I took my sick 5 week old puppy to the vet today and found out he has hook worms. The vet gave me the medicine to give him

He will be fine; the hookworms will go away pretty fast with medication!

The vets have the safest and most effective medicines for hookworm and other things.

I am a little concerned about a 5 week old puppy. They need to be with their mother and litter mates until at least 6 weeks. You will have to be careful it continues to have contact with other dogs. They need to be carefully selected, disease free dogs. Even the best shot program leaves a window when puppies are vulnerable to parvo and other diseases. One sniff at the wrong time, where a diseased dog relieved itself in the last 6 months, can kill it.

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How long do hookworms live in the soil? My dog has them, I've given her the treatment, but I love to go barefoot and don't want to get them myself!

Thank you all for your response. Sadly to say my little puppy died last night. I think I got to him a little too late. I cried my heart out, it does not take long to get attached. I only hope his death may have saved his brothers and sisters. I have started them on the medication and at this time, all seem to be such rowdy little pups already! LOL I'm so ashamed of my stupidity. My son pointed out to me that I should not have allowed my dog to have puppies if I did not know how to take care of them. A very sad and hard lesson learned. Again, thank you for the response.

Nitchiees, I am sorry about the loss of your pup. I don't know how old your son is but he has given you some very sound and sage advice. Most pups are born with worms. I am glad that you are able to get the others treated with the medication. Always use your vet for guidance if you aren't sure of anything. They will not purposefully steer you wrong. As labman points out, parvo virus, among other disease is a major concern. You need to ensure that the pups are not placed in a position in which they might contract any diseases. Once the pups are fully weaned, it would be a smart move to speak with your vet about spaying your dog so that any future pregnancies will be avoided. It isn't necessary for a dog to have a litter of puppies to lead a happy and healthy life. As you are finding out the hard way, it is a lot of work, worry, and you really need to be completely informed about all the problems that can occur during and after pregnancy. The other problem is finding responsible people who will give them good homes. I don't know if you have already found homes for them. You sound like a caring person. It would be wise to do a home check before placing a pup with anyone you don't know. You may want to post some flyers in all of your local vets offices. This way you have a good chance of finding responsible pet owners who are diligent about taking care of their pets health.

Ruby, Thank you. I do have very good homes for my puppies. At least the ones I'm letting go. My daughters each want one and my best friend. So, that much at least I have right. I won't be allowing any more puppies here. As I said, such a hard and very sad lesson. I've raised so many other orphaned animals with total success. My heart is broken for the loss of life. I do care for my pets so much... they are my "substitute" children now.