Symptoms & Treatment of Hookworms in Dogs: Parasite Con

Understanding How Cats and Dogs Can Contract Hookworms

Hookworm infections in cats and dogs are typically spread through various means, including fecaloral, skin, placenta, and milk transmission.

1. FecalOral Transmission: Female hookworms lay hundreds of tiny eggs in the feces of infected dogs. These eggs contaminate the environment, and the larvae can survive in the soil for weeks or even months. When dogs inadvertently ingest these larvae, they can become infected. Most of the larvae that are ingested will move to the intestines to complete their life cycle. Some larvae may enter the trachea and are coughed up and swallowed.

2. Skin Transmission: If a dog walks or lies on contaminated ground, larvae can also penetrate the skin. Once inside the host, the larvae migrate to the lungs and trachea. The dog will then cough up and swallow the larvae, which will then migrate to the intestines to mature and complete their life cycle. Part of the hookworm's life cycle involves migrating through muscle tissue, which may enter a dormant state.

3. Milk and Placenta: If a pregnant female dog has hookworms, pregnancy can reactivate dormant larvae, which then enter the female's bloodstream and infect the fetus through the placenta. Puppies may also become infected through the mother's milk during lactation.

Symptoms of Hookworm Infection

Hookworm infections are associated with intestinal issues and anemia. The parasites anchor themselves to the intestinal wall, feeding on tissue fluid and blood while releasing an anticoagulant to prevent blood from clotting. After the hookworm detaches from the feeding site, this can lead to persistent bleeding. Consequently, affected pets may lose blood due to the parasites' feeding habits, leading to anemia. Pale gums and weakness are common signs of anemia. Some pets may also experience significant weight loss, bloody diarrhea, dark and dry hair, or failure to grow normally due to the hookworm infection. In severe cases, coughing may also occur.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Hookworm Disease

1. Diagnosis: Hookworm infections are diagnosed by examining fecal samples under a microscope. The feces are generally mixed with a solution that allows the parasite eggs to float to the top and adhere to a slide. Since hookworms produce many eggs daily and the eggs have a distinctive appearance, detecting hookworm infection is relatively straightforward.

2. Treatment: Regular deworming is necessary, but internal deworming medications can only kill adult hookworms. Dogs should be dewormed again approximately two to four weeks after the initial treatment to kill any newly formed adult worms that may have emerged from larvae.

In rare cases, dogs with severe anemia may require a blood transfusion.

Can Hookworms Infect Humans?

Adult hookworms do not infect humans. However, larvae can penetrate human skin, often when barefoot, causing itching. These worms do not mature into adults and will die within a few weeks. Hookworm larvae can migrate within the body and sometimes damage eyes and internal organs.

How to Control Pet Hookworm Infections

Puppies should be dewormed with deworming medication at two to three weeks of age. Promptly dispose of pet feces and keep the living area dry; female pets should be dewormed before breeding. Pregnancy can reactivate dormant hookworms in females, potentially infecting their puppies.