A Look At Canine Hookworms

July 15, 2009

By system

In addition to roundworms and tapeworms, canine hookworms are also common parasites. Although relatively small measuring about three millimeters long, they are capable of sucking a lot of blood. They use their teeth to attach to the walls of the small intestine. Although these worms can affect grown dogs, they usually affect puppies and can be fatal in some cases.

Transmission

Hookworms can infect your dog in a variety of ways. Ingesting contaminated soil is a common method of transmission. They can also penetrate through the skin. Mothers can also pass these parasites to her puppies through the placenta. After the pups have been born, they can be infected by drinking contaminated milk.

Symptoms

Dogs infested with hookworms will display various symptoms. Two of the most common include weakness and bloody diarrhea. The larvae can also penetrate deeply into the skin. This will cause your dog a lot of discomfort due to the itching that results. Severe cases of canine hookworms can also cause anemia in canines. In this case, you will notice your dog’s gums will appear pale.

Diagnosis

These canine parasites are capable of producing a large amount of eggs every day. Females are capable of producing up to 20,000 eggs everyday. An infestation can be diagnosed through a stool sample. However, this will only produce an accurate diagnosis if the infestation of hookworms is severe enough.

Treatment

If diagnosed with hookworms, your dog will need to take deworming medication. Dogs can receive the medication via injection or orally. The first treatment won’t kill all the worms since it has no effect on the larvae. You will need to repeat the treatment in a month to get rid of the new adults. As mentioned earlier, canine hookworms can cause anemia. Therefore, some dogs may also need a blood transfusion.

Your precious pet can be susceptible to many different health conditions. Fortunately for you, you can learn about a wide range of these conditions at dog-illnesses.com. So, stop by today to learn about a wide range of these conditions.

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