Coccidia
If you have any questions at all, please contact the foster department directly. Other KHS phone numbers, emails, or departments are unable to help with any foster concerns.
Contacting other departments will delay you getting answers and delay your animal getting care.
Our contact info can be found at the bottom of every page on this site and in our signature in every email you receive.
Thank you so much for your cooperation with this important policy.
You can find a printable version of this article here.
What is Coccidia?
Coccidia are a single-celled parasite that destroys a host animal's intestinal cells. The presence of coccidia can cause diarrhea in the host.
Coccidia begins with oocysts. When the host animal consumes oocysts, they break open and release sporozoites into the intestines. The sporozoites go on to infect intestinal cells, where they divide rapidly over and over until a new stage called merozoite begins. The merozoites divide and reproduce rapidly, filling the intestinal cell until it bursts. They go on to infect and destroy more intestinal cells. They also go on to create more oocysts.
Symptoms
Diarrhea
Weight Loss
Decreased Appetite
Dehydration
Vomiting
Transmission
Coccidia is passed through the feces of an infected animal. The oocysts are not infective when they are first passed, but mature within 12-36 hours of being outside of the body. Coccidia is contracted when an animal consumes contaminated soil or water containing the oocysts.
Coccidia can not be spread between different species. While both dogs and cats can contract coccidia, they are different strains that are species-specific. Humans can not contract coccidia from other animals.
After infection, it can take 3-11 days to show symptoms. The bursting of the intestinal cells is what causes the diarrhea, so enough cells need to be destroyed for the symptoms to start. Infection is more common in kennel situations where animals are housed in groups.
Diagnosis and Treatment
A stool sample will be needed to diagnose your foster. Vet services will schedule a time for you to bring it to the shelter to test. Coccidia is found by viewing the sample under a microscope. Small amounts of coccidia can be hard to detect, so multiple tests may be necessary if the diarrhea continues for an extended period of time.
If your foster is Coccidia+, vet services will prescribe you a coccidia-specific medication to get rid of the parasite.
Protecting You and Your Pets
Keep your foster separated from your resident animals for 7-10 days after bringing them home. Signs of illness may remain dormant for a few days before showing symptoms. You foster will be contagious during this time, so keeping them separated is the best preventative for your pet.
Wash your hands thoroughly and change your clothes after interacting with an infected animal.
Leave your foster separated for a few more days after the treatment is complete. This will allow time for any residual symptoms to resolve.
If you are fostering puppies with coccidia, do not allow puppies in the yard, as the parasite can survive in the soil for extended periods of time.
Environmental Disinfection
Wash all soft materials such as blankets and plush toys through a soap/bleach cycle and dried on a hot setting. It is best to discard anything heavily soiled.
Metal/ceramic bowls and hard toys should be washed thoroughly with a detergent. Disinfect the items after washing by soaking the cleaned items in a properly diluted disinfectant for 10 minutes. Allow the items to dry. After disinfecting, thoroughly rinse the items with water and allow them to dry again.
Throw away any plastic bowls and toys that have any signs of wear, scratches, or teeth marks, which create porous areas that viruses and parasites can survive in.
Clean any visual messes from carpets and hardwood floors.
Use a carpet cleaner with disinfectants for any carpeted areas and furniture. Make sure you read the carpet cleaner instructions and spot-test for possible discoloration. These surfaces will need to remain saturated for 10 minutes. After disinfecting, allow the areas to dry thoroughly.
For hardwood surfaces, use a properly diluted disinfectant in a mop bucket, making sure to cover any corners or hard to reach places your foster may have gotten to.