Coccidia are a type of parasite that all pet owners should be aware of. Most commonly seen in puppies and kittens, Coccidia can affect pets in all life stages, and if left untreated can lead to serious health problems, and even death.
What is Coccidia?
are microscopic, single-celled protozoa that live and reproduce within the animal cell. In animals, the coccidian protozoa cause the disease coccidiosis. The genus Isospora is the most common cause of intestinal coccidiosis in companion animals.
While the Isospora can affect both dogs and cats, each strain or “species” of the parasite can only in turn effect once species of animal. Isospora canis, Isospora ohioenis, Isospora burrowsi and Isospora neorivolta are the most commonly encountered species of coccidia that effects dogs. In cats, Isospora felis and Isospora rivolta are most commonly seen. As a whole, presence of any of these protozoa is considered a coccidiosis infection
Coccidia parasites are also encountered in humans, in the form of Cyrptosporidium. A common ailment of cattle, cryptosproridiosis in humans usually occurs when a person is immune-compromised, and most commonly acquired by working with live cattle or meat processing plants.
How is Coccidia transmitted?
Coccidiosis is spread from one dog to another by contact with infected feces or through infected soil or bodily fluids. In healthy, adult dogs, an infection may be present but in many cases these dogs may never show symptoms of the disease due to a strong immune system. However all infected dogs can continue to transmit the disease, regardless of whether or not they are showing symptoms of infection. Puppies generally show symptoms of coccidia soon after becoming infected, due to their weaker immune systems.
Puppies from infected mothers are not born with the disease, but will quickly acquire it via their exposure to their mothers’ feces. Via ingestion of the infected fecal material, coccidia is then transported into the puppies’ intestines. Lacking immunity, the coccidia quickly reproduce extensively and quickly wreak havoc on the puppies young body.
What are the symptoms of Coccidia infection?
The most common sign of coccidiosis in dogs is diarrhea of varying severity. Profuse, watery diarrhea is the most tell-tale sign of a serious infection. In advanced cases, blood and mucous may also be present, as the protozoa destroys the lining of the intestines as they continue to grow in numbers.
All diarrheas have the potential to be a dangerous health problem, especially in puppies. Left untreated, diarrhea can lead to severe dehydration, vomiting, lethargy and even death.
In puppies, signs of infection typically appear between the ages of four and twelve weeks of age, becoming more prevalent during times of stress (ie weaning, going to a new home, etc.)
How is Coccidiosis diagnosed? Can it be treated?
All episodes of diarrhea in dogs, and especially in puppies, should be considered a serious medical problem, and a veterinarian should see the pet immediately.
While diarrhea is a major symptom of coccidia, unfortunately it is also a common component in several other diseases that can also present themselves in puppies. These can include:
Parvovirus Gastroenteritis: One of the most devastating diseases of young animals, parvo can often be fatal, and is almost completely preventable through a strong vaccination program. A highly contagious virus, initial signs include vomiting, profuse, bloody diarrhea and lethargy. These can quickly progress to severe dehydration, electrolyte imbalances, sepsis and death. Treatment of parvo is difficult, and even with treatment as many as 90% of affected puppies may die.
Hookworms: are transmitted by ingestion of contaminated feces, and developed parasites attach to the lining of the intestinal tract and feed on the blood supply there. Hookworms in puppies can be devastating, as they can cause severe anemia, weakness and bloody diarrhea.
Roundworms: As many as 85% of puppies are born with roundworms.Roundworms can grow to up to seven inches long and appear spaghetti-like, long and thin. Roundworms mature quickly, and severe side effects of may begin to be seen in puppies at only a few weeks of age. A pot-bellied appearance, poor growth and a rough, dull hair coat are signs of a worm infestation. Diarrhea and vomiting may be present as well, and the dog may expel worms in their stool or vomitus. If allowed to continue unchecked, the worms can cause pneumonia, intestinal obstructions and death.
Giardia: an intestinal parasite caused by a single-celled organism that lives in the intestines of infected animals. Giardia can be transmitted from pet to pet, through contaminated feed or water, and through the soil. It is also a zoonotic disease, which can be transmitted from pets to humans. The most common symptom of Giardia is diarrhea of varying severity, and cause symptoms in dogs at all life stages.
Because these and many other diseases can all appear to have similar symptoms, it is imperative that your veterinarian examine your dog, in order to prescribe the required treatment.
Coccidia is diagnosed via fecal screening. This may be done at your veterinarian’s office, or he may elect to send the sample to a laboratory for a more thorough examination. Coccidia can be readily identified when present in fecal samples, however the cysts do not shed into the feces at all times, so a negative fecal screening may not completely rule-out coccidia as a cause of diarrhea. If coccidiosis is suspected, your veterinarian may recommend a treatment protocol in spite of a negative fecal test.
Coccdiosis is easily treated, and medication to cure it is available from your veterinarian. In mild cases, treatment may be in the form of a liquid or pill medication given to your pet for 5-10 days. In severely affected pets, hospitalization may be required so that intravenous fluids and other supportive care can be provided until your pet begins to recover from the side effects of the infection. Following treatment, a recheck fecal test should be performed in 30 days to ensure the infection has been completely eradicated.
Can coccidia be prevented?
Unfortunately, because coccidia are transmitted from dog to dog via infected soil, it is impossible to totally prevent coccidia infections. Dogs who frequent places where other dogs congregate, such as dog parks, doggy day care, groomers, kennels or the beach are at increased risk of infection. In healthy adult dogs, they may acquire the coccidia parasite and not show symptoms of infection for most or even all of their life- but they continue to excrete the parasite in their feces, thus perpetuating it’s contamination in the soil.
Annual fecal tests are the best way to detect and treat coccidiosis in dogs. In breeding females, care should be taken to screen and or treat for the infection prior to becoming pregnant, to help prevent transmitting the disease to her puppies once born.
Coccidia ni aina ya vimelea ambavyo wamiliki wote wa wanyama-vipenzi wanapaswa kujua. Coccidia inaweza kuathiri wanyama wa kufugwa katika hatua zote za maisha, na ikiwa haijatibiwa inaweza kusababisha matatizo makubwa ya afya na hata kifo. Coccidia ni nini? Protozoa ni protozoa ndogo, zenye chembe moja, ambazo huishi na kuzaana ndani ya chembe ya mnyama. Katika wanyama, protozoa za coccidian husababisha ugonjwa wa coccidiosis. Jamii ya Isospora ndiyo kisababishi cha kawaida cha coccidiosis ya matumbo katika wanyama wa kufungia. Isospora inaweza kuathiri mbwa na paka, lakini kila aina ya vimelea inaweza kuathiri aina moja tu ya mnyama. Isospora canis, Isospora ohioenis, Isospora burrowsi na Isospora neorivolta ni aina za coccidia zinazopatikana kwa kawaida ambazo huathiri mbwa. Katika paka, Isospora felis na Isospora rivolta huonekana kwa kawaida. Kwa ujumla, uwepo wa protozoa yoyote ya coccidiosis huonwa kuwa maambukizi ya coccidiosis. Ugonjwa wa kawaida wa ng'ombe, cryptosporidiosis kwa wanadamu, kwa kawaida hutokea wakati mtu ana kinga ya chini, na kwa kawaida hupatikana kwa kufanya kazi na ng'ombe hai au viwanda vya usindikaji wa nyama. Coccidia husambazwaje? Coccidiosis huenea kutoka kwa mbwa mmoja hadi mwingine kwa kuwasiliana na matope yaliyoambukizwa au kupitia udongo au umajimaji ulioambukizwa. Katika mbwa wazima wenye afya, maambukizi yanaweza kuwapo lakini katika visa vingi mbwa hawa hawawezi kuonyesha dalili za ugonjwa kwa sababu ya mfumo wa kinga wenye nguvu. Hata hivyo, mbwa wote walioambukizwa wanaweza kuendelea kueneza ugonjwa huo, bila kujali kama wanaonyesha dalili za maambukizi au la. Kwa kawaida, mbwa-mwitu huonyesha dalili za coccidia muda mfupi baada ya kuambukizwa, kwa sababu ya mfumo wao wa kinga kuwa dhaifu. Mbwa-mbwa kutoka kwa mama walioambukizwa hawazaliwi na ugonjwa huo, lakini wataupata haraka kupitia kuambukizwa na uchafu wa mama zao. Kupitia kumeza ya kuambukizwa fecal nyenzo, coccidia ni kisha kusafirishwa katika puppies'matumbo. Kwa sababu hawana kinga, coccidia huzaa kwa wingi na haraka huangamiza mwili mchanga wa mbwa-mwitu. Ni nini dalili za maambukizo ya Coccidia? Dalili ya kawaida ya coccidiosis katika mbwa ni kuhara kwa kiwango tofauti cha ukali. Kuvuja na maji kwa wingi ni ishara inayoonyesha waziwazi kwamba mtu ana maambukizo mazito. Katika hali za juu, damu na mucous inaweza pia kuwapo, kama protozoa kuharibu utando wa matumbo kama wao kuendelea kukua katika idadi. Ugonjwa wote wa kuhara unaweza kuwa tatizo hatari la afya, hasa kwa watoto wachanga. Usipotiwa matibabu, kuhara kwaweza kusababisha upungufu mkubwa wa maji mwilini, kutapika, usingizi na hata kifo. Katika watoto wadogo, dalili za maambukizi huonekana kati ya wiki nne na kumi na mbili, na huwa na nguvu zaidi wakati wa shida (kwa mfano, kuachana na mtoto, kwenda nyumbani mpya, nk). Coccidiosis hugunduliwaje? Je, inaweza kutibiwa? Matatizo yote ya kuhara kwa mbwa, na hasa kwa watoto, yanapaswa kuchukuliwa kama tatizo kubwa la matibabu, na daktari wa mifugo anapaswa kumwona mnyama huyo mara moja. Ugonjwa wa kuhara ni dalili ya kawaida ya coccidia, lakini pia ni sehemu ya kawaida ya magonjwa mengine ambayo yanaweza kutokea kwa watoto. Parvovirus Gastroenteritis (PGG) ni ugonjwa wa kuambukiza wa wanyama wadogo, ambao mara nyingi huweza kusababisha kifo, na unaweza kuepukwa kabisa kupitia mpango mkubwa wa chanjo. Virusi hivyo vinaweza kuambukiza watu wengi, na dalili za kwanza ni kutapika, kuvuja damu, kuhara, na kutoweza kufanya kazi. Hizi zaweza kusonga haraka hadi kuharibika kwa maji mwilini, kutofautiana kwa elektroni, kuambukizwa na kifo. Matibabu ya parvo ni magumu, na hata na matibabu, hadi 90% ya watoto walioathiriwa wanaweza kufa. Hookworms ni wadudu ambao huambukizwa kwa kula chavua na kuunganisha kwenye utando wa matumbo na kuondoa damu. Mimea ya hookworm katika watoto wa mbwa inaweza kuwa mbaya sana, kwa kuwa inaweza kusababisha upungufu mkubwa wa damu, udhaifu na kuhara kwa damu. Kwa mfano, watoto wa kiume wanaozaliwa na mbwa wa kiume wanaishi na minyoo ya kiume, ambayo inaweza kukua hadi inchi saba kwa urefu na kuonekana kama spaghetti. Mimea ya mviringo huzeeka haraka, na athari mbaya za mviringo zaweza kuanza kuonekana kwa watoto wakiwa na umri wa majuma machache tu. Muonekano wa tumbo la mchuzi, ukuzi duni na manyoya magumu, yasiyo na rangi ni ishara za kuambukizwa na minyoo. Huenda mbwa akawa na kuhara na kutapika, na huenda akafukuza minyoo katika matope yake au kutapika. Ikiwa hazijadhibitiwa, minyoo hiyo yaweza kusababisha nimonia, vizuizi vya matumbo na kifo. Giardia: vimelea vya matumbo vinavyosababishwa na viumbe wenye chembe moja wanaoishi katika matumbo ya wanyama walioambukizwa. Giardia inaweza kuambukizwa kutoka kwa mnyama hadi mnyama, kupitia chakula au maji yaliyochafuliwa, na kupitia udongo. Pia ni ugonjwa unaosababishwa na wanyama, ambao unaweza kuambukizwa kutoka kwa wanyama-vipenzi hadi kwa wanadamu. Dalili ya kawaida ya Giardia ni kuhara kwa kiwango tofauti cha ukali, na husababisha dalili katika mbwa katika hatua zote za maisha. Kwa sababu magonjwa haya na mengine mengi yanaweza kuonekana kuwa na dalili sawa, ni muhimu kwamba daktari wako wa mifugo amchunguze mbwa wako ili kuagiza matibabu yanayohitajika. Coccidia hugunduliwa kupitia uchunguzi wa matumbo. Hii inaweza kufanywa katika ofisi ya daktari wako wa mifugo, au anaweza kuchagua kutuma sampuli kwa maabara kwa ajili ya uchunguzi wa kina zaidi. Coccidia inaweza kutambuliwa kwa urahisi wakati inapatikana katika sampuli za mkojo, hata hivyo cysts hazipati katika mkojo wakati wote, kwa hivyo uchunguzi hasi wa mkojo hauwezi kuondoa kabisa coccidia kama sababu ya kuhara. Ikiwa kuna shaka ya coccidiosis, daktari wako wa mifugo anaweza kupendekeza itifaki ya matibabu licha ya mtihani wa matumbo kuwa hasi. Coccdiosis ni rahisi kutibu, na dawa za kutibu inapatikana kutoka kwa daktari wako wa mifugo. Katika hali ya upole, matibabu yanaweza kuwa katika fomu ya dawa ya kioevu au kidonge iliyotolewa kwa mnyama wako kwa siku 5-10 Kwa wanyama walioathiriwa sana, huenda ikawa lazima waingizwe hospitalini ili maji ya ndani ya mshipa na huduma nyingine za kusaidia ziweze kutolewa hadi mnyama wako aanze kupona kutokana na athari za upande wa maambukizo. Baada ya matibabu, mtihani wa kukagua tena unapaswa kufanywa katika siku 30 ili kuhakikisha maambukizi yameondolewa kabisa. Je, ugonjwa wa coccidia waweza kuzuiwa? Kwa bahati mbaya, kwa sababu coccidia husambazwa kutoka kwa mbwa hadi mbwa kupitia udongo ulioambukizwa, haiwezekani kuzuia kabisa maambukizi ya coccidia. Mbwa wanaotembelea maeneo ambapo mbwa wengine hukusanyika, kama vile mbuga za mbwa, huduma za siku za mbwa, watunzaji, kennels au pwani, wana hatari kubwa ya kuambukizwa. Mbwa wazima wenye afya wanaweza kupata vimelea vya coccidia na hawaonyeshi dalili za maambukizi kwa maisha yao yote, lakini wanaendelea kutoa vimelea katika matope yao, na hivyo kuendeleza uchafuzi wake katika udongo. Uchunguzi wa kila mwaka wa matumbo ndiyo njia bora ya kugundua na kutibu ugonjwa wa coccidiosis kwa mbwa. Katika uzazi wa wanawake, tahadhari inapaswa kuchukuliwa kwa ajili ya uchunguzi na au matibabu kwa ajili ya maambukizi kabla ya kuwa mjamzito, kusaidia kuzuia maambukizi ya ugonjwa kwa watoto wake mara moja kuzaliwa.