Hookworms have a direct life cycle meaning that they do not necessarily need a host to be transmitted. In pets, hookworm ova(egg) are passed in the host’s feces and develop to the first larval stage if the temperature and humidity are adequate. Ova can hatch in 10-12 hours at 30 degrees centigrade and in 9 hours at 37 degrees centigrade. Infection can occur via ingestion or skin penetration (commonly infested thru the feet) followed by a pulmonary migration, a developmental stage in the gastric glands, or an arrested state in the muscular tissue in older animals. Migration and maturation occur in 17 days. Transport hosts, especially rodents, may play a role in the transmission of this parasite.

Young dogs and cats are affected more severely, since they are less able to cope with depleted iron reserves.

Clinical signs may be one or more of the following:

• Intestinal blood loss causing anemia
• Bloody diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Poor hair coat

Hookworms are diagnosed by fecal flotation (Veterinarian). The ova are unembryonated and must be taken from a fresh specimen since they hatch rapidly in warm weather. Therefore, unless you are going to the veterinarian quickly it is best to refrigerate stool samples or better yet have the vet extract the stool sample at their office. Your pet may not like that idea but it will yield the more accurate result.

There are many de-wormers available over-the-counter but they contain medications that are designed to “flush out” the parasite. But as the name implies, Hookworms hook onto the intestinal wall and “do not come off without a fight”. Many pets experience mild to severe distress because of these de-wormers. These de-wormers were used by veterinarians decades ago, but veterinary medicine has come a long way since then.

Today, many anthelmintics are effective against hookworms in both dogs and cats. An aggressive treatment and prevention program as defined by your veterinarian normally entails two initial treatments 2 weeks apart (killing the hatched eggs and before they can hatch again and reproduce administering a second dose), plus an aggressive preventive program. Since the medication can only kill what’s in the system monthly checkups for 3-4 months are needed until a pattern of negative tests results are established. Because of the life-cycle of the hookworm, monthly combo preventative can help control but not usually eliminate the problem.

Also, it is extremely important to thoroughly clean and disinfect the affected areas. If this is not feasible walk your pet in a different area and if possible away from where other pets go. ALWAYS, pick up after your pet goes to the bathroom to minimize the chance of reinfection.

The most important aspect of hookworms is that they could pose a health hazard to humans. Especially if you have children, it is imperative to keep on top of the situation and have your pet regularly tested. In humans, hookworms causes cutaneous larval migrans. The parasite can penetrate human skin and cause a linear, tortous, erythematous, and pruritic dermatitis (kids are more susceptible). Therefore, if you own a pet good hygiene, prevention and management of stool area should be #1 on your list.

The most common tapeworm of dogs (and cats) is called Dipylidium caninum. This parasite attaches to the small intestinal wall by hook-like mouthparts. Adult tapeworms may reach 8 inches (20 cm) in length. The adult worm is actually made up of many small segments about 1/8 inch (3 mm) long. As the tail end of the worm matures, the terminal segments break off and pass into the stool. Occasionally, the mobile segments can be seen crawling near the anus or on the surface of a fresh bowel movement. These segments look like grains of rice and contain tapeworm eggs; the eggs are released into the environment when the segment dries. The dried segments are small (about 1/16″, or 2 mm), hard and golden in color. These dried segments can sometimes be seen stuck to the hair around the dog’s anus.

A less commonly found tapeworm, called Echinococcus, also occurs in dogs.

How do my dog get tapeworms?
In order for a dog to become infected with the common tapeworm, Dipylidium, the dog must swallow a flea that contains tapeworm eggs. This process begins whentapeworm eggs are swallowed by flea larvae (an immature stage of the flea). Contact between flea larvae and tapeworm eggs is thought to occur most frequently in contaminated bedding or carpet. Next, the dog chews or licks its skin as a flea bites; the flea is then swallowed. As the flea is digested within the dog’s intestine, the tapeworm hatches and anchors itself to the intestinal lining.

A dog become infected with Echinococcus when it eats a small mammal, usually a rodent, that contains the worm. Foxes and coyotes (and the wild rodents upon which they prey) are important in the life cycle of this parasite. Dogs and cats may also become infected if they eat rodents carrying the parasite.

What kind of problems do tapeworms cause for the dog?
Tapeworms are not highly pathogenic (harmful) to your dog. They may cause debilitation and weight loss when they occur in large numbers. Sometimes, the dog will scoot or drag its anus across the ground or carpet because the segments are irritating to the skin in this area. The adult worm is generally not seen, but the white segments which break away from the tapeworm and pass outside the body rarely fail to get an owner’s attention!

Occasionally, a tapeworm will release its attachment in the intestines and move into the stomach. This irritates the stomach, causing the dog to vomit the worm. When this happens, a worm several inches in length will be seen.

How is tapeworm infection diagnosed?
An infection with Dipylidium is usually diagnosed when the white, mobile segments are seen crawling on your dog or in the stool. Tapeworms are not usually detected by the routine fecal examination performed by the veterinarian. Because of this, veterinarians depend on the owner to notify them of possible tapeworm infection in the dog.

Echinococcus infections are harder to diagnose than the tapeworm caused by fleas because the segments are small and not readily seen.

How are the tapeworms treated?
Treatment is simple and, fortunately, very effective. A drug which kills tapeworms is given, either orally or by injection. It causes the tapeworm to dissolve within the intestines. Since the worm is usually digested before it passes, it is not visible in your dog’s stool. These drugs should not cause vomiting, diarrhea, or any other adverse side-effects.

Control of fleas is very important in the management and prevention of tapeworm infection. Flea control involves treatment of your dog, the indoor environment and the outdoor environment where the dog resides. If the dog lives in a flea-infested environment, reinfection with tapeworms may occur in as little as two weeks. Because the medication which treats tapeworm infection is so effective, return of the tapeworms is almost always due to reinfection from the environment.

How do I tell tapeworms from pinworms?

Tapeworms and pinworms look very similar. However, contrary to popular belief, pinworms do not infect dogs or cats. Any worm segments seen associated with dogs are due to tapeworms. Children who get pinworms do not get them from dogs or cats.

Echinococcus tapeworms are of more concern. These tapeworms cause very serious disease when humans become infected. Hunters and trappers in the north central United States and south central Canada may be at risk for infection by this worm if strict hygiene is not observed. Rodent control and good hygiene are important in preventing the spread of this disease to humans. As with the more common tapeworm, infection with Echinococcus is infrequent but possible.

What can be done to control tapeworm infection in dogs and to prevent human infection?

1. Effective flea control is important.
2. Prompt deworming should be given when parasites are detected; periodic deworming may be appropriate for pets at high risk for reinfection.
3. All pet feces should be disposed of promptly, especially in yards, playgrounds, and public parks. Strict hygiene is important, especially for children.
4. Do not allow children to play in potentially contaminated environments.

Whipworms are intestinal parasites which are about 1/4 inch (6 mm) long. They live in the cecum and colon of dogs where they cause severe irritation to the lining of those organs. This results in watery, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and general debilitation. They are one of the most pathogenic worms found in dogs .

How did my dog get whipworms?
Whipworms pass microscopic eggs in the stool. The eggs are very resistant to drying and heat, so they can remain viable in the dog’s environment for years. They mature and are able to reinfect the dog in 10-60 days. The eggs are swallowed and return to the lower intestinal tract to complete the life cycle.

How is whipworm infection diagnosed?
Whipworms are diagnosed by finding eggs with a microscopic examination of the stool. However, multiple samples are often required because these parasites pass small numbers of eggs on an irregular basis. Any dog with chronic diarrhea can be reasonably suspected to have whipworms, regardless of several negative stool examinations. It is an accepted practice to treat for whipworms based on assumption of infection. Response to treatment is an indication that whipworms were present but could not be detected on fecal examination.

How are whipworms treated?
Where are several drugs that are very effective against whipworms. Two treatments are needed at a 3-4 week interval, but because reinfection is such a problem, it is advisable to treat again every 3-4 months or to put the dog on a heartworm prevention product that contains an ingredient that prevents infection with whipworms. Whipworms are not nearly as common now because of widespread use of the types of heartworm prevention products.

Can I get whipworms from my dog?
No. Whipworms are not infectious to people; they are parasites of the dog.

Whipworms are intestinal parasites which are about 1/4 inch (6 mm) long. They live in the cecum and colon of dogs where they cause severe irritation to the lining of those organs. This results in watery, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, and general debilitation. They are one of the most pathogenic worms found in dogs .

Giardia spp. are parasitic protozoans (single celled organisms) found in the intestines of many animals, including dogs. This microscopic parasite clings to the surface of the intestine or floats free in the mucous lining the intestine.

The prevalence of Giardia in dogs of Alberta is not known. However, rates of 5 to 10 per cent have been suggested. This level is consistent with those reported in surveys from the United States and many other countries.

What is the life cycle of Giardia?
Giardia occurs in two forms: a motile feeding stage that lives in the intestine a non-motile cyst stage that passes in the feces.

Encystment occurs as the parasite travels to the large intestine. The cysts are fairly resistant and can survive for several months as long as sufficient moisture is provided. Mature cysts are usually found in the feces of infected animals.

Animals become infected by ingesting cysts. These cysts break open in the intestine to release the motile feeding stage (trophozoite). Giardia increase their numbers by each organism dividing in half repeatedly by a process called binary fission.

What are the different kind of species of Giardia?
Species of Giardia are morphologically similar. It was customary to give each Giardia a different name when it was found in a new host. For example, the Giardia in dogs was called Giardia canis, in cattle, Giardia bovis, and so on. Today, scientists believe that few species occur, and each species can infect more than one host. However, more research is needed on identifying each species and determining the hosts they can infect.

What kind How do dogs get Giardia?
Giardia is transmitted from host to host by ingesting cysts in contaminated feed or drinking water. Cysts may also be found in streams or other water sources.

The trophozoite stage may also be infective to dogs. This stage does not survive for very long after being voided in the feces. Therefore, it probably does not contribute significantly to the transmission of Giardia.

Can people get Giardia from dogs?
Giardia can infect humans. The clinical signs are similar to those reported for dogs. We do not know the significance companion animals serve as a source of infection for humans. Until it has been proven otherwise, we should assume that Giardia can be transmitted from one animal to another and from other animals to humans.

What harm does Giardia do to dogs?
The significance of Giardia in dogs is still not certain. Although Giardia has been reported from dogs with diarrhea and dysentery, it has also been reported in apparently healthy dogs.

Clinical signs usually occur in dogs less than one year of age. But giardiasis may also occur in older dogs, or in animals suffering from other diseases or those undergoing chemotherapy.

How can I know when a dog has Giardia?
Clinical signs range from none in asymptomatic carriers, to mild recurring diarrhea consisting of soft, light-colored stools to acute explosive diarrhea in severe cases.

Other signs associated with giardiasis are weight loss, listlessness, mucus in the stool and anorexia. These signs are also associated with other diseases of the intestinal tract and are not specific to giardiasis.

How can I be sure a dog has Giardia?
Diagnosis is confirmed by finding the cysts or motile stages in feces. A negative report does not rule out Giardia.

Because cysts are only passed periodically, several fecal examinations may be necessary to diagnoses this parasite. At least three fecal samples, examined over a period of seven to ten days, should be examined.

How do you treat a dog for Giardia?
There are two antiprotozoal drugs commonly recommended (metronidazole and quinacrine). Contact your veterinarian for the drug of choice and treatment program. All infected animals should be treated whether or not they show clinical signs.