Symptoms And Risks Of Cat Hookworm
Kurt Schmitt
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 happens inside your cat -- Roundworms swim freely in the cat's intestines, but the cat hookworm will literally hook itself to the wall of the intestine and draw blood. They inject an anti-coagulant at the feeding site to keep the blood from clotting. If the worm changes feeding locations, the old location may continue to bleed into the intestines. The resulting blood loss causes anemia in the cat.
Signs and symptoms -- The anemia caused by the blood loss is usually more serious in kittens, as well as cats already weakened from other illnesses. In cases that are serious enough, a blood transfusion may be required and there may be a risk of death. Hookworms in your cat may create any of the following symptoms: stunted growth in kittens, poor coat, weight loss, pale gums, anemia, weakness, and bloody diarrhea. Bleeding in the gut may cause black tarry stools.
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.
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.
Diagnosis and treatment of cat hookworm -- Hookworm eggs cannot be seen withouth the aid of a microscope, and otherwise healthy cats may not show any signs of infection. For these reasons, your vet will test your cat yearly by examining your cats's stool. At least two treatments of deworming medication are needed in order to completely rid your cat of hookworm. Treatments are usually given at 2 - 3 week intervals. Kittens, regardless of test results, are typically treated for hookworm during their kitten vaccination series.
Author Kurt Schmitt publishes details on signs and symptoms of http://www.cat-lovers-only.com/cat-hook-worm.html cat hookworm and other http://www.cat-lovers-only.com/cat-health.html cat health issues.
|
