hookworms in dogs and cats: signs, spread, and treatment

Hookworms are small blood-feeding intestinal worms that can cause dangerous anemia, especially in puppies and kittens. Dogs and cats can pick up hookworms by swallowing larvae from contaminated environments, touching larvae that penetrate skin, eating infected prey, or drinking their mother's milk.

Hookworms are diagnosed with a fecal test and treated with a veterinary-directed dewormer, usually in repeated doses to target worms at different stages of their life cycle. Because hookworms can cause serious blood loss in young pets, routine deworming and fecal testing are important even when a puppy or kitten seems healthy.

If you see signs of hookworms or have a new puppy or kitten that needs deworming, bring a fresh stool sample to your next Banfield appointment. Get a pet parasite check

If your pet's waste looks unusual, take a clear photo and bring a fresh sample to your veterinarian rather than trying to identify a parasite at home.

Why are hookworms so dangerous for puppies and kittens?

Hookworms can cause significant blood loss, and young pets have less blood than adult animals. As a result, even a modest hookworm infection can cause life-threatening anemia in a puppy or kitten.

Signs of serious blood loss in a young pet include:

• pale or white gums
• severe weakness or limpness
• cold ears or paws
• unwillingness to nurse or eat
• collapse

This is one reason veterinarians recommend starting dewormer at a young age rather than waiting for a fecal test or visible symptoms. A mother may also be treated on a veterinarian's schedule to help reduce the risk of passing hookworms to her litter.

During a Banfield puppy or kitten visit, the veterinary team can perform a fecal test, recommend a deworming schedule, and check gum color and other signs of anemia. Repeated deworming and testing are important because a single treatment does not necessarily eliminate every stage of the parasite's life cycle.

Make your pet's first year easier with Optimum Wellness Plans® for puppies and kittens. They include the recommended fecal testing and dewormer needed to help them get started on the right paw. See what else is included in OWPs 

How are hookworms diagnosed and treated?

A fecal test is the standard way to diagnose a hookworm infection. The test detects microscopic hookworm eggs in your dog or cat’s stool.

A very young puppy can sometimes become seriously ill before the hookworms shed enough eggs for a fecal test to detect the infection. For that reason, a veterinarian may consider a pet's age, symptoms, and risk of exposure when deciding whether treatment is needed.

Treatment involves a veterinary-directed dewormer, usually repeated at a set interval. Repeating treatment helps target worms that were not mature enough to be affected by the first dose. Follow-up testing can help confirm that the infection has cleared.

Pets with significant anemia may need additional supportive care, such as fluids. Severe anemia can require hospitalization or a blood transfusion.

How do I prevent hookworms?

Year-round parasite prevention is a key part of preventing hookworms. Your veterinary team can recommend a broad-spectrum preventive that fits your pet's age, breed, lifestyle, and other health needs.

Picking up your pet’s poop every day is also important. Hookworm and other parasite larvae develop in feces left on the ground, so removing it helps reduce environmental contamination.

Additional prevention steps include:

  covering children's sandboxes when they are not in use

  discouraging pets from digging or eating dirt in areas that may be contaminated

  limiting access to infected prey

  following your veterinarian's deworming schedule for pregnant and nursing pets

  keeping all pets in the household on appropriate parasite prevention

If one pet has hookworms, your yard can become a shared source of exposure. Leaving other pets unprotected can increase the chance that infection returns.

Optimum Wellness Plans make parasite prevention more affordable. You can add it to your pet’s plan at a discounted price. Learn more about OWPs 

Can people get hookworms from pets?

Hookworm larvae can penetrate human skin, causing an itchy, winding skin rash called cutaneous larva migrans. This usually happens through bare skin contact with contaminated soil or sand, most often on the feet.

You can reduce your risk by:

  wearing shoes in areas where hookworms may be present

  cleaning up pet waste right away

  covering sandboxes

  washing your hands after handling pets, soil, or stool

If you develop an unusual or persistent rash after possible exposure to contaminated soil or sand, contact a physician.

Hookworm FAQs

When to contact your veterinary team

Contact your veterinary team if your pet has:

• dark, tarry, or bloody stool
• diarrhea lasting more than a day or two
• weight loss
• poor growth
• itchy or irritated paws after spending time on damp or contaminated ground
• other signs that could indicate intestinal parasites

A new puppy or kitten should also have an appropriate deworming schedule and first fecal test. Routine parasite testing can also help protect other pets in the household.

Young pets that have collapsed, are limp or severely weak, or have pale or white gums need emergency veterinary care. These can be signs of severe anemia or another serious condition. Take the pet to the nearest emergency animal hospital right away.