hookworm infection in pets

How to recognize the clinical signs and life-threatening symptoms of hookworm in dogs and cats.

Hookworm infestations can endanger pets of all ages, including (and especially) newborn puppies and kittens. Routine parasite prevention, deworming, and good hygiene can all help protect you and your pet.

How to identify and treat hookworm infections

A hookworm infestation can kill vulnerable pets. Black, tarry poops are a sign of blood loss, and symptoms like pale or white gums from anemia need emergency veterinary care.

The basics on hookworm

The term “hookworm” is used to refer to several different intestinal parasites, including Ancylostoma caninum, Ancylostoma braziliense, and Uncinaria stenocephala. All of these types of hookworm are tiny parasitic worms with hook-like cutting plates for jaws. 

Hookworms attach to the lining of your pet’s small intestine to feed. Each individual worm is small, but together they suck out so much blood that a serious infestation can kill vulnerable pets and puppies and kittens.

Hookworms have two life stages: active and dormant. Active hookworms feed and shed eggs into infected pet feces. Dormant hookworms enter the muscles and deactivate until they’re triggered by life events like pregnancy or nursing. 

Pets with active hookworms need veterinary treatment. If not addressed, hookworms can hurt, sicken, or kill your pet. 

How do newborn puppies and kittens get infected with hookworm eggs?

Once contracted by a mother pet, hookworms can go dormant and then reactivate to feast on your pet — including their puppies or kittens in the womb. This is one reason veterinarians typically recommend routine deworming during your pet’s first year and when pregnant or nursing.

Eating or touching hookworm eggs or larvae:

Pets of all ages can pick up hookworm by eating infected prey, or from contact with larvae in areas contaminated with hookworm-infested animal poop like yards or litter boxes.

Prenatally or through mother’s milk:

If a pregnant dog has had hookworms in the past, dormant worms lay eggs that can pass to pups through the mother’s mammary glands while nursing.

Symptoms of a hookworm infection in dogs and cats

Pets with more advanced infections may seem lethargic, lose weight, and look generally unwell. Symptoms may be more dramatic in dogs; dog-specific hookworms typically suck out more blood than the species that affect cats.

However, pets with hookworm can also show no signs at all — and still poop out infectious eggs.

Hookworm is a zoonotic disease, which means it affects both pets and people. However, people and pets catch and can be affected by hookworm in slightly different ways.

People typically catch hookworm by walking barefoot in moist soil contaminated with hookworm larvae. The larvae don’t always move to the digestive tract (as in pets) but burrow into the skin of the feet to cause inflammation.

Hookworm in people is treated with specific prescription medications. If you suspect you or other members of your human family have hookworm, please see your doctor.

Are there natural home remedies for deworming my dog or cat?

Despite articles on the internet, there’s no proof that organic or natural “remedies” like carrots, coconut, or apple cider vinegar help to prevent or treat worms in dogs or cats. Some of these “cures” can actually be dangerous to your pet.

If you suspect your pet has hookworm or any other kind of parasite, consult your veterinary team. Your veterinarian can diagnose the problem and prescribe trusted and effective deworming medication to help your pet.

Treating hookworms typically needs multiple rounds of prescription deworming meds. Because of the hookworm life cycle, a single dose is not always effective in catching dormant worms.

Hookworms can cause so much damage and nutrient loss that an infected pet may need help for secondary health issues caused by the parasite, including urgent supportive care like blood transfusions for traumatic blood loss.

Tips to prevent hookworm in pets

Your veterinary team is a great resource for helping prevent hookworm. Ask them what they recommend for your pet’s species, location, and lifestyle.

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