spinal nerves to produce a total lack of sensation, and paralysis in the posterior part of the body.

In all types of local anaesthesia, however, the animal still remains conscious and therefore subject to fear when it observes what is going on around it. It is also able to move. For these reasons, it is unsuitable for any surgical procedures which involve the deeper structures of the body, or where sudden movement could produce severe damage (e.g. near the eye). It is also not appropriate for lengthy procedures, or if the animal resents being restrained.

As a consequence, local anaesthesia in the dog is usually employed only for desensitization of the skin prior to the removal of small growths, or for injection into deeper structures to facilitate certain procedures. For example it is useful for desensitization of the skin before emergency drainage of the bladder, using a needle inserted through the abdominal wall, in cases of total urethral obstruction.

Is a surgical operation the only reason for giving a general anaesthetic?

Although not undertaken lightly, general anaesthesia may be applied in other situations:

1. Where the dog’s temperament makes it extremely difficult to handle – for example, with some animals it may be necessary in order to be able to examine wounds or remove skin parasites.

2. Where a long, painful procedure has to be performed which may unduly distress the dog, such as examining the bowel of a dog with colitis using an endoscope.

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Is general anaesthesia safe?

In the vast majority of cases, yes. Modern anaesthetic drugs are less toxic and have a greater margin of safety than previously, and in the hands of trained, experienced veterinary staff death from anaesthesia seldom occurs. However, it should be appreciated that, just as in human medicine, there are individuals who, quite unpredictably, may react unfavorably to a particular drug. Fortunately, such idiosyncratic reactions are few and far between.

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Why did my vet tell me not to give my dog any food or water before his operation?

Almost all surgical operations on dogs are performed under general anaesthesia (a generalized loss of sensation accompanied by unconsciousness). The use of a general anaesthetic is most important for humane reasons; it prevents fear and pain during the operation, and, by avoiding pain, greatly minimizes surgical shock which would otherwise frequently prove fatal. In addition, general anaesthesia relaxes the muscles and avoids the possibility of movement, which is an important prerequisite for successful surgery, particularly on delicate or complex structures.

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Do dogs ever get fitted with plaster casts?

Yes, fractures of the limbs below the elbow joint in the front limb and the stifle joint in the hind limb can be effectively treated with casts and splints. However, if plaster casts are applied too tightly they can cause pressure sores where they press on bony prominences and in extreme cases may lead to gangrene; if too loose they will not hold the bones together for healing to take place and may even slip off. They can also become soggy if allowed to get wet and the dog may chew at them. In recent years a number of materials which are lighter, easier to apply and more hard-wearing than Plaster of Paris have been introduced. These include fibreglass tape, plastic – as sheets or tape (Hexcelite) – and polyurethane (Neofrakt), which is also used to give durability to men’s shirts. Despite their advantages, the newer materials have the major disadvantage of being two or three times more expensive.