Introduction
Hookworms are parasitic worms which live in a dog’s intestines, and they survive by feeding off of the dog’s blood. If left untreated, hookworms can quickly multiply in large numbers in the dog’s gut and severe life threatening anemia and diarrhea can develop. If your dog is diagnosed with hookworms, you will need to follow the treatment protocols prescribed by your veterinarian to ensure that the entire population of hookworms in your dog’s body is exterminated.
Treating Hookworm in Dogs
There are a variety of medications that are used to treat hookworm. Some of these treatments can be given in a one-time shot under the skin, as is the case with ivermectin, diphosphenol, or butamisole treatments, or they can be given in the form of oral medications. Oral medications such as pyrantel, mebendazole, or fendbendazole, need to be given once a day for multiple days in a row. Depending on the age and breed of your dog, or how severe the hookworm infection is, your veterinarian will decide which treatment plan is best.
If the hookworm infection has caused severe anemia, diarrhea, or even shock then these symptoms need to be addressed. Hookworm infection in dogs, and especially puppies, can be fatal. In some cases the anemia is so severe the dog requires a blood transfusion in order to survive. In less mild cases iron supplements, anti-diarrheal medications, and extra nutritional supplements are prescribed to help the dog recover.
Dogs are normally infected with hookworms in one of two ways: either they ingested hookworm larvae or eggs already present in the environment, or they were infected with the hookworms through their mother’s milk. Ensuring that all bitches are free of hookworms before they are bred can help to avoid hookworm transmission to puppies. Once a dog has been treated for hookworms, it is important to keep their environment clean of all fecal matter in order to ensure that the dog stays free of hookworm infections.