Excited by microorganisms from genera Isospora And Eimeria, therefore the disease is often considered related or is called eimeriosis. Coccidiosis also occurs in other animals, as well as in humans, but in those cases the causative agent is other types of coccidia.

Oocysts invade the mucous membrane and submucosal layer of the intestine

Coccidia may not manifest itself for a long time, gradually multiplying in the intestines. An exacerbation, as a rule, begins during a period of weakened immunity, which is typical for immunodeficiency, in young or old age. Symptoms and treatment of coccidiosis in cats are largely determined by individual resistance.

Symptoms

The first symptoms appear a week after infection. The period may vary depending on the strength of the pet’s immunity. The younger the kitten, the earlier and more severe the clinical course of the disease begins. In adult cats, the disease tends to progress to chronic stage.

If alarming symptoms appear, take your cat to the vet immediately

Basically, the disease occurs against a background of weakened immunity and therefore may be accompanied by the development other pathologies, intestinal infections And helminthiasis. The main symptoms in the acute stage of coccidiosis are as follows:

• apathetic behavior;
• increase in temperature by several degrees;
• watery diffuse diarrhea several times a day;
• mucus and blood in feces;
• swelling of the liver and gall bladder;
• the appearance of yellowness on the mucous membranes;
• intestinal malabsorption and dehydration;
• the appearance of muscle cramps.

As the disease progresses to the chronic stage, there is a gradual general deterioration of the condition, soreness, poor coat quality, apathy and lack of appetite. With constant dysbiosis, intestinal functions are disrupted, which leads to necrotic changes. It is extremely important to begin treatment for coccidiosis in cats promptly.

Diagnosis and treatment

Coccidia in cats is detected by microscopic analysis of feces. To facilitate stool examination, various staining techniques can be used. The detected oocysts serve as proof that the cat actually has coccidiosis.

There are many antiprotozoal medications available for pets.

However, the acute stage of the disease usually occurs during the asexual period of pathogen reproduction, when oocysts have not yet formed. For this reason, veterinarians often resort to differential diagnostics, which allows you to distinguish coccidiosis from other intestinal infections typical of cats.

After confirming the diagnosis it is necessary to isolate the cat from other animals, and burn her feces. After this, it is necessary to thoroughly disinfect the home to avoid the spread of the disease. An isolated cat should eat well and drink plenty of water to replenish lost fluids.

The treatment itself is based on the use of antiprotozoal drugs, such as Sulfadimethoxine and Trimethoprim-Sulfadiazine. The cat's body is supported by administering isotonic glucose and various solutions that replenish the amount of fluid in the body.

Symptomatic therapy is also carried out: the cat is prescribed vitamin complexes, as well as anti-inflammatory drugs, to restore the functions of the intestinal mucosa. To prevent your pet from becoming a lifelong carrier of coccidia, you should take your cat to the veterinarian when the first alarming symptoms appear.

Pet owners often encounter cases of diarrhea in their pets. As a rule, there is nothing wrong with this; poor quality food or other forms of eating disorders are to blame. But sometimes coccidiosis in cats is to blame.

It is believed that at least a third of all animals in the world have coccidiosis, but in this third it is asymptomatic and does not show a clinical picture. But this continues as long as the cat’s immune system is normal. Any infection or severe stress can lead to the rapid development of acute coccidiosis. But even otherwise, the cat is a lifelong carrier of the infection, constantly releasing the primary form of the pathogen into the external environment, which contributes to the infection of healthy animals.

Very young, very old, sick and debilitated cats are most susceptible. For kittens, coccidiosis is contagious in almost 100% of cases, and it is for young animals that this disease poses a particular danger, since severe dehydration is fatal at this age. But the danger of pathology lies not only in this.

People are also known to get coccidiosis. So does a sick animal pose a danger to humans? In fact, the question is not easy. On the one hand, in humans the disease is caused by other types of coccidia, on the other, there are known cases of cats being affected by “human” microorganisms. Therefore, there is a certain probability of reverse transfer.

But even in this case, there is no need to worry too much: feline pathogens in the intestines of people feel “uncomfortable”, and therefore it will most likely not reach the clinical form of the disease. Which, however, does not negate the need to isolate a sick cat from the elderly and children, especially infants.

Incubation period, clinical picture

The incubation period is believed to be from 7 to 9 days, although some authors write about two weeks. It is possible that both points of view are correct, since the development time of cysts that enter the body directly depends on the physiological state of the animal, its age, gender, the presence/absence of chronic diseases of the digestive system, and the characteristics of the food used.

What are the symptoms of coccidiosis in cats? It all starts with diarrhea! At first, the stool becomes watery, but with a mild flow, that’s all it ends. If the disease reaches a severe stage, blood and thick mucus appear in the tray, and profuse, watery diarrhea is possible. Sick animals are depressed, exhaustion gradually develops, there is a deterioration in the condition of the coat and skin, which becomes less elastic, resembling parchment to the touch.

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In adult cats, the duration of the disease is one to three weeks, after which the pathology (usually) becomes chronic or latent. Most often, during the acute stage, the temperature rises significantly, the animal is depressed, apathetic, and the kittens can fall into a lethargic state. Neurological seizures and paralysis of the limbs (especially the hind limbs) are not excluded. Kittens, old and severely weakened cats suffer the disease most severely. If it comes to paralysis, then the prognosis is unfavorable, and death is very likely.

Also a very unfavorable sign is liver damage, which is easily identified by the following clinical signs:

• Yellowness of all visible mucous membranes.

• The skin also noticeably turns yellow, becomes dry and flabby to the touch.

• The feces turn pale and a cheesy mass may appear in them.

If such symptoms occur, the animal must be taken to the veterinarian immediately, otherwise the consequences of the disease can be fatal! The diagnosis is made based on the results of microscopic examination of stool.

Treatment and prevention

What is the treatment for coccidiosis in cats? Firstly, a sick animal (or animals) must be urgently isolated from healthy ones. The entire contents of the tray are burned. If this is not possible, then you need to pack it in sealed plastic bags. This is a good prevention of the spread of the disease.

Secondly, the symptoms of dehydration and exhaustion must be addressed urgently. Ideally, for this, buffer solutions are administered intravenously, as well as isotonic glucose. If you need to treat a kitten whose veins are already microscopic, you have to resort to subcutaneous administration of the same compounds, even if this method is not so effective.

Diseases caused by pathogenic protozoa are very common in nature. Fortunately, this is more true for countries with warmer and milder climates, but we also have our “microscopic villains.” These are the ones that cause isosporosis in cats.

The causative agents can be two types of protozoa – Isospora rivolta/I.felis. These are the smallest single-celled organisms that live in the intestines of cats, other domestic and wild animals, as well as humans (there are specific species for each species). In most cases, isosporosis develops in kittens younger than six months of age, as well as in old and weakened animals. Often this disease is secondary, developing against the background of some other pathological processes, leading to a significant decrease in the immunity of animals.

Adult cats are resistant to isosporosis, but most often we are not talking about full immunity, but about carriage. In this case, Isospora rivolta/I.felis become a kind of “conditionally pathogenic” intestinal microflora, which can manifest itself only in cases of severe immune disorders (including age-related ones associated with the aging of the body). Such carriers act as a kind of reservoir host, since isospore cysts enter the external environment with the animal’s feces, infecting still healthy cats.

Transmission routes

It must be emphasized that protozoa cannot overcome the placental barrier, and indeed, they live exclusively in the intestines. Therefore, even a cat whose intestines are full of pathogens gives birth to healthy kittens (of course, if the mother does not show clinical signs).

Attention! Infection occurs very quickly: the cat constantly licks itself, keeping its fur clean, and the cysts are spread over the entire surface of the body, including landing on the animal’s nipples. When kittens feed, infection occurs. In young animals the course of the disease is very severe. Often young animals (especially in animal shelters) die from severe dehydration, which in some cases develops within a couple of hours.

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Thus, sharing a room with other infected animals is the most common cause of this infection. But veterinarians warn that some varieties of isospores can be transmitted when cats eat infected mice and other “game.” But still, such cases are much less common than usual alimentary transmission. Let us emphasize once again that the disease is especially dangerous for kittens, since their immune system has not yet fully formed, and therefore cannot resist the causative agent of the disease.

Simply put, they live and multiply in epithelial cells, as a result of which the latter begin to die and collapse en masse. Since the mucous membrane in the gastrointestinal tract plays the role of not only a “sponge” that absorbs nutrients, but also a protective shell, the internal structures of the intestine quickly become inflamed. Of course, the actual digestive function of the organ is impaired.

Onset of the disease, symptoms

About 13 days pass from the moment of infection to the appearance of the first clinical signs. This is why kittens initially look completely healthy. Because of this, many breeders believe that the culprit of isosporosis is another animal or person who introduced the infection. Of course, this also happens, but if your pet’s kittens suddenly become ill with isosporosis, you should take their mother to the clinic and check the animal’s feces for the presence of cysts of the pathogen.

The symptoms of isosporosis in cats are very monotonous: the disease manifests itself with profuse diarrhea, and the stool looks watery and somewhat mucous. The mucus is understandable: it is the release of millions of dead intestinal epithelial cells. Bloody diarrhea and vomiting indicate the progression of the pathology. But you should not worry about diarrhea, but about severe diarrhea. Its consequences are extremely serious. In severe cases, it is fraught with severe neurological seizures.

Important! Note that small kittens with coccidiosis can rarely survive longer than two days, so it is better not to delay contacting a veterinary clinic. Weak and old cats can also die. In any case, constant diarrhea will definitely not improve the health of their body.

Diagnosis and treatment

In principle, upon seeing two-week-old kittens diarrhea, a presumptive diagnosis can be made with a high degree of certainty, but in any case, a stool test must be performed. Cysts are quite specific in appearance, so microscopic examination is usually sufficient to make a definitive diagnosis.

Development cycle. The life cycle of coccidia development is characterized by three periods:

1. Schizogony.
2. Gametogony.
3. Sporogony.

The essence of gametogony is that subsequent generations of schizonts form merozoites, which penetrate the host cell and turn into mononuclear trophozoites. Then macrogametocytes and microgametocytes are formed from mononuclear trophozoites. Macrohematocytes turn into macrogametes. In microgametocytes, the nucleus divides, resulting in the formation of small male cells - microgametes. After macrogametes and microgametes are formed, they fuse to form a copula or zygote. The zygote is surrounded by a membrane and turns into an oocyst. Oocysts, depending on the species, can have a wide variety of shapes and sizes. They all have a double-circuited membrane and granular cytoplasm. Such oocysts exit the cat’s body into the external environment and go through the sporogony stage. In the external environment, in the presence of heat, moisture and oxygen, four spores are formed in the oocyst and each of them contains two sporozoites. With the formation of spores and sporozoites in the oocyst, sporogony ends. Such oocysts become mature and, when they enter the cat’s body, infect it.

Epizootological data. Coccidiosis is a widespread infection in cats. Most often, kittens under the age of one year suffer from coccidiosis. In older cats, the disease is mild or asymptomatic. Such cats are a source of infestation in kittens.

Cats are infected with coccidiosis through food, water, and contaminated care items (bowls, toys, etc.) that are infested with coccidia oocysts.

Kittens often become infected through their mother's contaminated nipples, as well as her fur by licking her.

Severe disturbances in feeding and keeping cats can provoke the disease in cats:

• Abrupt change in feeding regimen;
• Stressful condition associated with weaning a kitten from its mother;
• Violation of zoohygienic conditions of detention;
• Infectious diseases;
• Presence of helminthic diseases ();

Oocysts are very stable in the external environment and are able to remain viable for up to a year or more, but at the same time, when they dry out, they quickly die, especially when exposed to sunlight and heat.

Insects (flies), rodents (rats, mice) and birds can be mechanical carriers of the disease.

Coccidiosis in cats is recorded at any time of the year.

Pathogenesis. Once in the cat's intestines, cocdia penetrate the epithelial cells of the mucous membrane, destroy them, and mechanical damage to the intestinal mucosa occurs. Pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria and viruses) penetrate into such damaged areas of the intestine, which aggravate the course of coccidiosis, often leading to the development of hemorrhagic inflammation of the intestine, and then the formation of foci of necrosis. As a result of all this, entire sections of the cat's intestines are switched off from the digestive process. In the small intestine, the main type of digestion, membrane digestion, is disrupted. There is a violation of hydrolysis and absorption of nutrients; as a result, the cat experiences chronic starvation of the body. Inflammatory processes on the mucous membrane and its necrosis increase the accumulation of exudate in the intestinal lumen, which complicates the absorption of fluid into the animal’s body. As a result of all these processes in the intestines, the cat develops diarrhea, which creates a negative water balance for the body, an increase in blood viscosity occurs, and the work of the heart becomes difficult, which ultimately leads to the death of the cat.

Clinical picture. The incubation period for coccidiosis is from 7-9 days, sometimes up to 2 weeks, depending on the general condition of the animal’s body and the resistance of its immune system.

The disease is sometimes divided into several forms based on the location of the coccidia. However, most researchers note that the disease occurs in cats mainly in a mixed form with primary damage to the intestines. Subsequently, the liver, heart, spleen, kidneys and other important organs are involved in the pathological process in the cat. At the onset of the disease, damage occurs to the small and large intestines. After the incubation period, kittens, and less often adult cats, develop lethargy, become inactive, and become suddenly depressed. The appetite of a sick animal is reduced or absent. A sick cat lies on its stomach most of the time. The abdomen on palpation is tense, swollen (), painful. Sometimes vomiting is observed (). The visible mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth are pale, sometimes icteric. The cat develops diarrhea (), the stools are liquid with a lot of mucus, sometimes bloody. In acute cases, body temperature rises to 40 degrees or more. When a cat develops a comatose state, the temperature drops below normal.

In the chronic course of coccidiosis, the cat periodically vomits, diarrhea may alternate with constipation (). Weakness, apathy appear, the coat loses its shine and becomes dull. Progressive exhaustion begins to appear (). Dysbacteriosis develops. Against the background of weakened immunity, other diseases develop, including the defeat of the cat by helminthic infestation.

Kittens infected with coccidiosis are stunted and lose weight. The hair and coat of sick animals becomes dull, brittle and disheveled. Some cats have polyuria (frequent urination). Sometimes the secretion of saliva increases. Saliva becomes thick and viscous. Catarrhal inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose and conjunctiva may develop. In the corners of the dog's eyes and nasal openings, purulent exudate accumulates, which then dries out, forming crusts.

With liver damage, cats become weaker, complain of pain on palpation in the right hypochondrium, meow, and sometimes become aggressive. The kittens are losing a lot of weight and signs of rickets appear. The yellowness of the mucous membranes increases (). When the nervous system is involved in the pathological process, the cat may have various types of convulsions, less often paresis and paralysis of the limbs and some sphincters.

Pathological changes. The corpse of a fallen cat is exhausted. Visible mucous membranes are anemic and icteric. The mucous membrane of the small and sometimes large intestine is thickened and catarrhally inflamed. In severe acute coccidiosis, hemorrhagic and even diphtheritic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa occurs. The affected liver and spleen are significantly enlarged and degenerated. The bile ducts are dilated, the walls of the bile ducts are thickened. On the surface of the liver or in the parenchyma, whitish nodules the size of a millet grain or a pea can be seen. These nodules are filled with cheesy contents and contain many oocysts.

In the chronic course of coccidiosis, the mucous membrane of the small, less often large, intestine is slightly thickened, gray in color and dotted with whitish, dense nodules filled with coccidia.

Diagnosis. Veterinary specialists make a comprehensive diagnosis of coccidiosis, taking into account epizootic, clinical and pathological data, as well as microscopic examination of fecal matter using the Darling method.

Differential diagnosis. Coccidiosis must be differentiated from isospores, sarcocystosis, poisoning (,), as well as infectious diseases such as parvovirus enteritis, leptospirosis (), etc. To exclude infectious diseases, pathological material is sent to a veterinary laboratory. Poisoning is excluded by detailed collection of anamnestic data.

Treatment. Treatment of coccidiosis should be comprehensive. Treatment begins with prescribing a diet for the sick cat. The feeding diet must include easily digestible and low-irritating food for the digestive tract: meat and fish broths, decoctions of medicinal herbs, especially flax and rice seeds, fermented milk products - kefir, yogurt, acidophilus, bifidoc, bifiline, etc., raw chicken eggs, preferably purchased from owners of private household plots and peasant farms, liquid rice or oatmeal porridge with water and beef broth.

In treatment regimens, veterinary specialists include various coccidiostats - chemical coccide for 3 days. It is given with food at the rate of 0.024 g per 1 kg of cat’s body weight. In addition to it, the following are successfully used: Baycox 5%, coccidin, coccidiovitis, amprolium, farmcoccid, toltrazuril, etc. The dose and course of treatment for coccidiosis should be prescribed by a veterinarian at the clinic.

In the absence of coccidiostats, they can be replaced with sulfonamide drugs: sulfadimezine or norsulfazole. These drugs are dissolved in water and fed with it for 5-7 days or mixed with food at the rate of 0.01 - 0.05 g/kg. Sulfadimethoxine is prescribed to a sick cat at a dose of 0.1-0.2 g/kg with food, and in the next four days at a dose of 0.05-0.1 g/kg; trimethoprim-sulfadiazine. An even better effect is achieved with the simultaneous use of sulfonamides and antibiotics. Antibiotics are used in therapeutic doses.

For coccidiosis, a good therapeutic effect is achieved by the use of nitrofuran drugs (furadonin and furozolidone).

Symptomatic treatment should include vitamins, dehydration therapy is carried out - the use of saline solution, rheosorbilact, glucose; treatment of enteritis and damaged epithelium - traumeel, verakop; hepatoprotectors (katozol), treatment of dysbacteriosis – lactobacterin, vetom; antiallergic and hemostatic drugs.

Prevention. Prevention of coccidiosis should be based on strict compliance by cat owners with zoohygienic rules of keeping. Cats are kept clean, in dry, well-ventilated areas. While walking, avoid contact with stray cats. Based on the fact that coccidiosis spreads when it enters the external environment with feces, feces are collected and burned. Completely eliminate the possibility of contamination of food and water with coccidiosis oocysts. Considering that most household disinfectants are not very effective against coccidia, a 10% ammonia solution is used. Dishes and care items must be washed and disinfected regularly and thoroughly.

Treat regularly for helminthic diseases.

In order to maintain cats' immunity at the proper level, owners must provide adequate feeding; the feeding diet must be balanced in nutrients and vitamins.

Cats are one of the best hunters in nature. They live all over the world, and some have adapted to extremely harsh weather conditions in places like Norway and Siberia. This, however, does not mean that they are indomitable. Felines can contract a variety of diseases. Many of them are similar to those that occur in humans.

There are different types of coccidia. Isospora Rivolta and – the most common.

How often does it occur?

Can a person become infected with coccidiosis?

Yes and no. The most common types of coccidia cannot be transmitted to humans. But some rarer types, e.g. Cryptosporidium, easily enter the intestines.

Coccidia is usually very common in overcrowded shelters and stray animals due to lack of hygiene and healthcare.

Causes of the disease

As a microorganism, coccidia can be acquired by a cat after it has been in contact with an infected individual. This usually occurs when a kitten comes into contact with the excrement of a stray wild animal, or if it shares a litter box with an infected domestic cat.

It is also possible to get coccidiosis if a cat eats an infected animal - a rodent or bird.

Finally, coccidiosis can be passed on to a newborn kitten from its mother.

It is possible to see symptoms only after the infection affects the kitten. What happens when infected?

• Diarrhea.
• Mucus in the stool.
• Dehydration.
• Vomit.
• Abdominal distress.
• Death.

As mentioned above, an animal can be infected even without showing the telltale symptoms of infection. If you suspect something is wrong, monitor how the animal behaves.

If any of the above signs are present, you should contact your veterinarian. Describe the problem as clearly as possible and take your cat to the doctor as soon as possible. If you adopted a kitten from a shelter and it has never been tested before, it may be infected with coccidiosis, even if it has not been exposed to animals near your home.

Treatment methods

Coccidiosis can be cured if the infection is detected early. The veterinarian will create a treatment plan to remove coccidia from the kitten's body. It is necessary to strictly follow the plan to prevent further spread of the infection.

Drinking plenty of fluids is essential for recovery. The infection will most likely lead to dehydration from diarrhea, the most dangerous part of the disease. In this case, the doctor often puts in an IV. Changing the diet is also possible if the veterinarian deems it necessary.

While implementing your treatment plan, you must also monitor your own health. It is better to use disposable gloves when cleaning the tray. You should be careful with everything you touch or inhale, regardless of the type of coccidia your cat has. If you adopted a kitten from a breeder or another owner, you should immediately notify the previous owner. There is a possibility of the infection spreading in the same place.

Prevention

Cleanliness is the main rule for preventing infection. You should clean the litter box as often as possible, at least in the morning and evening. Disinfect the tray and everything around it. If possible, do not let your pets leave the house, so they will not become infected by rodents and birds. Feed your cats a high-quality food to keep their health and immune system healthy.

Wash water and food bowls every day. Minimize incoming stress. If one cat in your home shows symptoms of illness, treatment should be started for all cats.