Dogs get hookworms primarily through four main routes:
- Skin penetration: Hookworm larvae in contaminated soil can penetrate a dog's skin, leading to infection.
- Oral ingestion: Dogs can ingest hookworm larvae by grooming their feet, sniffing or licking contaminated feces or soil, or drinking contaminated water.
- Transmission before birth: Unborn puppies can contract hookworms through their mother's placenta while still in utero.
- Transmission through nursing: Puppies can also get hookworms from their mother's milk after birth.
Additionally, dogs can become infected by eating prey animals, like rodents, that carry hookworm larvae in their tissues
. Once inside the dog, the larvae mature into adult hookworms in the small intestine, where they attach to the intestinal wall and feed on the dog's blood, potentially causing anemia and other health issues, especially in puppies
