Hookworms in Dogs - Symptoms and Prevention
26 May 2007
Hookworm is a parasite that lives in the small intestines of mammals. It is also the most common of the intestinal parasites that infest dogs.
There are different types of hookworms that can infest dogs and cats.
* A.caninum can infect a dog.
* Uncinaria stenocephala can infect both dogs and cats.
* A.braziliense and A. tubaeforme species of the hookworm infect only cats.
Hookworms are smaller than other intestinal parasites like dog tapeworms and roundworms. Their affect on the host’s body is also different from other parasitical worms.
Worms in dogs are usually excreted and are visible in stools but hookworms are so small that they cannot be seen with the naked eye. In most cases even a microscopic examination is unable to reveal their presence.
Hookworms are also different from other worms in the manner in which they cause diseases. The other kinds of worms mechanically obstruct the intestinal passage and migrate through tissues but hookworms cling to the intestinal walls and suck the host’s blood.
Dogs can get infested with hookworms in many ways. Hookworms lay eggs in the intestines of an infested animal. These are then excreted through stools. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae can migrate through water and vegetation and enter a dog’s body through various routes.
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