Lungworm in Cats - Symptoms, treatment and prevention

Feline lungworm (Aelurostrongylus abstrusus) is a parasitic worm of cats. As the name suggests, the adult worms live in the cat’s lungs.

To understand how cats get lungworm, we need to consider the life cycle of the worm. Eggs passed by adult female worms hatch in the lungs of an infested cat. The worm larvae then pass up the trachea (wind pipe), down the intestinal tract and out in the faeces. The larvae then infect an intermediate host (a snail or slug). Cats become infested either by ingesting an infected snail or slug, or by ingesting a rodent, lizard or bird that has eaten an infected snail or slug.

Adult lungworms are up to 9 mm in length and live in the lungs. Lungworm larvae that are passed in the faeces of an infested cat are microscopic.

Feline lungworm symptoms may include:

• Lethargy
• Depression
• Weight loss
• Sneezing
• Nasal discharge
• Breathing difficulty

There are sometimes no obvious signs of lungworm infestation in cats.

NexGard SPECTRA^® Spot-On for Cats is a highly effective lungworm treatment for cats. It can be used in all cats from 8 weeks of age and weighing at least
0.8 kg.