Dog Hookworm
The dog hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum) is a blood-feeding nematode of dogs, and a cause of skin disease in people. Larvae in warm, damp soil can penetrate bare skin.
The dog hookworm (Ancylostoma caninum) is a blood-feeding nematode of dogs, and a cause of skin disease in people. Larvae in warm, damp soil can penetrate bare skin.
🧬 Field Guide Specimen: Open Dog Hookworm in the CRV Science Field Guide to log the specimen, see its place among the Ecdysozoa lineages in the Cladogram Explorer, and test your recall in the Red List conservation game.
Anemia in Puppies
Adult worms attach to the intestine and feed on blood, and puppies can become severely anemic. Puppies can be infected through the mother's milk.
Creeping Eruption
In people, larvae that penetrate the skin, for instance on beaches contaminated with dog feces, cannot complete their life cycle and wander through the skin, leaving itchy red tracks called cutaneous larva migrans.
Prevention
Regular deworming and prompt cleanup of dog feces reduce risk. See American Hookworm.
Dog Hookworm at a Glance
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Ancylostoma caninum |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Nematoda |
| Class | Chromadorea |
| Order | Strongylida |
| Family | Ancylostomatidae |
| Field Guide group | Ecdysozoa: Nematoda (Roundworms & Parasites) |
| Diagnostic feature (Field Guide) | Small worm 1 to 2 cm long whose head end bends back like a hook; a mouth capsule armed with three pairs of sharp teeth clamps onto the gut lining to feed on blood. |
| Order | Strongylida |
| Human condition | Cutaneous larva migrans |
See Also
- American Hookworm — a human hookworm
- Dog Roundworm — another dog parasite