Hookworm Treatment--Do Symptoms Usually Get Worse Before Getting Bette

[Guest nonna49]

Hi AngelPup,

 

 

Same routine at the rescue group here. None of my girls had a paper trail or chain of custody prior to the dog coming into the rescue community with the exception of the LAST immunization record and rabies vaccine administered before surrendering to the rescue. The only record of heartworm testing was done with the rescue vet after the dog left the track. It would indeed be VERY helpful to see what care the dogs received prior to going into rescue. When they were tested and treated. It would also be interesting to see where the dog was whelped, and where it traveled and trained prior to retiring. Sort of a passport for the dog ;-)

[Guest AngelPup]

Hi AngelPup,

 

 

Same routine at the rescue group here. None of my girls had a paper trail or chain of custody prior to the dog coming into the rescue community with the exception of the LAST immunization record and rabies vaccine administered before surrendering to the rescue. The only record of heartworm testing was done with the rescue vet after the dog left the track. It would indeed be VERY helpful to see what care the dogs received prior to going into rescue. When they were tested and treated. It would also be interesting to see where the dog was whelped, and where it traveled and trained prior to retiring. Sort of a passport for the dog ;-)

 

That would be great! The more info, the better! I've often wondered about those things. You can find some info on greyhound-data.com and trackinfo.com, but not everything. There is a great group on Facebook for those interested in learning more about the racing industry. There are a TON of trainers, kennels, tracks, adoption reps and adopters in the group. You might be able to find more info on your pups there. I was able to find someone who knew Brady at the last kennel he was at. You should check it out if your on FB. It's called The Pro Greyhound Movement. TONS of info.

[greytpups]

We adopted a broodie from Arkansas in August and she has been in the hospital for 2 days suffering with hookworms and we live in Ontario. We don't have hookworms here so she came with them. I'm not sure why she was asymptomatic until now, but in the future, I'm having all my greyhounds tested for hooks no matter where they come from. It's a nasty disease, and we are just starting treatment. I feel so badly for Katie, she's really suffering and must be in a lot of pain. Today she's having a colonoscopy to do a biopsy on her colon and lymph nodes which are also enlarged.

 

You can understand why I want all future greys in our household tested so none ever have to suffer this much.

[Batmom]

Jan, I'm sorry your girl is so ill and hope she improves rapidly.

 

 

Any conscientious trainer (at the track) or farmer worms the dogs regularly, usually monthly. Some (most?) adoption groups also worm incoming dogs as a matter of course, and some do SNAP 3DX or 4DX tests as well. Most probably don't do regular fecals as monthly worming *should* take care of everything except tapeworms (need a different drug than the common wormer). Unfortunately a regular worming may not eradicate all worms .

 

When I get a new dog, I do comprehensive bloodwork (CBC, chemistry, SNAP 4DX), fecal, urinalysis, and physical exam at my vet unless the owner/adoption group has done those things within the past couple weeks and I have the full record of them. If there is any problem (worms, UTI, etc.), we retest after treatment. These things sure do add to the expense of bringing a new dog home but have been worthwhile for us.

[Guest AngelPup]

Jan, I'm sorry your girl is so ill and hope she improves rapidly.

 

 

Any conscientious trainer (at the track) or farmer worms the dogs regularly, usually monthly. Some (most?) adoption groups also worm incoming dogs as a matter of course, and some do SNAP 3DX or 4DX tests as well. Most probably don't do regular fecals as monthly worming *should* take care of everything except tapeworms (need a different drug than the common wormer). Unfortunately a regular worming may not eradicate all worms .

 

When I get a new dog, I do comprehensive bloodwork (CBC, chemistry, SNAP 4DX), fecal, urinalysis, and physical exam at my vet unless the owner/adoption group has done those things within the past couple weeks and I have the full record of them. If there is any problem (worms, UTI, etc.), we retest after treatment. These things sure do add to the expense of bringing a new dog home but have been worthwhile for us.

 

Great advice Batmom. I am so glad I brought Brady to the vet within days of adopting him and that we treated him for worms even though his first fecal came back negative. After two rounds of Panacure, his next fecal came back positive for hookworms. Two more rounds and so far, so good. Still keeping fingers and toes crossed. Brady is due for shots next month, so I'll be having his new vet do complete blood work, fecal, urinalysis, and full exam (even though an exam and blood work had already been done by old vet at that first appt.). He seems to be doing much better, but I'D feel better knowing everything is as it should be.

[greytpups]

On Tuesday, September 3, my Dash had to be put down. The cause? Complications from hookworm infestation. Arizona's climate is not conducive to hookworm. Dash had gastro intestinal issues from the time she came to us. She would have bouts of diarrhea; her feces were tested, no apparent parasites. Courses of flagyl, amoxicillin, Panacur. Her stool firmed up, she seemed to be fine. Last October we brought another grey into our home. They both had diarrhea on and off, same routine...test, medicate, retest. No parasites.

 

Complete metabolic panel done on both greys, nothing to indicate a problem. One morning in May, I took them in for yet another blood draw after a weekend of bloody diarrhea, and the new dog spewed water, feces and assorted muck all over the exam room. My vet sent the fluids to a lab in Phoenix. The diagnosis was hookworm. Hookworm, in Arizona?

 

We started aggressively treating for hookworm. The new dog responded better than Dash, and it now appeared that Dash had harbored the parasites for YEARS...probably brought them with her from the track. Even with all the testing, we did not catch the eggs in a stool sample. The worms were not responding to Panacea, Drontal or Drontal-2. By this time, Dash was anemic and near death. My vet started treating her with pyrantel, and Dot, the second, and much younger dog's health improved. It was too late for Dash.

 

Her stool had always been a bit orangey, by now it was rusty pumpkin colored. Her appetite was gone, even poached chicken livers, boiled chicken or hamburger did not appeal to her.

 

Dash was a tiny grey, top weight 54 pounds, she was down to 47 pounds, and we could not get her to eat. We tried steroids and every other protocol in the veterinary arsenal. On steroids she gained a little weight, ate well. Within days of stopping the steroids, she started losing weight and went off her feed. By late August, she weighed 44 pounds and was losing her ability to chew and swallow.

 

Hookworms are one of the nastiest parasites on the planet. The worms migrate to tissues outside the gut and slowly kill the animal. They cause neurological damage as well as hemolytic anemia and a host of other problems. They may also be resistant strains that do not respond to medications.

 

We had a post mortem done on Dash to see the damage and what to look for in our other grey. Dash's spleen was three times its normal size, bloated and purple with bumps that looked like bubbles or knots on what should have been a smooth surface.

 

Dot is not out of the woods yet. We caught the infestation sooner and Dot is younger, so it's fingers crossed and pray that we can rid her of these horrible blood sucking worms.

 

The day after we put Dash down, a little red fawn greyhound came available through our rescue organization. She was a bit too much puppy, at two and a half for two families, and was going to be difficult to place. We took her. She's a hoot. Silly, playful and drop dead gorgeous. I took her to our vet within 48 hours of bringing her home. Preliminary findings: Multiple parasite infestation, round, possibly tape and hook worm. My vet sent the sample to the lab in Phoenix. By this afternoon we'll know exactly what types of parasites she has, and then we can start aggressive therapy.

 

All three of my greys came from the track in Tucson. Parasites are preventable. The cost is minimal. So why don't owners and trainers treat the dogs? It cuts into their bottom line. Racing is not a noble sport. Dogs who race should be treated like the professional athletes they are.\

 

It is not the fastest dog who wins; it is often the dog that is LEAST sick.

When we picked up Katie she was a bit overweight and looked for healthy and happy. She was asymptomatic, so no one had any idea she had hooks. Perhaps that happened with your pups as well. Katie was wormed monthly on the farm with Strongit-w/Ivermectin. Now we have to treat Ben and Brooke as a precautionary measure. I wonder if the stress of moving from the farm where she resided for 2.5 years to our home caused the flare up. We need to get rid of the hookworms asap because our winter weather does not kill them.

[greytpups]

Jan, I'm sorry your girl is so ill and hope she improves rapidly.

 

 

Any conscientious trainer (at the track) or farmer worms the dogs regularly, usually monthly. Some (most?) adoption groups also worm incoming dogs as a matter of course, and some do SNAP 3DX or 4DX tests as well. Most probably don't do regular fecals as monthly worming *should* take care of everything except tapeworms (need a different drug than the common wormer). Unfortunately a regular worming may not eradicate all worms .

 

When I get a new dog, I do comprehensive bloodwork (CBC, chemistry, SNAP 4DX), fecal, urinalysis, and physical exam at my vet unless the owner/adoption group has done those things within the past couple weeks and I have the full record of them. If there is any problem (worms, UTI, etc.), we retest after treatment. These things sure do add to the expense of bringing a new dog home but have been worthwhile for us.

SNAP 4DX also test for ticks and we don't have ticks so the heartworm test is probably sufficient here in Ontario. I will always test for hooks in the future though...this is costing us at least $4k to treat and that doesn't include any meds which we need for the next few months along with additional testing.

 

I told my dh I'm never adopting another greyhound, I hate seeing them so sick so quickly and feel so helpless.

 

However, the vets at OVC are getting a great education with this case and hopefully, they'll never have to deal with it again. And the greatest benefit, they fell in love with Katie because she's such a sweet girl.

[Batmom]

Jan, freezing temperatures do kill hookworm eggs . If it gets cold there, any eggs lingering in your environment WILL die.