Hookworms shed eggs inside of the digestive system and they pass into the environment through your petвЂ™s feces.

These parasites live in the digestive system and attach to the lining of the intestinal wall. Hookworms are short, thick worms that are white to reddish brown in color and have a hooked end. Paws to consider: It is important to note that whipworm infections can be asymptomatic (not showing any clinical signs). Keep in mind that most heartworm medications contain a drug that helps prevent and treat whipworm which is why it is important to give year round prevention. If your pet is diagnosed with whipworm, an anti-parasitic medication will be given. Signs of whipworm could include watery, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and dehydration. This is one of that many reasons it is important to have your petвЂ™s feces tested on a regular basis. However, whipworms pass a small amount of eggs so even though your pet may be infected, a fecal test may come up negative. Whipworms are diagnosed during a microscopic examination of feces by the finding of eggs.

These parasites pass eggs into the feces which are passed into the environment where they can live for up to 5 years! The eggs then mature and can then be ingested by animals where they will re-hatch into adult worms and start the life cycle all over. Whipworms are about Вј inch long and live in the lower intestinal tract where they cause irritation and damage. Below we discuss three common intestinal parasites found in pets, two of them being zoonotic. These parasites pose a real risk not only to your furry family members but also to you, and your family members. However, it is important to be aware that some of these parasites are zoonotic- meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans. This is why VCPI follows the CAPCвЂ™s (Companion Animal Parasite Council) recommendation for year round heartworm prevention.

Most intestinal parasites can be prevented with the use of monthly broad-spectrum heartworm medication. At some point, your pet may become infected with intestinal parasites.

Pics of hookworms in humans