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Hookworms are dangerous for three reasons:
• They suck blood, potentially leading to anemia or even death.
• They can infect unborn animals in the womb.
• They can be passed on to humans.
What Hookworms Do
Hookworms are very small (about a half-inch long), thin worms. As
their name suggests, these worms use hook-like teeth to attach to
the small intestine, where they suck blood and eat tissue. They
also secrete a chemical that stops blood from clotting. When they
leave one spot in the intestine and move to another, the initial site
continues to bleed. This blood loss is the most damaging part of the infection. If not treated, animals can also suffer from diarrhea,
weakness, weight loss, and blood loss. Young animals that only have a small amount of blood can get very sick very fast. In extreme situations, or when the pet is young, the animal can die.
When hookworm infection is caught in time, however, cats and dogs that receive proper treatment will make a complete recovery. Pregnant cats and dogs infected with hookworms can be treated before giving birth. Their newborns can also receive treatment, which will last until they are 12 weeks old. Transfusions are also
sometimes needed to fight anemia.
How Infection Occurs
Pets become infected in several ways. Hookworm eggs are shed in the feces of infected animals and then hatch into larvae in the soil. The animal then ingests the larvae from the soil. Once inside the dog's body, larvae travel to the small intestine, mature, mate, and lay eggs, and then the cycle repeats. Hookworms can also burrow through intact skin or be passed through mother's milk to kittens and puppies.
Humans can also become infected with hookworms when they do not wash their hands after handling infected dirt, from eating improperly washed vegetables, or by walking barefoot in contaminated soil or sand. Infection in people occurs when the hookworm burrows into the skin. The result is a bumpy patch of skin that is itchy but treatable.
Children are more susceptible than adults because they often play in dirt and put their hands into their mouths.
Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
Hookworms are diagnosed when your veterinarian examines your pet's feces under a microscope for characteristic parasite eggs. To treat the infection, your pet will receive a dewormer to kill the worms in the intestine. Treatment often is repeated 30 days later.
The best way to avoid infection in the first place is to keep living areas clean of waste material, especially kennels and outside recreation areas. It is also a good idea to have your
veterinarian test your pet routinely for worms and to start him on a regular deworming schedule.