How Do Dogs Get Hookworms
Dogs are prone to be parasite central at times. They are the primary host for heartworms, a parasite that infects cats and even humans. Fleas and ticks adore them and they are a breeding ground for hookworms it seems. Dogs can easily get hookworms and they aren't as immediately detrimental to your pet's health as other types of parasites, but it is important to spot and eradicate hookworms as soon as possible or your dog could end up suffering and costing you a great deal of money in vet bills in the long run.
What are Hookworms?
Hookworms are small, worm-like parasites that live inside dogs and feed off of them – similar to a heartworm. The fact that hookworms and heartworms are parasites that live inside dogs is essentially where the similarity ends, because they do not look the same and they live in entirely different parts of the dog's body. Hookworms get their name from the small hook-like feature on their head that they use to dig into the wall of a dog's intestinal tract – it helps to keep them there. They draw blood from the walls of the intestines and have been known to cause severe anemic problems in young dogs. In most cases hookworms are a puppy problem, but they can develop in adult dogs as well. Read the rest of this entry »
