THE IMPORTANCE OF INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT IN THE PROPHYLAXIS AND TREATMENT OF HOOKWORM IN DOGS

Abstract

Hookworm disease is a gastrointestinal parasitic disease affecting dogs caused by nematodes of the Ancylostomidae family. Infection occurs primarily through the ingestion of larvae found in infected soil. Considered a zoonosis, Ancylostoma spp. is one of the main causative agents of larva migrans in humans. In Brazil, the main species described in cases of canine hookworm disease are Ancylostoma caninum and Ancylostoma braziliense, which cause hemorrhagic anemia, followed by diarrhea with hematochezia, which can progress to cachexia or death. In addition to the clinical consequences in dogs, hookworm disease plays an important role in public health due to the risk of human contamination. Dogs' exposure to contaminated public environments, combined with owners' failure to pick up their feces, contributes to the widespread dissemination of eggs in the soil. The treatment protocol for canine hookworm disease is based on different groups of anthelmintics. Studies demonstrate the ineffectiveness of active ingredients widely used in clinical medicine; however, there are studies that confirm the broad efficacy of these same active ingredients. In addition to therapeutic treatment of hookworm infection, environmental disinfection of infected animals is extremely important in interrupting the cycle due to the high risk of contamination through larvae found in the soil. Within this context, this study aims to address the importance of proper hookworm management to prevent prolonged infection and human contamination.