Lungworm
Like your dog, hedgehogs can catch lungworm from eating slugs and snails.
Symptoms will usually only be seen while being monitored within a rescue. Symptoms include coughing, breathing problems, nasal discharge, abdominal pain, weight loss and diarrhoea.
Lungworm can take 3 weeks to be able to find and can only be diagnosed through faecal tests under the microscope.
Lung worm as the name suggests, live in the lungs. The lungworm that is seen in the microscope are the larvae rather than the female lungworm.
Treatment is a 10 day one with additional sample testing. This shows that it needs to be in a rescue.
Prevention can be aided by keeping food dishes and feeding areas clean. Access to other food sources will help them as they usually only eat slugs as a desperate act.
