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.
Risks of cat hookworm -- Critical risk factors include limitation of exposure, and vary by environmental and hygiene factors. As with other parasites, outdoor cats are at higher risk of exposure to the worm. Cats that are regularly allowed to hunt or roam are at highest risk for infection. Poor sanitation and overcrowding in shelters may contribute to the spread of the worm as well. Other than U. stenocephala, which is more common in colder climates, hookworm infections tend to be higher in warm, moist environments.
What your cat is in for -- The cat hookworm is a blood sucker and may cause anemia in your cat. In contrast to the roundworm, which feeds on the nutrients in your cat's intestines, these worms are tissue feeders and feed directly off of your cat's blood supply. The worm will attach itself to the inside of the cat's intestinal wall, and inject an anti-coagulant at the feeding site to keep the blood from clotting. If the worm moves on to another feeding site, the original site may continue to bleed.
Signs and symptoms -- The anemia does the most damage in either kittens or cats already challenged by other illnesses or conditions. Blood transfusions may be required, and there may be a risk of death, but only in the rare serious case. The presence of cat hookworm in may cause any of the following symptoms: black tarry stools, bloody diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, weakness, pale gums, and poor coat. In kittens, we may see stunted growth as well.
Transmission and lifecycle -- Infection may be a result of ingestion of larvae. The carrier may be contaminated water or soil, or an infected transport host such as a rodent. Skin penetration, typically through the feet, may also occur. Infected mothers may pass the disease on to kittens in their milk.
You will note that in contrast to some parasites, hookworms have a direct life cycle. In other words, they don't necessarily need a host in order to be transmitted.
Once in the intestines, adult hookworms attach themselves to the intestinal wall and feed on the tissue. Eggs are laid, which end up in the cat's stool. After the eggs hatch, they develop into larvae (immature worms). In as few as five days, under the right conditions of temperature and moisture, eggs can develop into the infective larvae stage. This process may, however, take as long as three weeks or so. The larvae are said to be able to remain in the infective stage in the soil for many months.
If the hookworm larvae enter through skin penetration, they'll migrate via the circulatory system to the lungs. From the lungs, they'll find their way to the throat, where they are swallowed. The cycle begins again when they may mature and begin producing eggs in the intestine.
Prenatal infection through transplacental blood flow before birth occurs in dogs, but has not been established to occur in cats. Some sources state that kittens may become infected through infected milk from a a queen, but others state that this has not been proven.
Cat hookworm treatment and diagnosis -- Healthy cats may show few, if any symptoms in less severe cases. For this reason, cats should be tested yearly for worms. Hookworm eggs are microscopic, so you'll have to rely on your vet using a microscope to examine your cat's stool. Typically, kittens are treated for hookworm during their vaccination series, whether or not they test positive. In order to completely cure a cat of a hookworm infection, at least two treatments of deworming medication are needed. Typically, treatments are administered at 2 - 3 week intervals.
