Hookworm disease is a nematode disease that is more common in dogs and cats and is more serious in daily life. Hookworms live in the small intestine, mainly the duodenum. It happens all over the country. It is common in areas with warm climates and mostly occurs in summer, especially in small and humid pens. Dogs and cats are usually infected by swallowing infective larvae orally, but they can also be infected through the skin and mucous membranes. In addition, canine hookworm can also be infected through the placenta and colostrum.
[Main Symptoms] Acute cases of severe infection (infection by a large number of larvae in a short period of time), mostly occur in puppies and kittens. Usually the disease occurs before the eggs are excreted in the feces, with symptoms such as loss of appetite or loss of appetite, vomiting, weight loss, anemia, pale conjunctiva, alternating episodes of diarrhea and constipation, and bloody or black tar-like feces with a rancid smell. , and finally died of extreme exhaustion. Puppies with placenta or colostrum infection will develop severe anemia about 2 weeks after birth, leading to coma and death. When adult dogs are infected with a small number of worms, they generally only show symptoms of mild anemia, malnutrition and gastrointestinal disorders. When a large number of infective larvae invade the skin, it can cause hookworm dermatitis, mostly on the limbs, with symptoms such as itching, hair loss, swelling and keratinization.
[Treatment] After the onset of the disease, oral administration of levamisole, albendazole or thiobendazole can be used. 4.5% diiodonitrophenol solution can also be injected subcutaneously; for traditional Chinese medicine, 30g of betel nut and 30g of garlic (beaten into pieces) can be decocted in water to remove the residue, left to warm, and taken twice on an empty stomach. You can also take Guanzhong, Baibu, betel nut, and crane grass buds in water for oral administration. For those with severe anemia, rehydration should be carried out, and hemostatic drugs, astringents, vitamin B2, iron preparations, etc. should be fed at the same time, and protein feed should be increased. Ivermectin can also be used, 0.2 mg per kilogram of body weight, injected subcutaneously, once every 3 to 4 days, and used 3 times in a row.
【Prevention】Keep the pen clean and dry, clean up the feces promptly and dispose of it harmlessly. Check regularly during the warm season and deworm in time. Puppies can be dewormed for the first time when they are 20 to 25 days old, and once a month when they are 1 to 6 months old. Once every quarter for 6 to 24 months of age, once every six months for those above 24 months of age; at the same time, rats must be exterminated because rats are re-hosts. Dogs and cats can become infected by eating rodents.
