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We are conveniently located on 30th Avenue N in St. Petersburg, Florida

Ph: (727) 896-7127

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Hours of Operation:

Monday - Friday:
Morning - 8:00am to 12:00pm
Afternoon - 1:30pm to 6pm
Saturday: 8:00 to 12:00pm
Sunday CLOSED
Location and Directions
St Pete Veterinary Center
Information
Sunday, 01 August 2010
Hookworms

hookworm egg.jpghookworm mouth.jpgHookworms

Species affected: dogs and cats

Scientific names: Ancylostoma caninum and Uncinaria stenocephala (dogs), Ancylostoma tubaeformae (cats)

 

Clinical signs: none may be noted in early stages of infection

  • Cats: weight loss, diarrhea, vomiting, anemia, poor hair coat, pulmonary lesions, dermatitis, death
  • Dogs: anemia, diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, poor growth, death

Mode of transmission: oral ingestion of eggs from environment, penetration of skin by larvae, larvae pass from dam to young through milk

Diagnosis: eggs in fecal examination

Treatment: fenbendazole or pyrantel pamoate; supportive care 

  • All puppies and kittens should be dewormed for hookworms

Prevention: Hookworm eggs are very resistant in the environment

  • Pick up feces immediately with plastic bag and discard into trashcan until infection resolved
  • Wash hands well after handling feces
  • Make sure all pets are screened yearly for hookworms and treated if infected
  • Administering monthly heartworm preventive like Interceptor, Sentinel or HeartgardPlus will prevent pets from becoming infected with hookworms
  • Wear gloves when gardening and avoid going barefoot
  • A 1% bleach solution (3 cups bleach per gallon of water) will disinfect surfaces
  • Prevent coprophagia (ingestion of feces)
  • Do not allow pets to lick human faces

Zoonotic disease: "creeping eruption" (human cutaneous larva migrans)

  • A linear tortuous red itchy eruption on human skin caused when hookworm larvae penetrate the skin and migrate
  • Very rarely eosinophilic enteritis can occur

Information about human hookworm infection from the CDC

Please contact our veterinarians at Animal Medical Hospital in Saint Petersburg, Florida (FL) at 727-896-7127 for more information.

 
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