Coccidia is a undivided - celled protozoon that infects your detent ’s gastrointestinal tract , resulting in the experimental condition cognize as coccidiosis . Most frankfurter are infected with order Coccidia when they consume immature protozoa in grass or soil . Once dog-iron are infected , the parasites invade the intestinal nerve tract and get to wreak mayhem .
Signs of Coccidia
The most vernacular clinical polarity is looseness , but there are some dogs who do n’t show any signs at all . In other words , they areasymptomatic .
This condition is most harmful to puppy , aged dogs , or those who are immunocompromised . Situations where your dog is to a fault uneasy or experience something new can also make them more susceptible to infection . In these heel , clinical sign may include :
Identification
Your veterinarian will quest a stool sample , whether you ’re bringing your darling in for their annual visit or they are expose symptoms . The stool sample must be no more than 24 hours quondam . The freshest sample you could obtain is recommended for the most accurate results .
A psychometric test prognosticate thefecal floatation testis used to name coccidiosis . Under a microscope , the veterinarian searches for oocysts , or immature order Coccidia , in this mental test . They might also suggest a blood test to condition for less prevalent order Coccidia species . Thefour speciestypes include :
Since this type of organism is n’t found in every stool sample , your veterinarian may call for multiple samples before clearing your dog of transmission .
Treatment Options
Treatment varies depend on the severity of the contagion . In most cases , veterinarians suggest an antibiotic calledsulfadimethoxine . In stern cases , bounder may become dry up from diarrhea and may require IV fluid and observation . Metronidazolecan assist bring around coccidia - related looseness of the bowels , but it does not eliminatecoccidiafrom the body .
You must dispatch the entire dose your veterinarian prescribes even if your dog seems to be recuperate . Otherwise , your cad may have side effects to the medication . If you do find side effect , talk about them with your veterinarian and evaluate the other potential courses of discourse .
If your dog or pup has order Coccidia , provide the prescriptions indicated by your veterinarian and avoid take your dog places where there are a mickle of other dogs , such as dog Rosa Parks , boarding centers , or public place . forfend walks around the cylinder block with your domestic dog , as well . You do n’t desire your dog to be reinfected or transmit the contagion to another dog .
If you have more than one dog in the menage , the other wienerwurst should be treat whether they are showing symptom or not . They must also be tested for infection , and you must take quantity to forbid infection , both for their protection , and to prevent your hot dog who is in discourse from being reinfected .
Removing Fecal Matter Inside and Out
Reinfection is highly common , so disinfecting your home base is necessary . Coccidiacan live for month outdoors or indoors and still remain highly infectious . Because unripe coccidia are so hardy , most cleanup agent are not sufficient to kill these organisms . Using 1 cup of bleaching agent per gallon of water is recommended to make clean most surfaces .
Removing faecal matter from your lawn is also authoritative to prevent reinfection . Diatomaceous earthis a natural , powder - like substance you may fox on your lawn to wipe out and forbid infection from these organisms . It ’s relatively cheap and make for by dry out organisms with microscopic , glass - like shards .
When to Call a Veterinarian
Coccidia and other connect infections are the reason most veterinarians urge an one-year medical exam with a feces sample distribution . Some wiener show no symptom at all , so they could be infected without you being aware until your annual appointment .
If your dog does begin displaying any symptom , it ’s better to be secure than dreary and make an appointment with your veterinarian . If you do suspect your dog may be infect , stay away from areas with other dogs until they are cleared .
If you have a weenie who is more susceptible to contagion , avoiding high - dealings areas is also recommended in that case . Dogs who have genus Cancer , for representative , should be limited in where they go to prevent additional melodic line on their consistence .
Preventing Coccidia is the Main Goal
course , as with any condition , preventive measures are advised . It is immensely helpful to clean up after your dog , sanitize their smasher , and foreclose them from swallowing pollute food and water , which many citizenry tend to go away outdoors , especially in public places . With careful attention to prevention , sanitation , and treatment , your hotdog is likely to recoup in no time .
