The Scoop on Poop, Part II

Intestinal Parasites 101, Hookworms & Whipworms

Hookworms are another ugly intestinal parasite. They are a bit less interesting from a lifecycle perspective, but unpleasant nonetheless. When they attach to the intestine of the pet, they suck blood and can cause serious anemia due to blood loss and this can even be fatal in youngsters. These eggs are also shed in the feces as well as having potential for direct transmission from mother to puppy similar to the roundworm.  This type of direct transmission from the mother does not occur in kittens although they still can contract hookworms via eggs from feces or the ingestion of an invertebrate host. One such host for the cat hookworm is the cockroach. The cat attacks the scuttling cockroach and ends up with a hookworm infection! Yet again, they need not venture outside to encounter parasites.  As with roundworms, routine deworming of puppies and kittens is recommended. Typically a product is used that eliminates both roundworms & hookworms so only one medication is needed although multiple deworming treatments are administered during the first several months of life for both puppies and kittens. In Florida, the incidence of hookworms is high based on prevalence maps from the CAPC. The Companion Animal Parasite Council protocol is commonly followed to remove these ubiquitous parasites. Hookworm eggs are not as hardy as those of roundworms, but they are still common in the soil in Florida.

The hookworm larvae can penetrate the skin in people and cause a condition called cutaneous larval migrans. It occurs most commonly in children, but can affect anyone that walks around in bare feet or comes in direct contact with the soil or sand contaminated with hookworm eggs and larvae. People are infected when larvae penetrate the skin and burrow beneath, causing a red and itchy reaction. Raised, reddish tracks can appear on the skin and may move from day to day following the course of the larvae migrating beneath the skin. How’s that for gross? This can last for several weeks before the larvae die and the inflammation resolves. Such infections can be very itchy and painful. The best prevention is to avoid direct contact with soil or sand that may be contaminated. This includes beaches in tropical and subtropical areas when vacationing!

Whipworms are the third of the "big four" of intestinal parasites. Although statistically we detect fewer numbers of these than roundworms and hookworms, that may be simply because they shed their eggs more intermittently and so are much harder to diagnose from fecal samples. Whipworms prefer to set up housekeeping in the lower bowel and can cause colitis in pets.  Whipworms can also cause an unusual pattern of waxing and waning weakness which appears to be very similar to Addison's disease in dogs, a serious endocrine imbalance. Thankfully, testing can help differentiate the two. The whipworm eggs are quite hardy and can survive in the outdoor environment for years.  Although there is a species of whipworm that can effect cats, infection of cats is not at all common and symptoms of whipworm infection of cats are rather rare.

The good news is that the common whipworm of dogs (Trichuris vulpis) is not contagious to humans. We have our own intestinal parasite that is similar, the pinworm, which is not contracted from pets.

As noted in the previous blog article about roundworms the best way to manage intestinal parasites is the use of monthly heartworm preventive products that also eliminate these nasty parasites.  Revolution for Cats helps eliminate both roundworms and hookworms in cats and kittens. The whipworm is a bit more challenging to eliminate than the other two and fewer products are effective on whipworms. Popular products for dogs that eliminate whipworms in addition to roundworms & hookworms include Interceptor,  Sentinel and Trifexis .

We'll take a peek at Tapeworms in the final portion of this series.