If you are raising livestock for commercial purposes you need to be aware of many parasites and diseases that they can carry. One such parasite is coccidia. Coccidiosis in ranch animals is a problem which can become quite serious if it is not brought under control. Knowing the symptoms of a coccidia infection as well as how one tests for the disease are critical in keeping your animals as healthy as possible.
You may be surprised to learn that coccidiosis is actually caused by a very small parasite. It is so small that, unlike tape and roundworms, it cannot be seen by the naked eye. It is found through a stool test which checks for the presence of oocysts in fecal matter. They are quite easy to see and identify due to their unique shape and appearance.
In animals which live in more isolated conditions, such as a home with a single dog or cat, infection is not as much of an issue and can be controlled. Unfortunately, with many herd animals it may be more difficult to control the spread of disease. Most frequently, coccidiosis can spread through a herd because of the other animals coming into contact with contaminated feces. They may sniff the ground or eat food from the ground where the coccidia infested feces has lain and this can cause them to become infected.
One interesting piece of information is that there are different genera of the protozoa which affect certain animals. In the past, it was believed that mammals could cross contaminate each other but this is not the case. An infected horse cannot pass their infection on to other animals. The only notable exception to this is the presence of toxoplasmosis in cat litter, which is a specific threat to pregnant women and immune-compromised individuals.
The main concern with coccidiosis is that animals that are young or which have compromised immune systems are often the ones most susceptible to the disease. In small animals such as dogs, it is often puppies that will contract the disease even in extremely sanitary conditions. You need to be alert when dealing with animals who are young or which may have impaired immune systems. This can allow you to catch an outbreak before a large number of your animals become infected.
Once an animal has been infected by the parasites they begin to have thin, watery diarrhea. It will last a long time and may even persist after the animals have begun to receive medical treatment. In some cases, there may be blood in the stool. If a young animal gets too dehydrated they can die and this can happen over a much shorter amount of time than with healthy adult animals. It is important that if your animals begin to exhibit diarrhea that you test the stool to detect whether it is being caused by coccidiosis.
There are a couple of things that you need to know about treating the disease with medications. If you are tempted to try and control the problem using dewormers you need to know that they will be ineffective. With this particular parasite, you need a medication such as monensin or amprolium which will prevent the parasite from being able to reproduce. This allows the animal's immune system to catch up and fight the parasites before they completely overwhelm the animal.
If you are concerned about how to handle coccidiosis, you need to speak with your vet. They will be able to discuss how to prevent the spread of the disease. This can make it much easier for you to manage your animals and keep them in top physical condition. - 31322
You may be surprised to learn that coccidiosis is actually caused by a very small parasite. It is so small that, unlike tape and roundworms, it cannot be seen by the naked eye. It is found through a stool test which checks for the presence of oocysts in fecal matter. They are quite easy to see and identify due to their unique shape and appearance.
In animals which live in more isolated conditions, such as a home with a single dog or cat, infection is not as much of an issue and can be controlled. Unfortunately, with many herd animals it may be more difficult to control the spread of disease. Most frequently, coccidiosis can spread through a herd because of the other animals coming into contact with contaminated feces. They may sniff the ground or eat food from the ground where the coccidia infested feces has lain and this can cause them to become infected.
One interesting piece of information is that there are different genera of the protozoa which affect certain animals. In the past, it was believed that mammals could cross contaminate each other but this is not the case. An infected horse cannot pass their infection on to other animals. The only notable exception to this is the presence of toxoplasmosis in cat litter, which is a specific threat to pregnant women and immune-compromised individuals.
The main concern with coccidiosis is that animals that are young or which have compromised immune systems are often the ones most susceptible to the disease. In small animals such as dogs, it is often puppies that will contract the disease even in extremely sanitary conditions. You need to be alert when dealing with animals who are young or which may have impaired immune systems. This can allow you to catch an outbreak before a large number of your animals become infected.
Once an animal has been infected by the parasites they begin to have thin, watery diarrhea. It will last a long time and may even persist after the animals have begun to receive medical treatment. In some cases, there may be blood in the stool. If a young animal gets too dehydrated they can die and this can happen over a much shorter amount of time than with healthy adult animals. It is important that if your animals begin to exhibit diarrhea that you test the stool to detect whether it is being caused by coccidiosis.
There are a couple of things that you need to know about treating the disease with medications. If you are tempted to try and control the problem using dewormers you need to know that they will be ineffective. With this particular parasite, you need a medication such as monensin or amprolium which will prevent the parasite from being able to reproduce. This allows the animal's immune system to catch up and fight the parasites before they completely overwhelm the animal.
If you are concerned about how to handle coccidiosis, you need to speak with your vet. They will be able to discuss how to prevent the spread of the disease. This can make it much easier for you to manage your animals and keep them in top physical condition. - 31322
About the Author:
Learn about coccidiosis treatment protocols by visiting the coccidiosistreatment.com website and review the treatment options forcoccidiosis in livestock including cattle, sheep and goats.
