What Are Hook Worms?

Question

My two puppies, who are about 14 weeks old have them, i think. My brother got a puppy from the same liter, and his puppy has them, so mine most likely have them too, since they come from the mother. What are they exactly and what damage do they do?
(my puppies are chihuahuas, so they're too little to get shots get.)

Answer 1

These are much more common in dogs than in cats. They are very small, thin worms that fasten to the wall of the small intestine and suck blood. Dogs get hookworms from larval migration in the uterus, from contact with the larvae in stool-contaminated soil, or from ingesting the eggs after birth. As with roundworms, the hookworm larvae can also be transferred to the nursing pup from the mother's milk.

A severe hookworm infestation can kill puppies, often making them severely anemic from the loss of blood to the hookworms' vampire-like activities! Chronic hookworm infestation is a common cause of older dogs not performing optimally, having poor feed efficiency and weight maintenance, and having poor stamina. Often the signs include bloody diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and progressive weakness. Diagnosis is made by examining the feces for eggs under a microscope.

Answer 2

You should collect stool samples from the puppies and the puppies and the samples to the vet. If they have hookworms, the vet can treat them, even if they aren't ready for their regular shots yet.

You should do this now, especially if you have kids in the house, since they also can become infected.

To collect the samples, label a couple of small zip lock bags, one for each dog. Use a plastic spoon to put the sample in the bag, a different spoon for each dog. Then, put the used spoons in a separate bag and discard.

Be sure you don't touch the feces -- and wash your hands thoroughly when you're finished.

Here's some information on hookworms from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dpd/parasites/ascaris/prevention.htm#ascarids_hookworms):

Hookworms are common intestinal parasites of dogs and cats Not only can they cause disease in their hosts, they are also well-known causes of disease in humans, especially children. While hookworms are most commonly diagnosed in puppies and kittens, infections can occur in dogs and cats of all ages.

Both puppies and kittens acquire hookworm infections through ingestion of or skin penetration by infective larvae, or from infective larvae passed in their mother's milk. Hookworms suck large amounts of blood from their hosts and while infected animals may look healthy in the first week of life, they can develop a rapidly severe, often fatal, anemia. Intestinal infections can occur as early as 2 weeks of age, leading to environmental contamination with infective larvae.

The prevalence of these infections varies with climatic conditions; however, they are present in all parts of the United States and must be viewed as a potential public health hazard.

Answer 3

Symptoms in puppies include dermatitis, pneumonia, enteritis, bloody diarrhea, blood loss and anemia.

Treatment is with fenbendazole, pyrantel, ivermectin, milbemycin and oxibendazole.

Because eggs are passed in the feces, the control measure is to keep dogs, especially puppies, off contaminated grounds.

There is a public health concern because hookworms also can infest humans, causing enteritis. Human infection is common in the southeastern United States, particularly where people come in contact with moist, sandy soil (e.g., beaches, children's sand piles) contaminated by dog or cat feces.

Hookworms (Ancylostoma and Uncinaria) are one of the most common intestinal parasites of dogs and cats (especially puppies and kittens), and can cause severe disease including anemia and serious diarrhea. Hookworms have either teeth-like structures or cutting plates with which they attach themselves to the wall of the intestine and feed on the animal's blood. Hookworms can cause a skin disease in humans called cutaneous larval migrans.

Answer 4

Hook worms, unlike a lot of other parasites that animals get cannot be seen with the naked eye. You must take the babies to the vet and have them wormed. They will KILL the puppies if left untreated. They will become anemic - pale gums and inside the lower eye lid. Get the treated immediately.

Answer 5

Are Cubans used by the Republican party as pawns.
In Spanish Gusanos. Worms= Gusanos.
Hook ---Carnada.
That's what pop in my mind when I read worms and hook.

Answer 6

http://www.dr-dan.com/hookworm.htm
HOOK WORMS ARE VERY DANGERIOUS

Answer 7

its a bad desiese,go to a doctor.