COCCIDIOSIS in PERI-WEANING - Royal Canin Canada

COCCIDIOSIS
CLINICAL SIGNS
Asymptomatic infection in adults.
Short-lasting hyporexia (1-2 days) towards the age of 4-5 weeks.
Solid and moulded faeces covered with mucus and occasionally frank red blood.
Delayed growth (reversible) affecting unevenly one or several puppies from the litter.
DEFINITION
Digestive protozoan infection of puppies, with clinical expression in the whelping area or nursery around the
weaning period. Eighty percent (80%) of collective coprological examinations carried out during breeding on
weaning puppies present mucoid diarrhoea calling to mind the presence of Coccidia.
CAUSES
Coccidiosis is attributable to the development of a dog-specific coccidium in dogs (Isospora canis or Isospora
ohioensis). There is no inter-species contamination (e.g. from poultry, rabbits or cats).
PREDISPOSING FACTORS
Breed predisposition: Golden and Labrador Retriever puppies seem to suffer from more severe symptoms
than other puppies of the same size.
Affected small breed puppies may even die from hypoglycaemia due to a short period (6 hours) of anorexia
Decreased milk supply.
DIAGNOSIS
Highly suggestive clinical diagnosis ("sticky and rubbery" faeces during peri-weaning, general condition
rarely affected).
Collective parasitological coproscopy on mixed faeces (coming from all the puppies from a litter, living the
same box or yard) collected during the excretion peak (5 to 7 weeks).
Detection of oocysts typical of coccidians from the Isospora genus (oocyst size allows distinguishing the
Isospora ohioensis and Isospora canis species).
Paradoxically, the coprological examination may result negative during a symptomatic period and become
positive during convalescence.
Histological diagnosis is possible in case a puppy dies, provided samples (distal small intestine, ileocolic
valve, and proximal colon) are fixed in 10% formaldehyde less than 6 hours after death. Hepatomegaly
associated with fat liver discolouration may be observed, too, as a consequence of hypoglycaemia (mainly in
the small breed puppies)
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
In kennels, clinical signs are sufficiently suggestive not to be mixed up with other pathogens responsible for
haemorrhagic diarrhoea. After the sale, diagnosis may become more difficult on an isolated puppy since the
most mucoid faeces are not usually those that contain the largest amount of oocysts.
Haemorrhagic rectocolitis due to stress (rare at this age).
Parvovirosis (panleukopaenia, lack of vitality and energy, test for CPV in faeces).
Cryptosporidiosis.
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TREATMENT
The efficacy of clazuril, toltrazuril or diclazuril (2.5 mg/kg/puppy as one oral dose) towards the age of
4 weeks, to be renewed fifteen days later, when necessary..
Following sale by the breeder, sulphonamides are sufficient.
Intestinal demulcent (e.g. smectite).
Yeasts.
Lactic ferments (yoghurt).
OAA (oligosaccharide anti-adhesins)
PROGNOSIS
Benign prognosis, usually, although treatments only limit clinical expression without eradicating the parasite
from the breeding facilities.
The number of oocysts has no correlation with the severity of clinical signs.
In the absence of treatment, the puppy spontaneously eliminates parasites and lasting immunity (through
local IgA) develops (self-limiting illness).
The prognosis is poorer when the disease is complicated by intercurrent infections (cryptosporidiosis,
coronavirosis, parvovirosis, candidiasis).
After-effects of chronic malabsorption may be observed when the lamina propria is affected (haemorrhagic
enteritis caused by Isospora canis, which seems to be more invasive that Isospora ohioensis). In addition,
infestation by Isospora canis, which affects both the ileum and colon, should be differentiated from
infestation by Isospora ohioensis, which only affects the posterior part of the small intestine.
PREVENTION
Diclazuril (same dosage) one week before the average date of onset of symptoms (usually towards 4 and 6
weeks of age).
Control of vectors (rodents, coprophagic insects).
Use of cleaning tools and boots exclusively reserved for the whelping area.
Daily cleaning of the whelping area and removal of faeces to limit the transformation of oocysts into
infective sporulated oocysts.
Raising food bowls to prevent contamination by faecal matter.
Avoid keeping puppies on straw litter boxes placed on top of the other.
Natural lighting in the whelping area (oocysts are sensitive to UV light).
Since oocysts are sensitive to heat and desiccation, using these physical means (e.g. boiling water, heated
steam device, blowtorch on resistant materials) is recommended in the whelping area when it is left empty
for disinfection purpose.
Floor heating of the whelping area.
Use of pure ammonia, which is active on oocysts, when animals are absent.
Do not use bleach, which seems to enhance the formation of spores in oocysts.
Silicon-coating of interstices and tile joints.
Late weaning (or addition of humanized milk or lactoserum to the weaning diet).
Control of new parasites by parasitological coproscopy during the critical period.
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suffering from coccidiosis (© Dr Philippe Pierson).
microscopic view from the same stool sample (© Dr Philippe Pierson)
Stools from a 2 month old Rottweiler puppy
sporulated Isospora spp oocyst,
Heterogeneous size of puppies from the same litter suffering from coccidiosis (© Dr Philippe Pierson)
Appearance of their stools (sticky
consistency) (© Dr Philippe Pierson)
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