Coccidia In Kittens Death

These parasites can live in the wall of your cat s intestines.

Coccidia in kittens death. Intestinal parasites including roundworms and coccidia can be a problem where queens are not wormed or where hygiene is inadequate. For cats with coccidia the prognosis for recovery is positive. Change in ownership other disease present. We do recommend ponazuril as the preferred treatment of coccidia in kittens in a shelter.

If left untreated coccidiosis in symptomatic kittens can lead to death. The cells then rupture. It most commonly causes watery mucus based diarrhea in animals. An infected canine will eliminate the feces containing the organism into the environment where it can survive for up to one year.

Most cats are able to clear the infection. 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. Coccidiosis is a parasitic type of infection caused by the coccidia parasite.

In kittens coccidiosis infection can cause watery and bloody diarrhea vomiting pain and dehydration followed by rapid weight loss. Coccidia is a protozoa passed through the stool. There are also. Kittens are commonly diagnosed with.

Because kittens can be quickly affected by diarrhea and vomiting it is very important to have your little fur ball examined by a veterinarian immediately if any diarrhea and vomiting symptoms occur. When the oocysts are found in the stool of a cat without diarrhea they are generally considered a transient insignificant finding. Kittens are at a higher risk for more serious complications or even death because their immune systems are not strong enough to fight off infections. Once the parasite is consumed by your dog the oocysts immature coccidia found in the stool will make their way to the digestive tract enter the intestinal lining cells and reproduce.

Coccidia get grouped together with worms because they are routinely searched for in stool tests for worms fecal ova and parasite test. They are more common in kittens but can still infect older cats and dogs as well. That s why it s important to be aware of the possible signs and symptoms. Many cats that are infected with coccidia do not have diarrhea or any other clinical signs.

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 system is suppressed or in animals who are stressed in other ways e g. Our feline friends can become infected by sharing a litter pan or ingesting things in an environment that is contaminated with coccidia infected feces. However in kittens and debilitated adult cats coccidiosis can cause severe watery diarrhea dehydration abdominal distress and vomiting. Heavy infestations of kittens may result in a poor body condition soft or bloody faeces inappetence a pot bellied appearance weight loss and occasionally death.

Coccidia are microscopic parasites that live within the cells that line the intestine. Trimethoprim sulfa has also been used successfully but it is typically very unpalatable and the dosing schedule your veterinarian uses 10 days is longer than would be needed for treatment with ponazuril.