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This information is provided by Provet for educational purposes only. You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet. Hookworms are not as common as roundworms or tapeworms in dogs and cats, but they are seen and can cause a pretty unpleasant disease Some types of hookworm (mainly those found in tropical and subtropical countries) are zoonoses and can be transmitted between man and animals There are 3 main types of hookworm of importance to the dog and cat and to man :
Animal hosts can become infected by :
In the case of Ancyclostoma caninum (found in tropical and subtropical countries) it can also be transmitted:
The disease seen with hookworm infestation has the following signs :
The disease is confirmed by finding eggs or larvae of the worm in faeces.
A typical Uncinaria egg as seen on a faecal sample examined under a microscope Fortunately, Hookworms are very sensitive to some of the common worming preparations that are available eg fenbendazole at a dose rate of 50mg/kg, so routine preventative worming programmes should avoid serious outbreaks of this disease. In the UK outbreaks of Uncinaria stenocephala infection do occur from time to time in kennels. Provet Advice Hookworm infection is preventable by using a routine preventative worming programme. Your veterinarian will advise you about the most appropriate drug and frequency of dosing for your pets.
Updated October 2013 | |||