Angiostrongylus vasorum (canine lungworm)

I have just published a podcast on Angiostrongylus vasorum which you can find HERE. Coincidentally a couple of papers have recently been published in The Veterinary Record on this and I thought I would provide a summary of their main findings in this blog post for those who cannot access these papers. I won’t be commenting on methodology, just transcribing from their manuscripts!

Canine parvovirus infection - role for interferons?

We are all familiar with the potential for canine parvovirus (CPV) to cause severe morbidity and mortality. Treatment is symptomatic and supportive and antibiotics are used in many/all cases (there is more to say about this but that is for another blog some other time!). The ability to provide good intensive care can significantly impact on outcome but nevertheless some dogs will die. None of the medical therapies currently used are expected to have any effect on modulating or dampening down the actual pathology of the disease (although early enteral nutrition likely helps to ameliorate intestinal changes to some degree). A treatment that could reduce disease severity and even lower mortality is therefore something that is undoubtedly very desirable but does such an option exist?