Hookworms are very common intestinal parasites in dogs. Generally, there are three types of hookworms that create problems in dogs, & some may affect human by travelling through the skin.

Hookworms are deadly, especially for puppies. As a responsible dog owner, you should be careful about the signs of hookworms in dogs before it’s too late. Hookworms are blood-sucking parasites that can inhabit, invade and live in the dog’s small intestines. Hookworms can bring anaemia and inflammation in dog’s small intestine, during their four-stage larvae.

These worms are the very small thin type of worm that is less than an inch long. The outside of mouthparts varies depending on species.

How Hookworms affect dogs

Hookworms suck blood and also cause internal blood loss. They are very dangerous for dogs, especially for adorable husky puppies & puppies can’t survive if they become affected by this. Older dog’s blood loss is more chronic, & your dog will suffer from weight loss & diarrhoea. You should go to vet if you believe that your dog is infected with hookworms without any delay. Your vet will help your dog for safe & effective treatment.

Signs

The earlier sign of Hookworms is that it will create internal blood loss also your dog will have itchy feet. The larvae will move from the ground & also go through the skin to attack the dog which creates irritation & inflammation in the paws of the dog.

Adult dogs are most likely to suffer from diarrhoea when the hookworms attack them. You may notice blood coming from their vomiting.

If you notice that your dog is having repeated diarrhoea then you must take him/her to vet immediately.

Another sign you will notice is that dog’s stool is bloody. Because hookworms may stop the blood clotting which is why they will lose blood.

Puppies can be infected if their mother has a placenta. If they drink mother’s milk they can also become affected. If your puppies have hookworms infections by born then he/she may also fail to grow properly & their coats will become dull and starry.

Puppies will have consistent diarrhoea & sometimes may die very soon because of blood & fluid loss.

It’s very important to take your puppies to the vet if you notice any negative symptoms because puppies’ immune system is not well developed to protect them against this.

Are Hookworms Contagious

Hookworms are so contagious that they can travel through the skin. If you have a female dog who is affected by the hookworms then her puppies will have a great chance of suffering from it, if you do not take proper actions. Another fact is that if you have a pregnant dog then it’s a very important to check her regularly for any symptoms of hookworms.

Other dogs can also get infected if they come in contact with an infected fog’s stool. Humans can also get affected by their dog because hookworms are highly contagious. The parasite may penetrate through the skin by making a way inside the human body. That’s why if you think your dog has hookworms, then it's better to wear gloves and carefully take care of the dog.

These worms are too dangerous that they can create a serious infection in your feet. The worms are mostly grown up in the contaminated soil where the dog’s stool was once spotted. From the stool, the hookworms continue to grow & surround everywhere in the soil even if the stool is no longer exist there. If you walk over there with barefoot then there is big chance that you will get affected by worms.

How you should avoid hookworms

It’s easy to control & prevent hookworms in dogs. If you take proper action by maintaining a clean yard, environment & stop your dog from going around faeces then you can easily avoid hookworms. Keep in mind that, these worms mostly strive in a warm & moist environment like overcrowded kennels.

Treatments

You can’t see hookworms with the naked eyes & there is no other way but the only microscope can help to examine. Most veterinarians examine stool specimen by microscope. The test generally helps vet to make sure if there is any problem or not, if something seems negative then they will recommend the perfect treatment for your dog.

Most vets prescribe dewormer or anthelmintic drugs to treat hookworms in dogs. These drugs are generally oral and have some side effects, but it can only treat grown-up hookworms.  So most probably the vet will ask to treat the dog again in three to five weeks to destroy any new adults are formed from the surviving larvae. For pregnant dogs, the treatment will start two weeks after breeding and continue for three to five weeks after the puppies are born to check if there are any worms in the intestine.

If the condition is very serious then the vet will recommend keeping the dog/puppy in the hospital for blood transfusion and fluid therapy.