Hookworm Symptoms in Dogs

Hookworms have a small, thread-like body structure with sharp spikes near the mouth. They are parasitic in nature which means that they live inside a host's body to feed themselves. Hookworms attach themselves to the lining of the small intestines of dogs and suck out blood from their body. For this reason, they are considered as extremely harmful for dog's health. A hookworm infestation in dogs is quite common and can affect both adult dogs as well as puppies. If puppies get infested by hookworm, then it can even lead to death.

How do Dogs Get Infested by Hookworms?
Hookworms can get transmitted into the dog's body by many different means. Ingestion of food or drink that are contaminated with larva is the most common medium of transmission. Hookworms that are found in soil can penetrate through their skin surface when they burrow their paws into the infected soil. When a healthy dog comes in direct contact with an infested dog, then the worms may change their host through skin penetration. Breastfeeding puppies may get it from their mother's milk. An infested pregnant dog can pass it on to the unborn puppy through the placenta.

Symptoms
The hookworm larva that enters the digestive system of the dog grows up into an adult by feeding on the blood from its host's body and starts laying as many as 20,000 eggs each day. So, you can imagine how harmful this worm infestation is for your pet. As the hookworms suck out blood, the infested dog suffers huge blood loss which leads to anemia. Some common identifiable signs and symptoms of anemia in dogs are as follows:

• If you check their gums, inner lining of the nostrils, under the eyelids, lips and ears, you would notice that these areas have turned pale because of lack of red blood cells in the body.
• Discolored tongue
• Hair loss
• Dry skin
• Loss of appetite
• Unexplainable weight loss
• Restlessness
• Tired and fatigue
• Lack of interest in activities
• Diminished growth in puppies

There are some additional symptoms in dogs that show up in few of them and others may not get it. Some dogs tend to have diarrhea and vomiting. Others may suffer from constipation and pass hard, dark and tarry stools. If the larvae penetrates the dog skin, then your pet would get unusual itchy sensation. When there is a severe infestation of hookworms in dog's body, then it starts affecting their lungs and they get cough and pneumonia.

Treatment
Hookworms in dogs can be diagnosed with the help of laboratory testing of the stool samples. The main aim of the treatment is elimination of both adult and larvae form of hookworms from the pet's body with the help of medicines. These medicines are either administered orally or through injections. Firstly, doctors prescribe medication for dogs that can kill the adults worms. The adults are eliminated first mainly because they lay eggs in large numbers every day. Then heartworm medication is used for controlling the larvae. The killed worms are then excreted out through feces.

This treatment has to be continued for a long time before all the hookworms are removed completely. The vet recommend testing of the stool samples after every few months to check presence of hookworms. If newborn puppies are infested with hookworm, then their medication start as early as when it is 2 weeks old and continues even after weaning in order to ensure that all larvae are expelled from their body. The medication is often accompanied by nutritional supplements. Iron supplements are important to treat the anemic condition. Fish oil supplements are also given to strengthen their immune system. The dog foods that you offer them should be rich in protein and fats.

Once the symptoms of hookworm in dogs subside and the laboratory test of the stool sample confirm that the parasites are eliminated from their body, you have to prevent any further re-infestation. This is possible by maintaining proper hygienic environment for the pets. Clean up dog feces on a regular basis. Disinfect their living areas and bedding thoroughly. Your vet may suggest a treatment with dewormers once in a month for prevention of re-infestation.