Mount Isa Vet Surgery's Dr Gillian Tenni said there has been a rise in Spirocerca Lupi parasite cases in dogs in town - but it came after she started testing most dogs she saw.

Dr Tenni said dogs get the parasite by eating dung beetles or eating animals that eat the dung beetles.

Symptoms include coughing, gagging/vomiting and drooling but some dogs don't display any symptoms.

Dr Tenni said to be diagnosed, dogs do need to be put under anaesthetic.

In the past, Dr Tenni said she would see about five cases per year and said she wasn't sure if the rise in numbers was due to her increase in testing or if the parasite had been widely undetected in the past.