Do Hookworms migrate in the soil?

[smt]

We have a cross buck fence around our large yard.  Our foster is hookworm positive (we are doing the Dr. Ng protocol with her).  She poops at the rear of the yard, and I am wondering if it's ok to toss the stool over the fence?  There is nothing back there but woods.  It is not used by anyone, and the only time anyone is even back there is to occasionally weed eat to keep the weeds from overgrowing in the summer.  Will any hookworms that are in the stools migrate into our actual yard?  Tossing is so much easier than bagging, but if bagging is necessary, then we will do it.  Thanks.

[DonnaBehr]

My prior vet said there are hookworms in soil everywhere.  ???

[sobesmom]

I don't have any data, so I'm sure others can give you better info.  IMHO - I'd bag it until the hooks are gone from the poo.  Hooks are NASTY, and very hard to get rid of. The problem I've found is that if dog poo (with hooks) hits the ground and remains there, the hooks live for a long time, and grab onto any animal that touches them.  Just not worth the risk.  I don't think they'll burrow and migrate into your yard, but I just wouldn't want them that close if it could be avoided.   

DonnaBehr - I'm surprised your vet said that.  Maybe he/she meant anywhere that is commonly used by animals that may carry them.  

[LaFlaca]

I'd bag just in case.  When we were embroiled in the battle of the hooks with Lola, my vet asked if there were any other critters in our yard - feral cats, raccoons, possums, tortoises- as the feces of these could reinfect the soil and therefore the dog. Turns out Lola had a penchant for tortoise poo. Once the tortoises were relocated, problem solved.

[greysmom]

I don't think individually they move that far, but a) they do affect other animals that can then get sick and move them back into your yard, and b) they do multiply on their own quite rapidly, increasing the area of infestation which can then be your yard.

Just as a good steward of the earth, I'd bag the poop and dispose of it properly for your municipality.

[tbhounds]

Freezing weather will kill anything in the soil.  So, if you’re in an area that has harsh winters you have less to worry about.

[kronckew]

Freezing will not kill 'everything' in the soil. Might kill adult hooks & larvae, eggs are hardier. Little info available, but I saw one article that said 7-10 DAYS at -35F to kill hook eggs. Some worm eggs can survive years,  anyhow, canine wildlife, fox, coyote, etc. can re-infect your yard in the spring even if you live in an area that gets that cold for that long. Hooks Less likely in the north tho. Thankfully hooks are rare in the UK it seems. I see badger and fox poo around our apt. lawns almost daily they live close by. Thankfully no coyotes here...

[smt]

Based on what I am reading, bagging and tossing the poo is the best practice, at least until she is cleared of hooks (if we adopt her).  I know that can take MONTHS AND MONTHS of diligent treatment, which we are in the process of doing.  Off to buy a little mini trashcan to place under our carport to toss the bagged poo in, which we will then empty into the larger trash bin that is picked up weekly.  It is just not convenient to traverse the yard, gate, and side of house to toss the poo into our large trash bin, hence the "middle" step.

Her poops are generally pretty solid.  Not tootsie roll, but not soft serve, either.  Should we be spraying the "spot" with a bleach mixture after each pick up?  Since she generally poop's in the same small area at the back of the yard, if there were dead dead spots that were created, it wouldn't be that big of a deal.  If so, what is the ratio of bleach to water in order to kill the eggs? 

[tbhounds]

On 9/29/2019 at 3:23 AM, kronckew said:

Freezing will not kill 'everything' in the soil. Might kill adult hooks & larvae, eggs are hardier. Little info available, but I saw one article that said 7-10 DAYS at -35F to kill hook eggs. Some worm eggs can survive years,  anyhow, canine wildlife, fox, coyote, etc. can re-infect your yard in the spring even if you live in an area that gets that cold for that long. Hooks Less likely in the north tho. Thankfully hooks are rare in the UK it seems. I see badger and fox poo around our apt. lawns almost daily they live close by. Thankfully no coyotes here...

Are you confusing whipworms with hooks?  Whipworms are notorious for surviving environmental changes-not so much with hooks.

Heres a nice link regarding hooks....

https://www.marvistavet.com/hookworms.pml

[sobesmom]

smt - Sounds like a solid plan.  I don't think you need to spray each poo spot with bleach as long as you scoop it up fairly quickly - within a day.   If you miss a day of picking up poo, dig a scoop of soil along with the poo and dispose of that, too. 

When I had a foster with hook - I cleaned up the yard if I was out and saw it.  Otherwise, it was daily, and I dug my shovel into the dirt and I took up what was under it and inch or so.  It worked.  Hooks are a PITA - but not THAT bad.