Coccidia

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This page quotes a published document. Everything below in quotation marks is copied word for word from https://capcvet.org/guidelines/coccidia/, published by CAPC and retrieved on 2026-09-16. The quotations are excerpts; the document itself is linked and is the authority. Nothing has been reworded.

This page quotes the Companion Animal Parasite Council guideline for Coccidia, section by section: the opening sentences of 7 sections, copied without change and linked to the guideline, which was retrieved on 2026-09-16. The guideline itself is the authority and carries the full text.

The guideline

Companion Animal Parasite Council, Coccidia, at https://capcvet.org/guidelines/coccidia/. Retrieved 2026-09-16. Each heading below is the guideline’s own, and the quotation under it is how that section begins. The full section, and the species tabs where the guideline gives them, are on the linked page.

Species

Canine Cystoisospora canis Cystoisospora ohioensis Cystoisospora neorivolta Cystoisospora burrows Canine Cystoisospora spp . are sometimes referred to as Isospora .

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Disease

Coccidiosis causes diarrhea with weight loss, dehydration, and (rarely) hemorrhage Severely affected animals may present with anorexia, vomiting, and depression. Death is a potential outcome.

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Prevalence

Coccidial infections are common in dogs. Published surveys indicate that coccidia are present in from 3% to 38% of dogs in North America.

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Diagnosis

Diagnosis of canine and feline coccidiosis is based on signalment, history, and clinical signs, and the structure of oocysts present in feces. See diagnosis images below.

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Treatment

Sulfadimethoxine is the only drug that is label approved for treatment of enteritis associated with coccidiosis. Numerous additional drugs and drug combinations have been used with some success.

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Control and Prevention

In addition to treatment, appropriate sanitation is helpful in preventing spread of coccidiosis in kennels and catteries. Oocysts sporulate quickly once in the environment; daily removal of feces can aid in the prevention of coccidiosis.

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Public Health Considerations

Because humans are not susceptible to Cystoisospora infections in dogs, canine coccidia are not considered zoonotic agents.

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Sources

  • capc-coccidiaCAPC · retrieved 2026-09-16
    Coccidiosis causes diarrhea with weight loss, dehydration, and (rarely) hemorrhage Severely affected animals may present with anorexia, vomiting, and depression. Death is a potential outcome. (Disease)

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