Chewie has coccidia

[Laura & Chewie]

So overnight Monday into Tuesday morning Chewie was out frequently with diarrhea and vomitted once.  Called the vet Tuesday morning and they said since he had both, bring him in to make sure he wasn't dehydrated although he was acting fairly normal.  She did a 10 minute in office test for giardia which was negative.  She said to bring back a stool sample in the next day or two and put him on metronidazole to be safe.  He was fine from that point on and didn't have another stool until Wednesday night.  Since then has stools have been normal and formed, maybe a little less firm then normal for him (unually very firm...sorry tmi)

 

I took the sample in Thursday morning and they called today to say it was positive for coccidia and I should come pick up another medication.  She said to finish the metronidazole, but added Albon for 10 days. 

 

From the print out the vet gave me and what I'm reading online, this is much more common in pups under 6 months.  Chewie is 11 months, so is this unusual that he caught it?  Also, it sounds like most dogs do not show clinical symptoms and since the diarrhea cleared up so quickly and  before they even diagnosed it, I'm wondering if it was just a coincidence that they found it now.

 

Either way, he now has the correct meds and we'll do a repeat fecal test when he finishes them.

[shelly]

Poor Chewie!!! How do they catch that? I hope he feels better real soon.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm glad at least they caught it and hopefully Chewie will soon be fine!

[Laura & Chewie]

Thanks, he actually is quite spunky...LOL. They catch it from the environment as other dogs leave it behind in fecal matter. The vet said springtime always brings an increase in parasite infections as everything unfreezes from the winter. I'm guessing he might have picked it up at daycare.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Feel better, Chewie!

[Debbie and Thomas]

Oh yeah..it was probably at the daycare. What's a mom to do though. Thomas goes to an off leash conservation area every Monday to Friday from 10:30-12:30 with a dog walker and about 6-9 other dogs in his "pack". It's great... Wayne picks him up in a van full of dogs and off they go to the forrest about 20 min away. (and it is only 15.00 a day) He runs and runs and goes thru some pretty ponds and some dirty bogs but he LOVES IT. I shud post one of my "flip" videos one day. Anyway...my point is that he is at a much higher risk for parrasites because of this. We discussed it with our vet and we all feel that the dog runs are worth the risk. We just keep an eye on his BM's and so far he has had nothing....we took in a sttol sample in Feb. and it was clear. So...glad chewie is chipper and sorry that he got coccidia but I would bet that he absolutely loves his day care.

[Laura & Chewie]

I guess my biggest concern right now is reinfection. If he did get it from daycare, and since many dogs with it don't show symptoms, it sounds like a given he will get it again at some point. Maybe as he gets older, he has more resistance? I'll have to ask the vet.

[Laura & Chewie]

Okay, just did a little more online research that has cleared up some of my questions. First of all dogs acquire immunity to coccidia as they (and their immune systems) mature. Not to say they can't have it and spread it, but they don't show symptoms or get sick from it. An adult dog could have it their entire life and never know it without a fecal exam. Symptoms in dogs under one year can be very mild ranging from just soft stools to bloody diarrhea, so I guess that explains Chewie's formed, but much softer than normal for him stools. He is not going frequently...actually only once/day for the last couple days.

So, I guess that's why fecal exams one to two times a year are a good idea. Chewie had one in December that was negative.

[Karen P]

I am glad that he is feeling better so quickly.