How to Identify Hookworms

Hookworms are intestinal nematodes that commonly infect dogs and cats, but they also infect 1/4 of the world’s human population. In severe cases, their blood-sucking feeding habits can cause anemia and even death. Because they are invisible to the naked eye and can rarely be distinguished by their symptoms alone, hookworms are best confirmed using a microscope.

Things You'll Need

• A microscope
• Veterinary-grade sodium nitrate solution (or saturated sugar water)
• Fecal sample
• Slide
• Cover slip

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Instructions

• 1

  Pay attention for itching and a rash where skin has come into contact with contaminated soil. The sites where the larvae are penetrating the skin can eventually become red, inflamed lesions on the hands, feet or other body parts.

• 2

  Have a blood test to detect the anemia that results from severe infection, but recognize that anemia can come from other causes – and a light hookworm infection may not cause anemia or any other recognizable symptoms.

• 3

  To reliably diagnose hookworm infection, dissolve a small fecal sample in a veterinary-grade sodium-nitrate solution or saturated-sugar solution. This test requires no more than a thimble full of solution and a fingernail-sized fecal sample, but increase these amounts as necessary to promote ease of handling.

• 4

  After the fecal contaminants have risen to form a film atop the liquid, use a cover slip to grab a sample of the film, and place the sample-containing side of the cover slip face down on a clean slide.

• 5

  Search the slide, using both the 10x and 100x magnification settlings. Nematode eggs should be most visible at the higher magnification. They will look like air bubbles, but with material inside.