One of the most common irritants a dog owner is going to have to deal with outside of fleas is that of the hookworm.
Hookworms are an extremely common dog parasite.
Their method of infection (as with most parasites) is rather unique, the symptoms that they give are obvious and the prevention of hookworm infestation is an ongoing battle.
The solutions to a hookworm infestation are relatively simple however, and a hookworm infestation shouldn't be the cause for alarm.
Hookworms are bloodsuckers.
The hookworm larvae are tricky.
The larvae are found in the feces left behind by an infected dog.
They hatch in about a day and can live for many weeks on the ground without any sustenance.
Technically, all your dog has to do is brush up against an active larvae it will do the rest.
One method of infection is that the larvae will bore into the dog through the skin and work its way to the lungs.
In the lungs, the larvae becomes a juvenile hookworm.
The parasite is then coughed up as mucous and re-swallowed into the stomach where the infection can really take hold, with the parasite's attachment to the intestinal wall.
Hookworms are extremely thin, almost transparent worms that can get to be about a half of an inch long.
They are basically a hose with teeth suck nonstop.
Hookworms can either get into the dog through the penetration of skin (usually through the foot) or they can be ingested.
But in truth there are several different ways a dog can become infected with this common parasite.
The most interesting is that an infected mother can pass the parasite onto her unborn through the placenta.
Even more disturbing is that a mother infected with hookworms can pass the parasite off by nursing her young.
Most commonly, the eggs are passed out of an infected dog through its feces, and then the infection starts over again with a new host.
Hookworms are prolific.
A pack of 300 worms in a dog can severely drain a dog's blood supply and cause weakness due to anemia, or even death.
Several symptoms can reveal the presence of hookworms in your dog.
A bloody or tar-like stool is definitely a sign that something is wrong.
Your dog also might be vomiting or not demonstrating its normal appetite.
There can also be weight loss and a general lethargy.
Hookworms drink your dog's blood, so anemic behavior is what should be paid attention to.
Gums that aren't pink and wholesome looking are a sign of potential hookworm infestation.
Hookworms move quick, and signs of an infestation can happen as soon as 10 days after contact.
Interestingly enough, eggs don't show up in the feces until several weeks after infection.
The stool sample can even be taken to the vet early in the hookworm's intestinal career and come back negative.
So your pet might be acting slightly off, but there is no real way of being able to tell until the eggs show up.
Unfortunately, hookworm eggs aren't visible to the naked eye.
A vet can determine them for you.
When the eggs do start showing up, there is no real way to determine how thick the infestation is based on an egg count.
The reason why is that hookworms are some serious egg layers.
One worm can lay up to 20,000 eggs a day.
However, a vet is going to recognize other signs and be able to make the proper hookworm determination.
It is a good idea to do a fecal floatation test with a vet twice a year to determine if there are any parasites within your dog's system.
A fecal floatation test is basically a test that a vet performs with your dog's feces that can determine all sorts of different parasites, not just hookworms.
There are several deworming products available over the counter that can eradicate this pest.
Hookworm treatments only kill the adult worms.
In order to guarantee complete eradication, multiple treatments are necessary.
Extreme cases of hookworm infestation might even require a blood infusion.
A basic deworming product like the 8in1 Safe-Guard Canine Dewormer is something that can do the trick.
There are many, many different products out there that are over the counter that will handle hookworms.
Also, over-the-counter deworming products are relatively low-priced.
A product can be picked up at your local pet store for about six dollars.
Hookworms are such a common pest that the idea of getting your dog dewormed shouldn't be over-reacted to.
While their process of infection is kind of unusual, the solutions to hookworms are rather simple.
If one pays attention to their pet, and is diligent when they see signs of lethargy or illness, a full-blown hookworm infestation is going to be something that the average dog-owner will be able to avoid.
Hookworms are an extremely common dog parasite.
Their method of infection (as with most parasites) is rather unique, the symptoms that they give are obvious and the prevention of hookworm infestation is an ongoing battle.
The solutions to a hookworm infestation are relatively simple however, and a hookworm infestation shouldn't be the cause for alarm.
Hookworms are bloodsuckers.
The hookworm larvae are tricky.
The larvae are found in the feces left behind by an infected dog.
They hatch in about a day and can live for many weeks on the ground without any sustenance.
Technically, all your dog has to do is brush up against an active larvae it will do the rest.
One method of infection is that the larvae will bore into the dog through the skin and work its way to the lungs.
In the lungs, the larvae becomes a juvenile hookworm.
The parasite is then coughed up as mucous and re-swallowed into the stomach where the infection can really take hold, with the parasite's attachment to the intestinal wall.
Hookworms are extremely thin, almost transparent worms that can get to be about a half of an inch long.
They are basically a hose with teeth suck nonstop.
Hookworms can either get into the dog through the penetration of skin (usually through the foot) or they can be ingested.
But in truth there are several different ways a dog can become infected with this common parasite.
The most interesting is that an infected mother can pass the parasite onto her unborn through the placenta.
Even more disturbing is that a mother infected with hookworms can pass the parasite off by nursing her young.
Most commonly, the eggs are passed out of an infected dog through its feces, and then the infection starts over again with a new host.
Hookworms are prolific.
A pack of 300 worms in a dog can severely drain a dog's blood supply and cause weakness due to anemia, or even death.
Several symptoms can reveal the presence of hookworms in your dog.
A bloody or tar-like stool is definitely a sign that something is wrong.
Your dog also might be vomiting or not demonstrating its normal appetite.
There can also be weight loss and a general lethargy.
Hookworms drink your dog's blood, so anemic behavior is what should be paid attention to.
Gums that aren't pink and wholesome looking are a sign of potential hookworm infestation.
Hookworms move quick, and signs of an infestation can happen as soon as 10 days after contact.
Interestingly enough, eggs don't show up in the feces until several weeks after infection.
The stool sample can even be taken to the vet early in the hookworm's intestinal career and come back negative.
So your pet might be acting slightly off, but there is no real way of being able to tell until the eggs show up.
Unfortunately, hookworm eggs aren't visible to the naked eye.
A vet can determine them for you.
When the eggs do start showing up, there is no real way to determine how thick the infestation is based on an egg count.
The reason why is that hookworms are some serious egg layers.
One worm can lay up to 20,000 eggs a day.
However, a vet is going to recognize other signs and be able to make the proper hookworm determination.
It is a good idea to do a fecal floatation test with a vet twice a year to determine if there are any parasites within your dog's system.
A fecal floatation test is basically a test that a vet performs with your dog's feces that can determine all sorts of different parasites, not just hookworms.
There are several deworming products available over the counter that can eradicate this pest.
Hookworm treatments only kill the adult worms.
In order to guarantee complete eradication, multiple treatments are necessary.
Extreme cases of hookworm infestation might even require a blood infusion.
A basic deworming product like the 8in1 Safe-Guard Canine Dewormer is something that can do the trick.
There are many, many different products out there that are over the counter that will handle hookworms.
Also, over-the-counter deworming products are relatively low-priced.
A product can be picked up at your local pet store for about six dollars.
Hookworms are such a common pest that the idea of getting your dog dewormed shouldn't be over-reacted to.
While their process of infection is kind of unusual, the solutions to hookworms are rather simple.
If one pays attention to their pet, and is diligent when they see signs of lethargy or illness, a full-blown hookworm infestation is going to be something that the average dog-owner will be able to avoid.
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