Hookworms are the intestinal parasites that most commonly cause anemia and subsequently pale gums in puppies. Severe flea infestation can lead to anemia (reduced red cell count) secondary to chronic blood loss. Toxins, tick born diseases, infectious diseases, and allergic reaction can also lead to pale gums. White gums are very concerning and this puppy needs to be examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Signs of hookworm infection include weight loss, pale color, black or tarry looking stools, weakness, anemia and death. Roundworm larvae migrate to somatic tissue (liver and lungs), including skeletal muscle and remain there in a quiescent state Only resume activity in pregnant bitches following the 42nd day gestation (third trimester) May establish an infection of the small intestine by tracheal migration Usually infect the fetus via the umbilical vessels; initially they attack the pups liver, then lungs at birth. This is the primary reason that bitches should be wormed before breeding, during the last week of gestation, and each time the pups are wormed. Diagnosis is not always easy since it depends on finding whipworm eggs in the feces. Remember that animals are infected for 3 months before they begin to shed eggs and you can appreciate the problem. Once females begin shedding eggs, they are usually recoverable by direct smears and centrifugal flotation. They are not as easily found with standard fecal evaluations. In some instances, the adult worms are actually seen attached to the lower bowel during endoscopic procedures. Infected dogs may seem clinically normal while shedding large numbers of infective eggs. The eggs are generally first seen in your dog's feces or sticking to the hair around your dog's rear. These specialized muscular egg cases are actually segments of the worm that are full of eggs and they look like a small, flattened, grain of white rice that moves. As the egg case wiggles around it is spreading thousands of tapeworm eggs which are too small for the naked-eye to see.
