Hookworms

Hookworms are very small worms that live in the intestines of a host animal. Because the worms are so small, they are very difficult to detect and usually cannot be viewed in your pet’s feces. Hookworms are the most harmful of any of the intestinal parasites because their mouth has a number of hooks that attach to the lining of the bowel. The hooks in the mouth of the worm damage the lining of the host’s intestines and cause the intestines to bleed. Hookworms enter a host animal’s body when the host animal ingests the eggs of the hookworm. Infected female dogs can also transfer the larvae of the worms through their milk to their puppies. Hookworms are difficult to detect with the naked eye, but your veterinarian can perform a fecal exam on your pet to detect the presence of hookworms. If the worms are present, your veterinarian can administer medication to aid your pet in eradicating the worms from their body.