Radio 2SM Breakfast Segment #21 with Kaye Browne

*** RADIO 2SM PET SEGMENT #21 WITH KAYE BROWNE ***
This week:
Dangerous ‘rat lungworm’ infections in dogs in Sydney are on the rise…research pointing to heavier rainfalls in recent years.  Kaye explains what to watch for to keep pets – and people -safe.

Also this week...
Good news in the global fight to find better and cheaper ways to detect cancer earlier! An Israeli-based team has linked AI - artificial intelligence – with dogs impressive sense of smell to create an at-home cancer-screening breath test which is94 percent accurate at detecting early stage lung, breast, prostate, and colon cancers.

PLUS:
Irresistible training treats – what really works for dogs, cats even birds!

00'00" - Welcome Ron Wilson and Kaye Browne
00'09" - Rat Lungworm Infections In Dogs!
02'37" - Dogs Helping Detect Cancer via a 'Breath-Test'
04'43" - How To Motivate Our Pets With Treats

IMAGE:
Rat Lungworm - (c)Dr Michael Nash, SARDI
More information here:  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-06-17/rat-lungworm-disease-spike-dog-infections/105408304

FULL TRANSCRIPT:

RON: Time now for our weekly pet segment with Kaye Browne from VETtalk On-Hold. Kaye, good morning.

KAYE: Good morning to you, Ron.

RON: Look at this is a fun thing to talk about at breakfast time, and it sounds absolutely disgusting to tell you the truth, rat lung worm infections, apparently in dogs, it's on the rise, and it's all due to climate change with increased rainfall over recent years, tell us all about it. What have we got to watch out for?

KAYE: Yeah. The good people at the University of Sydney Veterinary Department there have done a big study, probably the very first one that's been done of five years of data to work out exactly when is the highest risk for periods of transmission of this disease, now rat lung worm is exactly what it sounds it is found in rats and naturally in rats, and they go scavenging and they drop their poos everywhere and unfortunately these slugs and snails, which are particularly prolific after lots of rain like we've had, they actually ingest it, and then they in turn are eaten by other hosts like dogs or again, by the rats.

Now in rats it's OK because it goes to their lungs and sounds gross, but the rats survive that. However, if an accidental host like a dog or even a human, and that has happened, hmm, actually ingests this, and then it will go to their brain. It'll die off there because we've got our own immune systems, but the actual dying off effect actually causes terrible headaches and things like that in people and dogs, and can even cause hind limb weakness, which is very bad and very worst cases cause death. 

So, you know, they're talking a very serious case here and they looked at the number of cases and found that the biggest number were in 2022, where there were 32 cases in dogs and why this is important is that it gives them a model to actually be able to talk to human doctors as well, and the human doctors and the vets can all talk between themselves and work out the best way of preventing this transmission. So couple of quick things for you. Teach your dogs not to eat slugs and snails. I'm sure your dog doesn't.

RON:  No wouldn't go near them. Not without salt. (Laughs!)

KAYE: Yeah, well, you know, some of the other cases that have occurred in humans have occurred because people have eaten undercooked snails. So, you know, and I know the French are fond of snails. And, some restaurants do sell them, but do make sure they're well cooked or avoid them altogether, which would be my choice. And indeed, just make sure that around the yard you try and not have places where slugs and snails can, accumulate and certainly teach your dog. Leave it.

RON: Well, dogs are commonly known as man's best friend, and this new Israeli idea. It combines a dog's very impressive sense of smell with artificial intelligence to create a cancer screening breath test. This is so interesting what a great idea.

KAYE: This is great, this is good news and it's good to get good news on a topic like cancer, because as we know, it's a really hard thing unless it's detected early, you know, the chances of people getting through it are slimmer so this is a brand new thing SpotIt Early. 

And basically it uses very simple thing instead of having to have a lab test or have an operation, you get sent a special mask just like we used to wear during the COVID situation, you only have to breathe in it for about 3 minutes to send it back to the SpotIt Early laboratory where well trained beagles sniff various tubes which have masks in them, and if they detect one that actually has cancer cells and it could be anything from lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate, colon cancer, the dog will sit down no