Hookworm!

[Guest deanna]

Gross. On Ollie's second fecal test since he's been home, he was + for hookworm. He was tested and wormed in AZ, then tested neg. but wormed again just in case, then on the re-test it was positive. Yick Yick Yick.

 

We're treating everyone. Here's my question - we don't typically have hook in CA, so the vet is a little bewildered, and doesn't know too much from experience with it.

 

Any insights? Thoughts? Ideas?

 

My yard is HUGE, so Jared and I are starting thorough hookpoop abatement tonight. What else can I do, other than scooping poop and wiping puppy butt? (And he's been getting almost daily baths)

 

I don't have hookworm experience. Help!

[greyhead]

Sigh, I'm so sorry. Our Spencer has probably permanent hookworm, since it took 10 months to get a positive fecal. Hookworms aren't usually in our state either, so same problem with vets. If you look for my Member Topics, you'll find some on hookworm. If you look in the archives for "hookworm," you'll find much more. Standard treatment is two rounds of Panacur, three days each time. But some posters mention treating for 7 days per round, and one said her vet reported that the state vet school was recommending 7 days for greyhounds. Some also follow Panacur treatment with Drontal, I believe, to get any stragglers that have become immune to Panacur.

 

The major problem with hooks is that they don't stay in the gut. They migrate to the lungs and other tissues. In the tissues, as well as in the yard, they encyst (enclose themselves in protective coats) and don't reemerge until they feel like it. So we also treat monthly. We've been using Advantage-Multi, but out vet is now recommending we switch to Interceptor. I'm not clear why.

 

The main thing is this. Don't let your vet under-treat this or take it even slightly lightly. Of course, it's easier when you have a positive fecal to work with. But even when the fecals are negative, it doesn't necessarily mean that there are no more worms. It only means they're not shedding eggs, which is what fecals examine. So you might need to do fecals frequently. In any case, don't trust them entirely! Just know their limitations and keep watching your dog. (Behavioral symptoms include lack of a.m. appetite, gurgling tummy, soft poop sometimes, biting at their sides, suddenly jumping like they've been bitten -- which they have been.)

 

Poop has to be picked up promptly, immediately when possible. Some afterward spray each spot with bleach from a spray bottle to thwart anything microscopic that might be left on the ground.

 

Best of luck. I'm glad you caught the problem!

[Guest deanna]

Doh! I knew it was going to be rough. I didn't realize they migrate to other tissues

 

And Ollie has bitten at his sides a little, now that I think of it - he does it while chasing his tail, so I thought he was just being a dork.

 

I haven't noticed those symptoms in the girls. Some loose poop, but it was also after introducing a new protein to their raw diet. And I haven't noticed it since. We're treating them anyway though, just in case.

 

Can humans get it?

 

Ollie comes into the house from the yard covered in poop/dirt/grass stains/sticks/....he's just a total boy rolling around in the hilly/wild part of our yard. We'll give him a bath right away...but who's to say a poop speck didn't get under my nail and in my mouth later? Gross, I can't believe I'm even asking this...

[Guest LoveMyJoseyBean]

I have no hookworm experience myself...but I do know it happens in California. A girl that I talk to at the dog park told me her dog had gotten hookworm 3 times from eating the dirt at our local dog park. In fact I have talked to several people who dogs have gotten hookworm at the North Hollywood park.

 

Luckily Josey doesn't seem to have a penchant for dirt, and we don't go there so much any more.

[Guest deanna]

I can't remember if I'd invited you and Josey over to our big yard for a playdate yet or not...but maybe we'll put a big fat "cancel" on that idea.

 

Ollie loves dirt Then again, he's a puppy boy. Of course he loves dirt.

[Guest HornGreys]

Oh no Deanna....sorry that Ollie has hookworm. Yeah, they are rally nasty. So, here is the deal of what you need to do to make sure the girls don't get it. We have been off and on dealing with it here for a while since the track greys got it.

 

First off get a bottle and mix water and bleach. After he does a dump and you clean it up poor that over the area. This will help to keep the girls from getting it. Another thing...you may want to see about getting your girls on Intercepter to prevent hook worms. You may want to spray down any area that Ollie has gone potty with the bleach and water. I have done my whole yard when we first had problems.

 

To answer the question...yes you could get the hook worm from him. I was told that if you step in his poop with bare feet there is a possibily to it moving into humans. (Yeah I know....gross)

 

As for treating, it will take a while....sorry. Even if you get a clean reading it is possible for him to still have it. I would wait to get a couple clears before you know that it is gone.

 

Good luck! PM me if you have any questions.

[tbhounds]

Unfortunately once it's in the soil it stays in the soil. The best thing you can do is treat with Panacur and then give monthly interceptor.

[Batmom]

Sunlight is your friend. Pick up everything as soon as it's deposited and keep your grass mowed short.

 

Evidently bleach does kill the larvae but not the eggs -- sunlight and dryness is the only thing that will do them in.

[Guest LindsaySF]

The best thing you can do is treat with Panacur and then give monthly interceptor.

Agreed.

 

 

Sunlight is your friend. Pick up everything as soon as it's deposited and keep your grass mowed short.

 

Evidently bleach does kill the larvae but not the eggs -- sunlight and dryness is the only thing that will do them in.

Yup. The larvae and eggs survive in warm, moist soil. If you can get the soil to dry out (hence mowing grass short, more sunlight) that will kill them. Freezing over winter kills the larvae and eggs too.

 

In areas where the soil never dries out or freezes, the best thing to do is deworm and then use Interceptor to prevent reinfection.

 

 

 

~Lindsay~

[Guest RICHandJUDE]

When I got my two greyts 3 years ago, they both had the hookworm. It was tough getting rid of them. We had to deworm them 2 or 3 times and it seemed to take 2 or 3 months. They kept reinfesting themselves.

 

Finally I was told that they were probably reinfesting themselves through their poop. After that I would watch where they went in the yard (fenced in area) then clean it up at once. I made a concoction of water and rock salt. After cleaning the poop I would douse the area with the mix. It killed some grass but it solved my problem. Good Luck!

 

 

[Guest mritter]

My Grey came last Sunday ( Memorial Day weekend) and had Hookworms. We went to the Vet, and the Vet gave my dog Drontal immediately as well as follow-up meds (Interceptor). we're hoping for the best.