Coccidiosis of dogs
The coccidiosis of the dogs is a parasitological disease of domestic dogs , accompanied by diarrhea. It is caused by different protozoa from the genus Cystoisospora . Clinical symptoms are mainly shown by puppies and young dogs. The treatment takes place with coccidial antibiotics or antiprotozoics .
Cause and occurrence
For dogs, Cystoisospora canis , C. ohiosensis and C. burrowsi are the main cause of disease, with C. canis exhibiting the highest pathogenicity and frequent mixed infections. Other animal species are not endangered due to the host specificity of the pathogen.
A prevalence of 8 to 16% was determined in domestic dogs in Germany, with young dogs showing the highest infestation rates. The disease occurs mainly in larger breeds, with asymptomatic adult dogs acting as shedders. The infection takes place as a dirt infection with sporulated oocysts. The coccidia develop in the epithelial cells of the small and large intestines. Six to twelve days after infection, oocysts are again excreted for up to eleven days, which are contagious after two to four days in the outside world.
Clinic and Treatment
Clinical symptoms occur mainly in puppies and young dogs. They show up in thin pulpy, rarely watery and bloody diarrhea. General disorders such as loss of appetite, emaciation, dehydration and fever may develop . If the course is severe, deaths can also occur. The symptoms of the disease can vary greatly even within a litter. Adult animals only get sick when the immune system is disturbed. The diagnosis is made by detecting the oocysts in the feces using a flotation method. In the case of sick animals, significantly more coccidial oocysts can usually be detected in the faeces than in inapparently infected animals .
Therapies for sulfonamides used. According to a study, good treatment results could also be achieved with a single administration of Clazuril . Since 2011, a combination preparation of the coccidial toltrazuril with the nematode emodepside (trade name Procox ) has been approved for single use in dogs.
Cleaning and disinfection measures with coccidia-effective agents are essential to eliminate the disease from kennels. The effectiveness of coccidia is shown in the disinfectant list of the German Veterinary Medicine Society (DVG).
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Michael Cieslicki and Erdmute Lipper: On the efficacy and tolerance of Clazuril (Appertex ® ) in coccidiosis in dogs and cats. In: Kleintierpraxis 38 (1993), pp. 725-728.
- ↑ R. Gothe and I. Reichler: On the frequency of coccidia infestation in dog families of different husbandry and races in southern Germany. In: Tierärztl. Praxis 18 (1990), pp. 407-413.
- ↑ a b Barbara Hinney and Anja Joachim: Gastrointestinal parasites in dogs and cats. In: Kleintierpraxis 58 (2013), pp. 256–278.
- ↑ Disinfectant list of the DVG
