DOG owners in Warrington are being warned to remain vigilant amid cases of a fatal disease being reported in the area.

Cases of lungworm - which can be deadly to dogs - have been reported around the region, with more than 120 cases logged on an interactive tracker.

The tracker scans a radius of 50 miles around Warrington, which includes popular spots like Formby Beach, and Blackpool, as well as more local dog-walking hotspots such as Risley Moss, Pennington Flash, and Sankey Valley Park.

According to My Pet & I, there are 123 cases of lungworm in Warrington and surrounding areas.

Nine per cent of dogs that get infected with the disease sadly die from the issues that lungworm causes.

Problems associated with lungworm for dogs can include: coughing, changes in breathing or struggling to breathe, going off food, upset stomach with vomiting and/or diarrhoea, weight loss, tiredness, unexplained or excessive bruising, pale gums and bleeding.

Lungworm is a parasite that can be spread in the environment in a number of ways.

For example, infected dogs and foxes can spread the disease with lungworm larvae being present in the animals' faeces.

In Warrington, there have been six registered cases of lungworm.

The cases are in the following areas:

  • Liverpool Road, Great Sankey
  • Fitzherbert Street, Orford
  • Wilderspool Causeway (x2)
  • Knutsford Road, Grappenhall
  • Dudlow Green Road, Appleton

It should be noted that a number of these locations are registered veterinary centres, so may not reflect lungworm hotspots in Warrington.

You can prevent your dog from being seriously harmed by a lungworm infection in the following ways:

  • Regular worming treatments
  • Picking up your dog’s faeces quickly. This will help prevent the spread of lungworm
  • Removing toys and bowls from the garden overnight so they are not exposed to slugs and snails
  • Changing the water in water bowls frequently

It should be noted that lungworm cannot be transmitted from animals to humans.