Hookworms are a common intestinal parasite that can cause mild to severe symptoms in animals. In cats, they occur in large populations or in cats with weaker immune systems, such as kittens and seniors. The hookworm attaches itself to the wall of the cat's intestine and feeds off the animal's blood while ejecting its eggs through the cat's feces, which then contaminates other animals. Because of the risk of spreading the parasite, treat your cat right away if it is diagnosed with hookworms.
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Cause
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Infection can occur from digesting hookworm larvae in contaminated food and water or eating fecal matter from a contaminated animal. Larvae also can infect the cat's body by burrowing into its skin.
It is especially important to be certain that mothering cats do not have hookworms, which can infect kittens through the placenta. Once the kittens are born, the mother also could infect them through her milk.
Symptoms
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Hookworms can cause internal bleeding, which can be fatal in kittens. Other warning signs of hookworms are an overall lack of luster to the cat's coat, stunted growth, anemia, appetite loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and even black and bloody stool caused by the hookworm's release of anti-coagulant.
Prevention
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Once a pet has hookworms, fecal matter should be properly disposed of properly to prevent further infections. Keep a cat's surroundings and its food and water clean to prevent any spreading or infection of parasites. All cats and kittens should receive regular checkups, which include checking for parasites. Owners can help prevent hookworm infection by giving their cats monthly medication to prevent the invasion of parasites.
Treatment
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To treat hookworms, you must have a veterinarian's prescription for anthelmintics, which are drugs that expel them out of the bodies by stunning or killing them. The treatment usually consists of two pills taken two weeks apart to kill the parasite in different life cycles. Over-the-counter treatments flush the parasite out of the body, which does not work if the parasite has attached to the intestinal wall.
Warning
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Hookworm infections in humans are not nearly as common, but they are possible. Hookworms can infiltrate the human body in the same manner as they can infect a cat, and the infection is easily treated. Avoid walking barefoot in any public areas that an animal has possibly defecated in, to avoid penetration of the skin. When hookworm larvae burrow into the skin, they can cause a red, itching rash. However, the hookworm cannot survive under the skin and eventually will die.
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