Pet Forum / Miscellaneous / Animal Health / October 2004

> What is Coccidia?
> Coccidia are small, one-celled organisms that are common to the intestinal
> tract of mammals. When these protozoa multiply out of control, they can
> cause disease symptoms, called coccidiosis. This disease is usually only
> seen in young or immunocompromised animals, as healthy adults appear to
> develop a tolerance to coccidia infection as they mature. Animals under
> stress are also at risk for coccidiosis. Although adults may not show
> symptoms of coccidal infection, they can still shed the organism in their
> feces and infect other cats.
> What are the Symptoms?
> The most commonly reported symptom of coccidiosis is mild to severe
> diarrhea. The feces may contain blood and/or mucus. Dehydration may occur
> due to vomiting and diarrhea. The disease is rarely, but occasionally,
> fatal.
> Diagnosis?
> Coccidiosis is diagnosed by examining a fresh fecal sample under a
> microscope.
>
> How is it Transmitted?
> Coccidia is primarily transmitted through exposure to feces. Kittens can be
> infected by their mothers within the first few weeks of life. Treating
> coccidia is only effective if the environment is completely cleaned of any
> contaminating fecal material. Most disinfectants do not work against
> coccidia, so mechanical removal of the feces with detergents (followed by
> rinsing) and discarding non-scrubbable items (such as bedding) is
> important. Coccidia can be transmitted through infected meat and is not
> destroyed by freezing.
>
> Traditional Treatment
> Traditional treatment for coccidia in mammals requires sulfa family
> antibiotics like Albon (25 mg per pound on the first day, 12.5 mg per pound
> daily for 2-3 weeks) or Tribrissen (also given for extended periods of
> time). Even then, continued shedding is common, as these drugs "knock down"
> coccidia but do not kill it.
> New Treatment with Baycox
> However, an alternative drug is available. The bad news is that this drug
> is not available in the United States yet, although it *is* available in
> Canada, Australia (as a piglet suspension), Europe, and some countries in
> Latin America by prescription.
> A study was done in puppies, administering a single dose of this new drug
> called toltrazuril (Baycox 5% suspension) at a dose of 10mg/kg to puppies
> 2-4 weeks old. It cleared coccidia completely from the puppies with a
> single treatment. This drug actually kills coccidia instead of just
> stopping its spread.
> Safety and efficacy data has not been published for cats yet, so this would
> be an off-label use of the drug, but it has been used in cats in Germany
> for toxoplasmosis and is commonly used for coccidia in kittens in the UK
> without any adverse effects being reported.
> This drug is used safely and successfully in birds, fish, horses, rabbits,
> and other mammals, including humans with AIDS. This could develop into an
> important tool for controlling coccidia outbreaks in catteries.
> Dosage
> Baycox is dosed at 10mg/kg, this means 4.5 mg per pound of cat.
> If the 5% suspension is used (50mg/ml),
>
> a 2 pound kitten would need to receive 0.2 ml;
>
> a 9# adult would need 0.8 ml, and
>
> a 13# adult would need 1.2 ml of suspension.
> Check the concentration carefully, a 2.5% suspension is also available,
> which would need to be dosed at twice the volumes given above.
>
> If you have a vet interested in being on the leading edge of this, your US
> vet CAN import this drug by submitting a request to Bayer Canada and the US
> FDA (if your vet is willing to go through the paperwork involved). More
> information on this importation process can be found at: