Hookworms Flashcards
Which species affects both dogs and cats?
Ancylostoma braziliense
Uncinaria stenocephala (Northern hookworm)
What hookworm species only affects dogs?
Ancylostoma caninum
What hookworm species only affects cats?
Ancylostoma tubaeforme
Geographical prevalence of Ancylostoma caninum
Most common cause of K9 hookworm
Disease in tropical, subtropical regions, globally
Geographical prevalence of Ancylostoma tubaeforme
Most common cause of feline hookworm disease
Disease in tropical, subtropical regions, globally
Geographical prevalence of Ancylostoma braziliense
Sparsely distributed from FL to NC
Central and South America and Africa
Geographical prevalence of Uncinaria stenocephala
Found in cooler regions
Primary K9 hookworm found in Canada and northern edge of US (foxes)
What system does hookworms affect?
Small intestine
Size of a hookworm
Very small and thread-like
0.5- 1 in in length
Teeth of A. caninum and tubaeforme
3 pairs of teeth
Teeth of A. braziliense
2 pair of teeth
Teeth of uncinaria stenocephala
No teeth, has cutting plates
Stages of A. caninum
Pre-patent period: 2 weeks
Infective stage: L3 larvae stage
How do larvae affect the host through the oral route?
1.Eggs passed in feces (eggs hatch L1 larvae that develop into infective L3 that contaminate the soil)
2. L3 ingested through soil or grass
3. Infected larvae transported to small intestine
4. Mature and produce more eggs
How do larvae affect the host through the skin route?
- L3 enter host by skin penetration, enter the body tissue and become arrested
- larvae awakened by pregnancy or presence of concurrent disease
- Infective larvae in small intestine, if pregnant also in mammary tissue
What do hookworms attach to in the small intestine?
The mucosal lining
General clinical signs of hookworms
Irritation, damage and bleeding from intestines
Clinical signs of A. caninum
Signs associated with anemia due to blood loss
Bloody diarrhea
Weight loss
Rough hair coat
Worms in feces
How do you diagnose hookworms?
Fecal flotation
What do eggs look like on a slide?
Oval shaped
Thin-shelled
Multicellular
Treatment of hookworms
Pyrantel Pamoate (Nemex)
Are hookworms zoonotic?
YES!
T/F: Canine hookworms have a indirect lifecycle
FALSE, it’s direct
