Risk of Hookworms in Dogs in Licking County, Ohio

The risk of Hookworms in Licking County, Ohio, is 3.1% (1 out of 33 dogs tested positive for Hookworms). The risk of Hookworms in the state of Ohio is 2.59%^# (1 out of 39 dog tested positive for Hookworms).

As you can see in the footnote below, these numbers represent approximately 30% of the cases of hookworm present in Licking County. We believe the risk of hookworms in Dogs in Licking county is approximately 9.4% which means about 1 in 9 to 10 dogs may be Positive for Hookworms.

Hookworm infestation is the invasion and multiplication of the small intestine by a blood-sucking parasite. Ancylostoma caninum is the most important and common hookworm in dogs, and Ancylostoma tubeforme in the cat. Other less common species exist as well.

Infection can be acquired prenatally (before birth) or during lactation through an infected bitch or queen. Hookworm infestation is seen in both dogs and cats, however most commonly clinically affects puppies, kittens, and the geriatric or chronically ill population. There is no breed or sex predilection, however is seen commonly in kenneled dogs.

Sign of hookworm infection include diarrhea, vomiting, weakness, pale mucus membranes, anemia, poor body condition and poor appetite and weight gain.

There are other gastrointestinal parasites also with substantial risk in Licking County including Roundworms and Whipworms.

* Data is from January 1 to June 25, 2017.

#This number reflects the total number of tests reported to CAPC in this defined area and represents a sample of the total dog/cat population in this area. The data in provided by IDEXX Laboratories and ANTECH Diagnostics. It is statistically significant and it serves as a strong representation of the parasite activity for each area. However, it does not represent the total number of positive tests. Instead, we estimate it represents less than 30% of the activity in the geographic regions. Data displayed for the current year showcases only the current year data. Depending on the time of year, this map view may only represent a small number of testing months.

Data Source: https://www.capcvet.org/parasite-prevalence-maps/