If a pregnant dog had hookworms in the past, the pregnancy may reactivate dormant larvae, which then enter the female's bloodstream and infect the puppies in the uterus (prenatal infection). Puppies may also become infected after birth through mother's milk (transmammary) during nursing.
Does hookworm affect pregnancy?
Hookworm infection in expectant mothers has adverse health effects on both the mothers and their unborn babies. Foetal effects are known to include intrauterine growth retardation and physical and mental growth retardation, while the mothers may develop anemia which could potentially result in death.
How is hookworm treated in pregnancy?
The WHO recommends deworming treatment using single-dose albendazole or mebendazole during the second or third trimester for pregnant women with heavy hookworm infections.
Can you treat hookworms while pregnant?
Recent trials show that presumptive hookworm treatment reduces the infection rates in pregnancy, although the impact on pregnancy outcomes such as maternal anemia has varied [38]–[40].
Can dogs pass hookworms to each other?
They are not immediately able to infect another dog, but after a few days, these eggs mature and can infect another dog if they are eaten. Hookworm infection causes disease through the worms eating and sucking blood from the dog's intestine.
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