SPIROCERCA LUPI – what is it?

Spirocerca Lupi is a worm that affects dogs in the summer rainfall areas of South Africa. If this condition is left untreated, the consequences are devastating.

- Dr Larry Kraitzick

LIFE CYCLE

A brief discussion of the life cycle is important so that we can understand how this worm affects your dog and why it’s so dangerous.

1. Affected dogs shed the worm eggs in their faeces.

2. Dung beetles ingest the egg and serve as host as it transforms into a larvae.

3. Small reptiles and birds may eat these beetles and therefore serve as an intermediate host.

4. If your dog eats one of the hosts, the larvae will hatch inside the stomach.

5. It will then burrow through the wall of the stomach into an artery.

6. From here it migrates into the aorta (main artery located in the chest), where it matures. This may cause thinning of the artery wall, and if this weakened point tears, your dog will bleed to death.