Why Does My Dog Keep Getting Hookworms?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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A dog may become infected

when it inadvertently swallows hookworm larvae, often by grooming its feet, or from sniffing feces or contaminated soil

. Most larvae that are ingested will move to the intestinal tract to complete their life cycle.

How do you prevent hookworms in dogs?

  1. Pick up dog feces. If hookworm eggs/larvae are not in the environment, other animals cannot become infected. …
  2. Cover sandboxes. Covered sandboxes cannot become contaminated by dogs and cats randomly passing by.
  3. Deworm dogs regularly.

How serious is hookworm in dogs?

Hookworms are

a serious threat to dogs, especially young puppies

. They can cause blood loss, weight loss, diarrhea or death. Hookworms live in your dog’s digestive system. They must be diagnosed by your veterinarian.

How contagious is hookworm in dogs?

Are hookworms contagious for humans or other pets? Hookworms are a zoonotic disease, which means they can be spread between animals and humans.

Your dog cannot transmit hookworms to you directly

, but hookworm eggs can pass through your dog’s feces and into the environment.

How do I clean my house after hookworms?

Treatment generally consists of a general dewormer and environmental cleaning. Indoors,

the floor should be vacuumed and cleaned with an all-purpose cleaner. Litter boxes and bedding should be scrubbed and laundered

. All animals in the house should be dewormed together to ensure all infected animals are treated.

Do hookworms crawl out of dogs?

The eggs hatch in about a week and infectious larvae develop further in the environment. In warm and wet conditions, larvae may live for two months. They prefer sandy soil but

may crawl onto grass seeking a host

.

How often should I treat my dog for hookworms?

“It is necessary to treat an infected dog again in about

two to four weeks

to kill newly developed adult worms…” Therefore, it is necessary to treat an infected dog again in about two to four weeks to kill any newly developed adult worms that were larvae at the time of the first treatment.

How do I treat my yard for hookworms?


Spread sodium borate (Borax) over sandy or clay areas of the yard to kill any remaining eggs or larvae

. You will need to use about 10 pounds of sodium borate evenly over every 100 square feet of ground. Don’t use the sodium borate on areas with plants or grass as it may harm the plants.

Can hookworms live in my carpet?


Hookworms are not very viable in carpet to begin with

. High heat and regular cleaning products should do the trick. Also Frontline spray (very effective at killing parasites) can be used to treat the area first, before using your carpet shampooing products.

Can hookworms live in my house?


Unless animals or people have defecated in your home, it is not necessary to disinfect your home from hookworms

. Hookworms aren’t directly contagious because the eggs must mature into larvae before another person can contract the infection. If disinfection is necessary, use diluted bleach to clean surfaces.

Should I quarantine my dog with worms?

Generally speaking,

dogs affected by intestinal parasites like roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms don’t have to be quarantined

. Intestinal parasites don’t really spread via close contact. Instead, they have a tendency to spread if a dog was to consume an infected stool.

What is the life cycle of a hookworm?

Life Cycle


Most adult worms are eliminated in 1 to 2 years, but the longevity may reach several years

. Some A. duodenale larvae, following penetration of the host skin, can become dormant (hypobiosis in the intestine or muscle). These larvae are capable of re-activating and establishing patent, intestinal infections.

Does Heartgard prevent hookworms?

HEARTGARD® Plus (ivermectin/pyrantel)

helps prevent heartworm disease AND treats and controls three species of hookworms

. HEARTGARD Plus is the Real-Beef Chewable that dogs love,5 so it’s easy to give.

Can I get hookworms from my dog sleeping in my bed?


Yes, you can get the roundworm, tapeworm, or hookworm from your dog sleeping on your bed

. So, in as much as comforting your pooch is a good thing, you shouldn’t put yourself at risk. Worm infestation could lead to severe health issues. Most of them are harmful to humans.

What do you do if your dog has hookworms?

Treating hookworms in dogs

requires the intervention of a veterinarian who can prescribe your dog with a dewormer, or anthelmintic

. These drugs are usually oral and come with few side effects, but they only kill the adult hookworms.

Do I need to disinfect my house if my dog has worms?

How to clean after worms.

A dewormer will be needed to rid your dog of the worms that live inside of her intestines

, and an additional sanitization of the immediate environment is needed to kill additional worms and eggs, which can live in soil and carpet.

Do I need to treat my yard if my dog has worms?

Treating Hookworm

What’s most important, and can be tricky, is preventing reinfection. Since the worm is spread through infected feces,

you’ll need to clean your yard and other places your dog defecates, removing as much of the infected material as possible

.

How contagious are worms in dogs?

Intestinal parasites are

contagious to other animals and humans

. Because they primarily inhabit the GI tract, larvae, or eggs, are passed in the feces. The infective larvae then inhabit the soil around the feces, leaving other dogs, and children, vulnerable to accidental ingestion and subsequent infection.

Do hookworms make dogs hungry?

Change in Feeding Habits

A sudden change in a dog’s appetite may mean he is infected with roundworms. Food may lose its appeal, or

he may suddenly be more hungry because worms are stealing nutrients from his food

.

How can you prevent hookworms?

  1. Wear shoes outside.
  2. Avoid skin contact with soil that may be contaminated.
  3. Avoid eating food that could be contaminated.
  4. Avoid skin contact with dog poop (especially in parks, where you can’t know if other people’s pets have hookworm).

Why does my dog keep getting worms?

Some of the most common ways to contract worms in dogs include:

Drinking contaminated milk from the mother during nursing

. Rolling in, sniffing, eating, stepping in or licking contaminated soil. Consuming infected prey like rodents, birds, and reptiles.

Can I worm my dog twice in one week?


Yes she sure can

. It can take up to 1 week to rid the first round of worms in her system. Then as the worms in her system go through their 2 week life cycle (from baby worms to adult worms that you see in the poop) they should be treated again as a re-emergence of worms is seen.

Can you spray your yard for hookworms?

To treat the environment,

use Outdoor Pest Control yard spray in and around the yard to control the spread of hookworms

and other parasites (fleas, ticks, mosquitoes). Wondercide will dissolve the full life cycle, including insect egg and larvae, which is crucial to controlling hookworms.

How long do hookworms stay in soil?

Under optimum conditions, infective larvae may remain viable in the soil for

several months or longer

, but under natural conditions in the tropics the majority rarely survive longer than five or six weeks.

Where do hookworms come from?

Hookworm infection is mainly acquired by

walking barefoot on contaminated soil

. One kind of hookworm can also be transmitted through the ingestion of larvae. Most people infected with hookworms have no symptoms.

Diane Mitchell
Author
Diane Mitchell
Diane Mitchell is an animal lover and trainer with over 15 years of experience working with a variety of animals, including dogs, cats, birds, and horses. She has worked with leading animal welfare organizations. Diane is passionate about promoting responsible pet ownership and educating pet owners on the best practices for training and caring for their furry friends.