Did you know that hookworms and roundworms threaten you and your dog?

IN PETS:

Hookworms graze from place-to-place in dogs' intestines, leaving bloody holes in their wake. They can cause blood loss, anemia, debilitation and even death.

Roundworms infect over 90% of puppies under 3 months. They can cause diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, malnutrition, weakness, swollen abdomens and lack of appetite.

How do pets get them?                                                                                                          Dogs can get hookworms from their mother, by ingesting contaminated material (dirt, feces, larvae on an outside water bowl), and infected environments when hookworm larvae penetrate the paw.

Roundworms are spread from an infected mother's placenta or milk, or through ingestion of infective eggs in the environment.

How do you treat and control them?                                                                                    

Ask us for a montly heartworm preventive that treats and controls hookworms and roundworms, too.  (Heartgard also acts as a monthly dewormer against these!)

IN PEOPLE:

Because of their play and hygiene habits, children are especially vulnerable to infection.

In fact, almost 73% of U.S. pediatricians reported a case of parasitic infection in children.

According to a 2008 study conducted by the CDC, overall roundworm prevalence in humans is 13.9% in the United States.

The effects of hookworms and roundworms on people are different from those on dogs, but they can cause severe discomfort and serious illness.

How do people get them?                                                                                               When people come in contact with contaminated soil, infective hookworm larvae can pass through a person's skin causing a painful, itchy rash. Roundworms can be spread by accidental ingestion of roundworm eggs.

How do you prevent them?                                                                                             Wash your hands frequently, keep your yard free of feces and prevent children from playing in unprotected sand boxes. 

For more CDC information about safe and healthy pet ownership,                                         please visit www.cdc.gov/healthypets

You can also visit the Animal Planet website to view videos of hookworms and roundworms from the Monsters Inside Me television series.

Hookworms: http://animal.discovery.com/videos/mosters-inside-me-flesh-eating-hookworm.html 

Roundworms: http://animal.discovery.com/videos/monsters-inside-me-toxocara-parasite.html