A dog-killing parasite that was believed to only exist in Texas and other Gulf Coast states has been discovered as far west as California for the first time, scientists have warned.
Experts at the University of California Riverside found the Heterobilharzia americana parasite, a flatworm commonly known as a liver fluke, in spots along the Colorado River where it runs through Southern California. According to the university, the flatworm has never before been seen outside of Texas and surrounding areas, and other studies have found most infections occur in Texas and Louisiana, though some have occurred in North Carolina, Texas, and Kansas.
The worm can cause canine schistosomiasis, an illness that impacts the liver and intestines of dogs. While there are treatment options once a dog becomes infected, they are not always successful and such infections can lead to euthanasia.
“Dogs can die from this infection, so we are hoping to raise public awareness that it’s there,” said UCR nematology professor Adler Dillman in a press statement. “If you’re swimming in the Colorado River with them, your pets are in peril.”
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H. americana flatworm found in California
Scientists took to examining the waters in Riverside County after several cases of infection were reported in local dogs. Because the infection is generally transmitted via the presence of snails, the…
