Symptoms And Diagnosis Of The Hookworm Disease

Hookworm disease has been looked on as essentially a disease of sport-ing dogs, especially hounds. As a matter of fact, all breeds are equally susceptible, and it is simply due to the fact that sporting dogs are generally raised and kept where the conditions favor the parasites, that it has been so considered. Dogs at all ages are liable to become infected, but growing puppies from a few weeks to a year old are more susceptible to the effects of the worms.

Symptoms are unfortunately indefinite in the majority of cases. The dog may show signs of worms and with treatment pass round worms and tapeworms, but fails to pick up and develop as expected. Young puppies become anemic, with pallid gums, distended abdomen, injected eyes and a hot, dry nose. The usual treatment with vermifuges and purgatives produces a persistent diarrhea, the worm toxins produce convulsions, coma and death in a very few days. Older dogs, from six to twelve months old, pass through these stages more slowly.

The appetite is capricious or voracious, the gums become spongy and bleed easily to the touch, development of teeth is arrested - in several cases I have observed crumbling of the enamel due to faulty assimilation of the necessary constituents and to the presence of a foul-smelling green deposit. Chorea may develop suddenly and progresses in violence until death occurs. In the course of time diarrhea sets in, which increases in severity until blood-stained or tarry-looking movements occur several times in the hour. Rapid emaciation, exhaustion and death follow in a few days, once dysentery is established.

Absolute diagnosis can only be made by microscopical examinations of the stools. This, however, involves considerable technical difficulties, and for practical purposes may be counted out.

Treatment

In nursing and newly weaned puppies is almost out of the question, as drastic remedies cannot be used safely. The remedies recommended by government experts for uncinariasis in man are thymol, male fern, oil of turpentine and chloroform, singly or in combination, followed by active purgatives. In the dog it is advisable to give all vermifuge medicines in capsules or coated pills, to prevent nausea and vomiting, which occurs when medicines are given in fluid form. In the dog better results are produced by giving daily doses before feeding each morning. In this way dysentery is not so liable to be set up as where full treatments are given.

Thymol is looked on as a specific in the human being, but is a most unreliable drug for the dog. In a number of puppies of the same age, weight , and condition I have found some who would tolerate large doses, while in others extremely small doses would produce persistent vomiting, convulsions and death. Extract of male fern in combination with turpentine, chloroform and castor oil or glycerine is much safer given in small daily doses.

During treatment tonics, such as iron, arsenic and strychnine, arsenite of copper, etc., should be given, and to sustain strength cod liver oil, raw meat and milk and eggs should be fed generously. To control diarrhea bismuth subgallate may be given in large doses; it acts as an intestinal antiseptic, as well as being an astringent.

As a tonic, instead of drugs given in this article, the writer of this book would use Sergeant's Condition Pills, in all cases.

As To Prevention Of Hookworms

Commencing with the egg. it has been found that they are formed and undergo changes while in the oviduct of the female. After being passed out of the dog's bowels with the stools they undergo further changes in surface soil, the time occupied depending on the suitability of the surroundings, the essential features being moisture and favorable temperatures. Where conditions are favorable the eggs are hatched out in a few days, and after the embryos have undergone several moultings they are ready to infect dogs by means of drinking water or contaminated food.

The important features to remember are: (1) That the eggs are hatched out, not while in the intestine of the dog, but after being passed out with the stools. From this it follows, then, that every individual hookworm present in the intestines of the dog'represents infection by a single embryo. In other words, the parasites do not actually increase in number while in the dog's intestines. (2) Moisture is absolutely essential to the hatching out of the eggs. Drinking troughs and contaminated water supply are, therefore, rightly considered as the chief sources of infection.

From these facts it can be seen that the essentials of prevention of hookworm disease are absolute cleanliness in every particular, especially as regards feeding pans and water vessels, and disinfection of all excretions and soiled bedding. When an animal dies the body should be buried in quicklime, or, better still, cremated. Above all, dampness must be avoided in every possible way.

For disinfecting sleeping quarters dry sawdust impregnated with a reliable disinfectant is of great value, as it absorbs moisure and when brushed out carries away and destroys the eggs of the parasite. Woodwork may be whitewashed or painted and all floors should be cleaned out at least once daily. Earth floors should be covered with boards or concrete. As damp soil is the medium in which the embryos develop, outdoor runs should be dressed with quicklime, well drained and covered with several inches of furnace ashes or crushed coke. This when alternately rolled ana sprinkled- with crude petroleum will in time form a waterproof asphaltlike surface which will carry off water according to the direction in which it is sloped. All food and drinking water should be given in clean pans, and under no consideration should dogs be allowed to eat from the floor of sleeping quarters or from the ground in the runs. To prevent mud from being carried into the kennels on the feet of kennel men or visitors where the surrounding grounds are liable to be muddy, board walks and a door mat and scraper at the kennel entrance should be laid down.

Confinement to kennel quarters in some districts seems to be the only safe plan to avoid the disease, as, when allowed to roam at liberty, dogs will drink from stagnant of surface water and thus become infected. Suspected cases should be isolated whenever possible.

Hookworm disease is not necessarily nor commonly fatal to adult dogs; in fact, in Western Pennsylvania it is the rule rather than the exception to find a few hookworms in dogs dead from other causes. It is such cases that constitute a danger to young and susceptible dogs. When the method of reproduction of the hookworm is taken into consideration, it can be understood that when reinfection is prevented by following the precautions suggested, it is quite possible for a dog to be entirely freed from hookworms, provided his vitality be kept up to the highest standard during the period necessary to get rid of the worms by cautious and persistent treatment."