Cat Hookworm: What You Should Know
Most cats will battle a parasite of some sort at some point in their lives. There are four types of hookworm that may possibly infect your cat. Ancylostoma tubaeforme is known as the feline hookworm, and Ancylostoma braziliense is known as the canine and feline hookworm. Uncinaria stenocephala is known as the northern canine hookworm. Ancylostoma caninum, or the canine hookworm, is said by some authoritative sources not to infect cats, but rather only foxes, dogs, and perhaps humans.
Risks of hookworm -- Critical risk factors include hygiene and environmental factors. Outdoor cats are more likely than indoor cats to contract the worm, and this is the case with most parasites. Cats that roam and hunt are always at higher risk. The worm may be more prevalent where sanitation control issues and overcrowding exists, such as certain shelters. Frequency of infestations may be higher in warmer climates, as hookworms typically enjoy warm, moist environments. U. stenocephala, however, is more common in colder weather.
What they do to your cat -- In contrast to roundworm, which swim freely in the cat's intestines, the hookworm will anchor itself to the cat's intestinal wall and suck blood from the tissue. In order to ensure a constant supply of blood flow and nutrients, they inject an anti-coagulant at the feeding site to keep the blood from clotting. Clever, huh? One of the problems that can occur is that if the hookworm moves its feeding location, the old location may continue to bleed into the bowel. All this blood loss results in anemia.
Signs and symptoms -- The anemia does the most damage in either kittens or cats already challenged by other illnesses or conditions. Blood transfusions may be required, and there may be a risk of death, but only in the rare serious case. The presence of cat hookworm in may cause any of the following symptoms: black tarry stools, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, weakness, pale gums, and poor coat. In kittens, we may see stunted growth as well.
Life cycle and transmission -- Infection may occur through ingestion of larvae. This can happen when your cat eats an infected transport host such as a mouse, or by eating contaminated water or soil. Skin penetration is also another means of infection (often through the feet). In addition, infected mothers may pass the disease on in their milk.
In contrast to some other parasites, hookworms have a direct life cycle. In other words, they don't necessarily need a host for transmission.
Adult hookworms hook themselves to the intestinal wall and begin feeding. They pass microscopic eggs into the bowel of the cat, which ultimately end up in the cat's stool. The eggs hatch and develop into larvae (immature worms). The Centers for Disease Control state that under the right conditions of moisture and temperature, eggs can develop into the infective larvae stage in as few as five days. Time varies, though, and this process may take up to three weeks or so. According to most sources, the larvae can exist in the soil and remain infective for many months.
When the worms enter the cat via the skin, the larvae will make their way using the circulatory system to the lungs. Once they find their way to the throat, they're swallowed. Once in the intestine, they may mature and begin producing eggs, and the cycle starts over.
In cats, prenatal infection (infection through transplacental blood flow prior to birth) has not been established to occur, as it does in dogs. Kittens, according to some sources, can become infected as well through ingesting the milk of an infected queen (transmammary), but others state otherwise, or that it has not been established.
Cat hookworm treatment and diagnosis -- Healthy cats may show few, if any symptoms in less severe cases. For this reason, cats should be tested yearly for worms. Hookworm eggs are microscopic, so you'll have to rely on your vet using a microscope to examine your cat's stool. Typically, kittens are treated for hookworm during their vaccination series, whether or not they test positive. In order to completely cure a cat of a hookworm infection, at least two treatments of deworming medication are needed. Typically, treatments are administered at 2 - 3 week intervals.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
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Author Kurt Schmitt publishes details on signs and symptoms of worms in cats and other cat health issues.
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