Coccidiosis In Dogs

What is Coccidiosis in dogs? How did my dog get Coccidia? What treatments are available for Coccidiosis in puppies?

If your pup has been diagnosed as having coccidiosis, you may be asking yourself all of these questions - and more!

Don't worry though, this is where you'll find the answers you're looking for.

What is Coccidia?

There are actually several different species of coccidia which are found in dogs, cats, rabbits, rodents and more. The most common species of coccidia in dogs are called Isospora Canis.

Coccidiosis is a very contagious disease, the incubation period (time between exposure and symptoms appearing) is about 2 weeks, and it's transmitted by ingesting the feces of an infected animal. It's most often seen in puppies who are less than 6 months old, as they haven't had a chance to build up any immunity.

If an adult dog is infected with coccidia, it often has a weakened immune system already, possibly due to another illness or health condition, which puts it at risk of this sort of problem.

As in another protozoa-based infection, Giardiosis, a puppy who is stressed due to a change in environment, or another illness/condition/parasitic infection and so on, is more likely to succumb to being infected with coccidia due to his immune system being weakened.

Some healthy adult dogs are 'carriers' of coccidiosis. This means that they have coccidia protozoa (the organisms) in their intestines, and they pass them into the environment in their stools, yet they have no symptoms of coccidiosis and don't suffer any ill effects from the disease.

Symptoms of Coccidiosis in dogs

Depending on how severe the initial infection is, the diarrhea can range from mild to severe. However the coccidia organisms multiply rapidly, and the infection can get worse very quickly. Usually the diarrhea is watery, often bloody and may contain mucus.

Other symptoms of coccidiosis in dogs and puppies often includes a loss of appetite, weight loss, lethargy, vomiting and in advanced/severe cases sometimes seizures occur.

A puppy with coccidiosis is at risk of becoming dehydrated pretty quickly, and this disease can be fatal in young puppies if left untreated.

Treating Coccidiosis in dogs

Sometimes, early on in the infection it's possible to get a 'negative' result from a fecal sample, simply because there haven't been enough coccidia protozoa eggs shed as yet. It may take one or two more tests, done over a period of a few days, to make an accurate diagnosis.

Once coccidiosis has been diagnosed in your puppy, your vet will probably prescribe a sulfa-based antibiotic such as Albon or Tribissen. These medications don't actually kill the coccidia protozoa, but stop them from breeding and reproducing. Because of this, the medications usually need to be taken for several weeks to be sure that all the organisms have died out. Sometimes more than one course of treatment is needed.

If the infection was severe, somtimes additional supportive veterinary care is also needed, this might include IV fluids and hospitalization.

(Note: sulfa based medications aren't recommended for use on dogs who are pregnant as they can cause birth defects in the puppies.)

Because coccidiosis in dogs is spread through feces, high standards of hygiene are important in limiting the spread of this disease. Picking up feces immediately, keeping flies/insects and rodents away (they can also spread this disease on their feet/in their bodies) and cleaning all areas thoroughly are important.

Coccidia are difficult to kill, and most household cleaners aren't going to be effective. Cleaning at high temperatures (ie steam cleaning and sterilization with boiling water) , or with a 10% ammonia solution are the best and most effective methods.

The strains of Coccidiosis specific to dogs aren't transferable to humans, but practicing good personal hygiene is still very important.

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