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Symptoms And Risks Of Cat Hookworm

Author: KurtSchmitt
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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.

Hookworm risks -- As with other parasites, environment and hygiene are critical risk factors, and indoor cats are far less likely than outdoor cats to contract the worm. Cats that are regularly allowed to hunt or roam are at higher risk for infection. Overcrowding and poor sanitation in shelters may contribute to the spread of the worm as well. Hookworms tend to thrive in warm, moist environments, so incidents may be higher in warmer climates. The exception to this might be U. stenocephala, which is more commonly seen in colder climates.

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 of cat hookworms -- In kittens or cats in ill health, the anemia caused by the blood loss is usually more serious than in otherwise healthy adults. In rare, but severe cases, a blood transfusion may be required, and there may be a risk of death. Hookworms in your cat may cause any of the following symptoms: anemia, weakness, pale gums, poor coat, black tarry stools, bloody diarrhea, and weight loss. Infected kittens may also exhibit stunted growth.

Methods of transmission and lifecycle -- An animal can become infected by ingestion of larvae. This can be through contaminated water or soil, or by eating an infected transport host (such as when a cat eats a rodent). Larvae can also infect your cat by penetrating the skin (usually 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.

In the intestine. adult hookworms attach themselves to the wall of the intestine and begin feeding. Microscopic worm eggs are passed in the feces of the cat. The eggs hatch and develop into larvae, or immature worms. The eggs may develop into the infective larvae stage in as few as five days or as long as three weeks. 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 diagnosis and treatment -- Yearly testing for cat parasites, especially worms, is important, as it's possible that healthy cats may show few symptoms until infection becomes severe. Hookworm eggs cannot be detected with the naked eye, but infection is fairly easy for your vet to diagnose through examination of the cat's stool under a microscope. At least two treatments of deworming medication are needed in order to completely rid your cat of hookworm. Typically, treatments are administered at 2 - 3 week intervals. Kittens should be, and typically are, treated for hookworm during their kitten vaccination series.