This fortnight we're talking about a tiny parasite causing a very big problem 🪱🔬
We're joined by Dr James Routledge, a veterinarian in northern New South Wales who is helping local rescue Friends of The Hound tackle treatment-resistant hookworm in their rescued greyhounds.
James has been caring for greyhounds for decades 🩺 from a vet practice in Auckland in the '80s, to the Gold Coast near the Tweed Heads track, to heading a large veterinary hospital in Hong Kong and Macau.
These days he's pleased to say he only looks after the rescue hounds 💚
In this episode, James breaks down:
🪱 What hookworm actually is, and the sneaky ways it spreads (yes, it can burrow in through paws and bellies😕)
💊 How some hookworm now resists all three families of dog wormers (anthelmintics) available in Australia
🏚️ Why crowded kennels on sandy soil in warm, humid climates have created the "perfect storm"
🔦 Why it's only coming to light now, as ex-racers come into our homes instead of disappearing
🐶 Why greyhounds are the "sentinels", and why this is now an issue for ALL dogs
✅ What adopters can do: the simple before-and-after poo test (fecal egg count) to ask your vet about
Plus Mel asks why WA's racing regulator, aware of hookworm in rehomed dogs for years, still isn't testing at the source 🧐
And we've got three big dates in Perth for your diary 📅
🌱 World Vegan Day – Sunday 1 November, Supreme Court Gardens
🏳️🌈 Pride Fair Day – Sunday 8 November, Wellington Square (word is Freda Hound and Sherlock Houndz may drop by 👀)🥫 Our annual Tin Shake – Friday 4 December, Murray Street Mall (coins, notes or tap – every bit helps!)
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