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Printable Form | Symptoms |Getting rid of Them
What is Hookworm?
by Dr. N.J.Hayes, DVM
What are Coccidia?
They are a single cell organism that infects the intestine, causing watery, sometimes bloody, diarrhea. They are easily detected on a routine fecal test; but, they aren't worms and cannot be treated with a deworming medication. Adult dogs that are healthy are usually able to rid themselves of the infection; however, Coccidia can be very dangerous to very young, small or ailing pets whose immune systems are either weakened or not developed enough and permit the organisms to take over. The species of coccidia that infect our dogs is called Isospora. They are not typically transmissible to humans.
How does my pet get them?
Puppies and kittens are typically born without Coccidia. Their mothers, however, are probably carrying the parasite in their intestines and shedding it in their feces. Thus exposing the babies. From exposure to illness onset takes about 13 days, so most infected puppies and kittens are about 2 weeks old when symptoms start. Infected individuals can infect other animals that they play with. If your pet displays symptoms of coccidia within 2 weeks of arriving at your home, they most likely came with it. If it's longer than 2 weeks, they've probably picked it up after arriving.
The Oocysts (or parasitic protozoa) are fertilized protozoa contained within a protective cyst. They are passed in the stool of an infected animal. Once outside in the dirt or leaf mulch, the Oocysts begin to multiply and mature into spores. Once mature, they can infect any dog that swallows them while grooming themselves, or eating grass, dirt, or anything else that is on fecal-infected ground. Cockroaches, rodents and birds may consume and pass the coccidia around your yard.
The pet can also become infected by eating a contaminated mouse or bird. It's very common in young pets that are in shelters, kennels and rescue situations. Coccidia is a common parasite.
After being consumed, each sporulated oocyst breaks open to release 8 sporozoites, (tiny, pre-adult, mobile, and infective spores). These sporozoites each search out an intestinal cell and begin to reproduce within it. When the cell becomes full, it bursts and releases merozoites, (young coccidia). The young coccidia find their own cell and continue to breed. A single oocyst can infect thousands of intestinal cells, causing bloody, watery diarrhea.
How do you find them?
Coccidia can be easily detected with a routine fecal test. Puppies are commonly found to be parasitized. We recommend the fecal test be done on a yearly basis because Coccidia is so common. If the microscopic parasites are in small numbers, it can be very difficult to detect them, so the test may need to be run more frequently than once a year.
What are the symptoms?
Mild to severe diarrhea is the main symptom. In advanced cases, the diarrhea may contain blood and mucous. There may be loss of appetite and vomiting. If not treated promptly, the animal may become dehydrated or die.
How do you treat for them?
Coccidia are treated with coccidiostats to inhibit reproduction and permit the pet's own immune system to catch up and wipe the infection out. The usual treatment duration is about one week; however, if the infection was overwhelming or the patient's immune system is compromised, treatment may take up to a month. It's vitally important that the medicine is given until the patient's diarrhea is cured, plus a few extra days.
Coccidiostats are commonly a sulfa-based antibiotic which may cause birth defects in the unborn litters. If the female is pregnant, treatment may have to be postponed because of birth defects. New medicines are constantly being developed to treat this condition.
Can I get rid of them in my soil by spraying?
Most disinfectants don't have any effect on coccidia. The best prevention is to carefully keep all feces picked up. If you are in an area that permits burning, you can burn the feces to destroy it. A 10% ammonia solution or steam cleaning the kennel are a couple of methods commonly used. Coccidia can survive through the winter outside.
References:
- Tilly, Larry.P.DVM, Smith, Francis Jr.DVM, The 5 Minute Veterinary Consult Canine and Feline,Williams & Wilkins, 1997
- Center for Disease Control, website, Guidelines for Veterinarians: Prevention of Zoonotic Transmission of Ascarids and Hookworms of Dogs and Cats
- Chambers Dictionary (11th Edition), Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. 2008
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