Giardia Coccidia In Kittens

Coccidia are small protozoans one celled organisms that multiply in the intestinal tracts of cats and dogs most commonly in kittens and puppies less than six months of age in adult animals whose immune systemis suppressed or in animals who are stressed in other ways e g.

Giardia coccidia in kittens. Giardia and coccidia are single cell intestinal parasites that produce similar symptoms. Giardia is another protozoan infection resulting in soft frothy greasy diarrhea which can be treated with panacur. Coccidia is a nasty little single celled organism that causes mucousy diarrhea in kittens and can be treated with the prescription drug ponazuril. With appropriate and prompt treatment the prognosis is good.

We do recommend ponazuril as the preferred treatment of coccidia in kittens in a shelter. Causes of giardiasis giardia are one celled organisms neither worms bacteria nor viruses. Giardia diarrhea can run pun intended from mild soft stools to voluminous mucousy stool. Coccidia get grouped together with worms because they are routinely searched for in stool tests for worms fecal ova and parasite test.

1 there are eight giardia genotypes a through h. It most commonly causes watery mucus based diarrhea in animals. Change in ownership other disease present. You ll need to take your pup to the vet for tests to get an accurate diagnosis and the required treatment as the treatment for giardia is different than that for coccidia.

While albon sulfadimethoxine is the only fda approved drug the recommended dosing schedule is to administer it for 5 21 days which can be costly both monetarily and in staff time. Giardiasis and coccidiosis are parasitic infections of the intestinal tract which are fairly common in kittens particularly during the weaning stage. This makes it almost impossible for pet owners to differentiate between the two. Kittens are often susceptible to illnesses that healthy adult cats can fight off because their immune systems have not yet fully developed.

Like giardia there are several types of coccidia and for dogs and cats a subset called isospora is the infective species. What are giardiasis and coccidiosis. Human beings are also vulnerable to giardiasis and can be infected with types a b. What are the symptoms.

Infections occur in adult cats and kittens but are much more likely to cause serious disease watery or bloody diarrhea in kittens. If it is not treated over time it can cause damage to the lining of a cat s intestinal tract.