Ancylostoma spp
From Felipedia
The parasitic hookworms of cats, Anyclostoma braziliense and A. caninum have a direct life cycle meaning that they do not necessarily need a host to be transmitted. In cats, hookworm ova (egg) are passed in the host's faeces and develop to the first larval stage if the temperature and humidity are adequate. Ova can hatch in 10-12 hours at 30 degrees centigrade and in 9 hours at 37 degrees centigrade. Infection can occur via ingestion or skin penetration (commonly infested thru the feet) followed by a pulmonary migration, a developmental stage in the gastric glands, or an arrested state in the muscular tissue in older animals. Migration and maturation occur in 17 days. Transport hosts, especially rodents, may play a role in the transmission of this parasite.
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A. braziliense
A. braziliense follows the same developmental pattern of human and canine hookworms. Separate strains occur in cats and dogs. Eggs are passed in feces. Larvae develop in soil to the L3 infective stage and then are ingested by the host or they enter the host through cutaneous contact and then the larvae migrate to the lungs, and then on to the intestinal tract of the host. In the intestinal tract, the larvae develop into adults. Eggs are then expelled in feces and the cycle continues.
The canine and feline strains of A. braziliense are unable to to penetrate the subdermal layers of the skin of man. When man is exposed to the infective larvae, the larvae tunnel through the skin creating a lesion that is at first inflamed and then elevated and vesicular, and finally dry and crusted. The larvae may tunnel through the skin for weeks but rarely reach the circulation, thus humans are a "dead end host" of A. braziliense.
A. tubaeforme
Anclystoma tubaeforme male worms are 9.5 to 11 mm long and have a well developed bursa, females are 12 to 15 mm. The mouth has three pairs of ventral teeth. The egg leaves the host in the feces and hatches in one or two days. The larvae grow and molt, reaching the infective third stage (L3) in under a week. The L3 are enclosed in the cuticle of the previous stage and thus are protected from the environment. Under good conditions they may survive for months. The L3 are ingested by the cat and they take up residence in the small intestine without undergoing a somatic migration. The adult worm feeds on blood.
Clinical signs
Young dogs and cats are affected more severely, since they are less able to cope with depleted iron reserves.
Diagnosis
Hookworms are diagnosed by faecal flotation. The ova are unembryonated and must be taken from a fresh specimen since they hatch rapidly in warm weather. Therefore, unless you are going to the veterinarian quickly it is best to refrigerate stool samples or better yet have the vet extract the stool sample at their office. Your pet may not like that idea but it will yield the more accurate result.
Treatment
- Febantel, Febantel/Pyrantel embonate, Fenbendazole, Ivermectin, Mebendazole, Milbemycin oxime, Pyrantel Pamoate
- See medicines for dose rates
