Hookworms

Some parasites can be very dangerous to your dog, especially to puppies. For instance, a hookworm (about 1/8" in length) will adhere itself to small intestine and begin to suck blood from your pet. It can cause severe anemia, followed by circulatory collapse, severe diarrhea, hemorrhaging, shock and finally death.

Puppies may receive hookworms through mother's placenta during gestation period or through mother's milk when nursing. This is why it is very important that new puppies receive a de-worming formula.

These parasites can also enter an adult dog quite easily when your pet walks over soil that contains any contaminated feces from other animals. In turn, your dog then licks his or her paws and ingests hookworm larvae. Even without paw licking larvae can burrow through skin and into dog. Once inside, larvae migrate to small intestine where they grow into adult hookworms, usually within 14 days.

A female hookworm will begin to lay eggs... 20,000 of them per day! As you can see, it is vitally important to have your favorite canine de-wormed should they become infested with hookworms. If you see symptoms such as diarrhea, weakness, pale gums, or weight loss, take your canine to veterinarian immediately for diagnosis and treatment. Diagnosis is usually made through a small stool sample. Treatment consists of an oral or injected medication which kills adult hookworms, but not larvae. This treatment needs to be repeated again in 2 to 4 weeks to kill larvae that have emerged as adults. In cases of severe anemia, your dog may require a blood transfusion.

He was tiny, blue-gray and white colored coat, skinny tail that hurt when it hit you and biggest bat ears I’d ever seen on a puppy.

There was one other oddity his eyes were two different colors, one blue one brown.

This little guy’s energy level was amazing; he ran and bounced like there were springs attached to pads of his feet. He made us laugh from moment he walked through front door.

However reality of having a new puppy soon set in, keep in mind we had not done this for fifteen years.

Prior to Toby’s arrival we had been blessed with a wonderful Golden Retriever named Beau. Unfortunately after fifteen years of love and companionship he left us due to a long illness.

Getting back to new puppy for about first year I awoke each morning between 4:00 – 4:30am, walked around yard in freezing cold – it was October when this little furbaby came to live with us – then slept in a chair with my new little buddy.

In end interrupted sleep, housebreaking and everything else that come with a new puppy was well worth it.

Toby has grown into a beautiful, absolutely handsome dog – Oh, in case I didn’t mention it, he is a Blue Merle Shetland Sheepdog – he has brought so much joy and laughter to our home, but most importantly he helped fill a void in my heart that I really believed would be there forever.