A puppy buyer just called to tell me her 3+ month old pup has hook worms

I am sure it didn't leave here with them but also wondered how he could have gotten them?

Where do they come from? What will get rid of them?

All pups are always Pancured for 3 days before they leave here

Hookworm can be picked up through the pads on the feet. If your dogs don't have them, it's likely they picked them elswhere. Treat the dogs with Strongid T (PinX in the drug department at WalMart is the same thing. If they don't have it, they can order it.) works very well. The dose is 1cc/10pounds. Be sure to shake well.

Many years ago I brought hookworm home in some Borzoi. It is very hard to get rid of in the yard. I'm not sure, but there might be something to treat the yard with. If not, treat it with Borax. They have to be persistant until we get some really cold, freezing weather.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.

Hookworms-

2 week lifecycle (egg ingestion to producing eggs resulting in fecal positive).

Larva can become dormant in dog for years waiting for stress to re-activate and continue life cycle (whelping/boarding etc)

Larva can be passed through placenta to puppies, in milk and through pads of feet-

Many other species can be infected, including cats- this is the worm that causes the warnings to cover sandboxes, garden with gloves and no dogs on beaches.

Eggs are hearty in the soil and can survive freezing temperatures.

Is zoonotic (transmissible to people)- causes a tracking type rash as larva move under the skin in humans.

There are many brands of pyrantel pamoate (some named here) available at your vet and over the counter that will will treat.

Because of ability to go dormant, routine deworming of animals is recommended.

http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_hookworms.html is an excellent link to hookworm info
this is transmitted to humans so don't be barefoot anywhere hookworms may have shed, it can cause cutaneous larval migrans where the larvae migrate through the skin and infect humans

barb