Dangerous heartworm found in dogs – the Inner Akershus Blade

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(NTB): the Dog came to us from a center for gatehunder in Spain. An individual in Kristiansand bought the dog of a commercial importer last week. It had a valid passport, rabies vaccination and treatment against the optimistic dvergbendelorm.

Regulations

Although all the paperwork seemed in order, went to hundeeieren still vet the day after to have received the dog.

the Vet had suspicion that it was about illegal commercial imports, and took contact with the Norwegian food safety Authority for an assessment. It was quickly brought on the plain that the regulations for the import was not followed.

the Dog was killed, and the autopsy showed that it had the classic heartworm.

Suggest ban

Næringskomiteens leader Geir Pollestad (Sp) says in a comment to NTB that he keeps to prepare a proposal on the prohibition of the import of gatehunder soon to be promoted in Parliament.

– This case shows how important it is to put in place a ban on the import of gatehunder. The centre party will put forward a proposal on the prohibition now in the fall, he says.

Pollestad call the import of gatehunder madness that can threaten both the population and animal health.

– Therefore in a hurry to tighten. If bacteria, parasites, and diseases come to Norway, it will be very difficult to get rid of it, ” he says.

He believes that the import of gatehunder either is driven by cynical importers or of the naive misunderstood goodness.

– None of the parts deserve protection, ” says stortingsrepresentanten.

Feared parasite

Norwegian food safety Authority states that the parasite is one of them that they fear the most.

Discovery shows that to buy a gatehund can mean to expose other animals for great health hazard, says the regional director Hallgeir Herikstad in the Norwegian food safety Authority.

They believe, however, that there is no risk of infection to other dogs in Kristiansand. The authority is awaiting a response on whether the dog was protected against rabies. In addition, it is examined for parasites.

Authority has for many years warned against importing gatehunder hit to the country.

– Import of gatehunder means increased risk that we will get a new virus, bacteria or parasites that provides the diseases in both animals and humans in Norway. It is not all that is law which is a good idea, ” he says.