![]() Hookworms suck blood and therefore cause internal blood loss. These larvae can infect your dog simply through contact and penetration of the skin and through the dog eating the larvae when they ingest dirt or during their routine licking (cleaning). Larvae (young hookworms) that hatch from hookworm eggs live in the soil. Its eggs are ejected into the digestive tract and pass into the environment through your dog’s feces. The hookworm attaches to the lining of the intestinal wall and feeds on your dog’s blood. Annual or bi-annual fecal floatation testing should also be performed to ensure no failure of preventative medications.įor more information on hookworms, visit the Companion Animal Parasite Council’s (CAPC) webpage on hookworms.Similar to tapeworms and roundworms, hookworms are intestinal parasites that live in the digestive system of your dog (or cat). Animals who have not been on routine heartworm prevention can be dewormed with a general dewormer. These products work by eliminating any parasites the animal has contracted within the last 30 days, so it is important to use them regularly year-round for full protection. Most monthly heartworm preventions for dogs and cats also protect against hookworm infection. All stool should be removed from outdoor areas, and care should be taken to avoid visiting areas where large numbers of animals visit, as soil in these environments may harbor parasite eggs for many years. All animals in the house should be dewormed together to ensure all infected animals are treated. Litter boxes and bedding should be scrubbed and laundered. Indoors, the floor should be vacuumed and cleaned with an all-purpose cleaner. Treatment generally consists of a general dewormer and environmental cleaning. Treatment is usually effective and straightforward. The life cycle of a hookworm takes approximately three-four weeks to complete.Ī diagnosis of hookworm infection is made by fecal floatation. Thorough hand-washing after outdoor activities and wearing shoes anywhere infected animals may have been will help prevent transmission. In people, the disease is called Cutaneous Larva Migrans. Treatment by a physician can shorten the course of disease. Thankfully, the hookworm cannot complete its life cycle in a person, and the larva will die within the skin after several weeks. Humans are not the normal host for these worms, but they can cause a severe skin irritation when the larva migrate through the skin. Infection most often occurs when the larva of the worm comes in contact with exposed skin when the person digs or walks barefoot through contaminated soil. Hookworms are a zoonotic disease, meaning people can also be infected. cockroaches) can carry infective larva and may be eaten by the pet inside the home. Even 100% indoor pets are at risk, as some insects pests (e.g. Finally, dogs and cats can become infected if they eat another infected animal. The larva then migrate to the intestine where they complete their life cycle. These larva may be ingested, but they also have the ability to invade the skin of pets (and humans) who come in contact with contaminated soil. Eggs are passed in the stool of infected animals, which then develop into infective larva in the environment. Puppies and kittens as well as adult animals can also be infected by ingesting the larva of the hookworm. The larval worm from the dam passes through the mammary gland and into the milk and is ingested by the baby. Puppies are most often infected while nursing. There are several ways an animal can be infected with hookworms. They are more easily identified through laboratory testing. It is rare that a pet owner identifies these worms in the animal’s stool. Hookworms are very small and are very difficult to see with the naked eye. Because they are so common, all puppies and kittens should be routinely dewormed early in life. Kittens are usually infected through the environment. One subspecies of hookworms, Ancylostoma caninum, crosses the mammary tissue of the dam and infects puppies as soon as they nurse. Hookworms are very common in dogs and cats. These worms may move from one site to another in the intestine, leaving bleeding ulcers at each previous bite wound. A heavy infestation of hookworms in a puppy or kitten can cause severe blood-loss anemia, leading to death. These parasites use their sharp teeth to attach to the interior lining of the host’s intestine where they can consume copious amounts of blood. Hookworms are one of the most dangerous intestinal parasites of dogs and cats because they feed on blood. Hookworms get their name from their hook-like teeth.
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