Introduction
coming soon
Coccidia
(The Disease is Called Coccidiosis)
(An Intestinal Parasite (protozoa) of dogs and cats (and other
animals too)
by Roger Ross, DVM
Introduction
Young pups and kittens, like most other infant and young mammals are prone to getting diarrhea. There are a bunch of possible causes;
viral
bacterial
intestinal worms like round, tape, hook and whip worms
food poisoning
amoebic
the eating of irritating non-food items such as sticks, dirt, etc
change of food or water
food too rich
food intolerances (such as the fairly common intolerance to cow's milk)
toxic or bad milk if still nursing
stress
metabolic reasons such as a poorly functioning liver pancreas
too much television
Okay, maybe not that last one. But here's one more: Protozoa
There are zillions of different types of protozoa out there in nature...little microscopic, simple creatures that we more complex mammals inhale and ingest without knowing on a regular basis. They are way, way, down there on the food chain. They apparently do us very little harm as far as we know. Who knows though, maybe they're the cause of true love and stuff like that.
I am getting way, way, off track again. Back to Coccidia:
Coccidia just happens to be one of the few protozoan organisms that sometimes does cause trouble in mammals. Most dogs and cats develop mature, effective immune systems by about 4 months of age, and if exposed to coccidia, the organism will probably establish itself in the rich mucosa cells of the intestine causing mild irritation and diarrhea for a day or two, but because of the immune system keeping it at bay, the organism won't multiple into high numbers and the symptoms won't last long.
What I just said was that older pets may be carriers of coccidia or suffer from minor diarrhea for a couple of days if exposed to a new strain of coccidia, but because of a healthy immune system this is usually a very minor problem.
However: if the puppy or kitten is under 4 months of age, or if the young pet's immune system is poorly developed for genetic or developmental reasons, or weak from poor nutrition or parasitism, then the oppertunistic little buggers (I'm talking about the coccidia now) might get well established in the intestinal mucosa causing quite a bit of havoc:
-Long term diarrhea which will lead to dehydration and weakness
-Inflammation and damage of the intestinal wall which then allows toxins and bowel bacteria to enter the general circulation
-Cramps, nausea, and the anxiety of gut pain
-Further suppression of the immune system due to the dehydration and weakness leading to chills, pneumonia, etc
Most young puppies and kittens who get coccidia successfully fight off the disease either on their own or with conservative treatment...but not always...get your baby pets into a vet if diarrhea persists for more than 2-3 days or sooner if they stop eating, and aren't bright, alert, and playful.
A couple more introductory comments:
Usually the diarrhea associated with coccidia is a custard yellow or tannish pudding in color and consistancy...but not always.
Usually the disease is a serious problem only in the very young...but not always. In situations where the immune system is under stress or suppressed (such as in pregnancy, field trials, shows, in the presence of other diseases, other parasites, malnutrition, etc), coccidia can cause serious intestinal inflammation along with all the sequelae.
Usually we can quickly diagnois the problem using our veterinary skill and knowledge (and a good microscope)...but not always. The little eggs (technically they're called oocysts) that we can identify if they're there aren't always there, even if the disease is present. You have to be lucky enough to catch the problem in the right phase of their life cycle.
If we are unable to identify the organism under the microscope, we often make the diagnoisis anyway based on our experience making this type of diagnoisis an educated guess. We have to be a little careful, though, not to confuse the symptoms with a similar disease caused by another organism...this time an amoeba...call Giardia. The treatment is different for Giardia.
Usually we can quickly get the problem under control using inexpensive medications...but not always. Problem factors might include resistance and mutant strains of coccidia and a mistaken diagnoisis.
Treatment usually consists of using one of the potentiated sulfur based antibiotics in addition to maybe using one or more of the following types of medications:
Something to stop the diarrhea such as kaopectate, pepto, paragoric, bella donna alkaloids, herbals, essential oils, etc.
General immune boosters such as vitamins, interferon, anti-oxidants, etc
Anti-microbials such as metronidazole or antibiotics.
And, of course, IV Fluids and aggressive supportive care if weak, dehydrated, and so forth.
Preventing the spread to other pups and kittens with good
hygiene and cleaning to minimize fecal contamination.
Okay, that's the basics. I think there's more information about coccidia and how I treat this disease on the Parasite Page
Here's more information if you like details and specifics:
The type of coccidia that commonly cause problems in dogs is called Isospora. There are 4 different species of isospora that affect dogs. I. canis I. ohioensis (named after the State) I. neorivolta, and I. burrowsi.
Here's their life cycle:
Isospora spp. have developmental stages both within the host animal and outside. The developmental stages within the dog give rise to a microscopic egg (called an oocyst), which is passed in the feces.
Depending on the environmental temperature, moisture, and available oxygen, the oocyst develops within three to five days to form a sporulated oocyst capable of infecting other dogs.
(At this stage, the oocyst contains two sporocysts, each with four bodies (called sporozoites))
When the pet eats the microscoptic oocyst (not on purpose) each sporozoite is capable of penetrating an intestinal cell inside the pet.
Once successfully inside an intestinal cell, they are fruitful and multiply.
Each offspring in turn may enter other intestinal cells. This cycle may be repeated several times. Unfortunately for the pet, this process causes alot of damage to the intestinal mucosa lining the GI tract.
SEX
Eventually, the work of multiplying by dividing stops and sex cells are produced. The male fertilizes the female to produce an oocyst that ruptures from the intestinal cells and is passed in the feces, which then contaminates the ground. After developing for a few days, these oocysts become capable of infesting the next unlucky victim. Thousands of oocysts may be passed in the feces of an infected animal.
Simply finding oocysts in the feces of a dog does not necessarily indicate the presence of coccidiosis. Many oocysts may pass in the feces, even in dogs that appear clinically normal. However, dogs passing large numbers of oocysts should be treated to reduce environmental contamination.
Coccidiosis often results from overcrowded, dirty living conditions. Drinking water and feed should be protected from fecal contamination.
Infected animals should be isolated from the rest and treated. Removing dogs from contaminated areas interrupts the life cycle of the parasite and helps control the disease.
Giardia in Dogs and Cats
(Giardiosis is the Name of the Disease)
(Diarrhea, Nausea, and Chronic GI Irritation are the main Symptoms)
by Roger Ross, DVM
Another little organism that frequently causes diarrhea in pets is Giardia. There are lots of different strains and subspecies of this amoeba that differ a little as you go around the world, and everytime we humans or our pets get exposed to these creatures, there's the potential for irritation to the stomach or intestines.
For Humans:
When you drink water from streams and ponds and get the runs, it may well have been caused by one of the many strains of Giardia.
When you travel to exotic locations and get diarrhea after eating the local foods, the cause is more likely to be bacterial (e-coli, samonella, clostridium, etc), but it could be from Giardia
Our intestinal tracts get exposed to these very tiny, microscopic, organisms all the time as we go about our daily lives, just as our respiratory system is constantly inhaling biological particles along with each breath of air. The reason we don't usually get diarrhea, though, is that we can usually rely on our body's defense systems to prevent these organisms from mulitplying in our tissues. But there are exceptions and reasons why our defenses don't work 100% of the time.
If our general health is poor; our immune system will be weak
If our intestinal lining (the mucosa) is unhealthy from poor diet, a heavy parasite load (worms), ulcerations, or bacteria (hemobacter, for example), then Giardia organisms will be more likely to establish themselves in the intestinal wall.
If our immune system is not yet mature (babies) or if it is suppressed, over loaded, or worn out due to stress, disease, pregnancy, or old age; then we may not be able to fight off the Giardia as readily.
And finally, if, while traveling or camping, we accidently expose our immune system to a strain of Giardia our system hasn't seen before, it takes a little time to mount an effective defense. This may give the organism enough time to multiply enough to cause diarrhea, nausea etc. Usually the GI upset caused by Giardia is mild and temporary, but occasionally it can be violent and debilitating.
That was fun writing about human beings for a change. But it's relevant because the same concepts apply to our pets and other animals: Exposure to this little amoeba is frequent and unavoidable and rarely causes much trouble because of our fairly effecient mammalian immune systems, enzymatic saliva, acidic stomach acid, bile salts, and so forth. But every once in a while enough RAMBO or stealth type organisms survive our defenses AND are able to set up house in our intestinal lining and have SEXUAL REPRODUCTION and we all know that means trouble, don't we? If the organisms multiply, they cause irritation and inflammation to the bowels and/or stomach leading to different degrees of nausea and diarrhea.
If the problem isn't quickly corrected by the immune system or from treatment, then we sometimes get pets that aren't on death's door step exactly, but who suffer from chronic, mild diarrhea and all the miserable secondary effects of feeling run down, dehydrated, dirty, etc.
To Summarize:
Exposure to Giardia is common, but usually our immune system effectively kills the organism before it causes enough damage to notice. If not, the resulting diarrhea is usually mild and quickly resolved without treatment.
How often is the diarrhea we see in our pets caused by Giardia?
We're not sure;
Diarrhea is such a common and easily resolved problem that most cases aren't presented to a vet unless the diarrhea is severe, bloody, or not resolved with home remedies.
And there are so many possible causes.
And if we vets do see a diarrhea case, we often don't go to the expense of testing for Giardia. We often just treat the diarrhea.
Or, even if we suspect Giardia, we often just treat the disease without confirming that Giardia is present. This isn't being sloppy so much as it's being practical; Here's why:
Even if Giardia is the cause of the diarrhea, it can be very difficult to detect.
Even if Giardia is found, it doesn't necessarily prove that Giardia was the culprit or the only culprit. Just like in the OJ Simpson trial; just because he was there doesn't proved he killed her. Maybe it was the pizza boy. Whoops, I'm off track again.
Because of our fairly effecient immune systems, many diarrhea cases caused by Giardia heal without treatment.
The treatment for Giardia disease, except in complicated cases, is inexpensive and safe.
At any rate, because of all these factors, we really don't know how often Giardia is the cause of diarrhea in mammals. My own feeling as a practioner is that it's a common cause. For what that's worth.
For those of you that want to know the details, here's the life cycle and more scientific information:
Giardia spp. are parasitic protozoans (single celled organisms) found in the intestines of many animals, including dogs. This microscopic parasite clings to the surface of the intestine, or floats free in the mucous lining the intestine.
Giardia occurs in two forms: a motile feeding stage that lives in the intestine, and a non-motile cyst stage that passes in the feces.
Encystment occurs as the parasite travels to the large intestine. The cysts are fairly resistant, and can survive for several months as long as sufficient moisture is provided. Mature cysts are usually found in the feces of infected animals.
That highlights a practical point: We vets are unlikely to detect Giardia as the cause of diarrhea when we do fecal testing UNLESS there has been time to develop a large number of mature cysts.
Animals become infected by ingesting these cysts which survive in the environment whereever there is moisture. A pet might ingest them directly from drinking from a puddle, pond, or stream...or simply get them on their paws or coat while walking through damp grass and lick them off while grooming.
These cysts break open in the intestine to release the motile feeding stage (trophozoite). Giardia trophozoites multiply by spliting in half over and over again. This is known as binary fission or safe sex.
How did my dog get Giardia?
Giardia is transmitted from host to host by ingesting cysts in contaminated feed or drinking water. Cysts may also be found in streams or other water sources. Sometimes the trophozoite stage may also be infective to dogs, but this stage does not survive for very long after being voided in the feces.
Zoonosis: Can I get Giardia from my dog? And Vice Versus?
We think so.
Clinical signs range from none in asymptomatic carriers, to mild recurring diarrhea consisting of soft, light-colored stools, to acute explosive diarrhea in severe cases.
Other signs associated with giardiasis are:
weight loss
listlessness
mucus in the stool
anorexia or loss of appetite
Diagnosis is confirmed by finding the cysts or motile stages in feces. But a negative report does not rule out Giardia. Why? Because cysts are only passed periodically so several fecal examinations may be required to detect this parasite. Several fecal samples, examined over a period of seven to ten days, should be examined before you can be confident of being negative for Giardia.
Treatment:
(Of course, your vet may do things differently)
Treatment is pretty straight forward:
1. Treatment of the symptoms of diarrhea, nausea etc to make the patient more comfortable. This may include medications such as kaopectate, bella donna alkaloids, paragoric, Tigan suppositories, Reglan Injections or tabs etc.
2. Electrolytes and IV Fluids if needed.
3. Treatment of the parasite: I use a drug called metronidazole as well as Panacur (fenbendazole). Using these medications together seem to work much better than either drug alone. Other possible treatments include quinacrine and albendazole.
4. Treatment of other pets in the household or kennel if warranted.
5. Follow up testing and recheck maybe prudent or needed.
