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 in 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 characteristic 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.

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.

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.

Read also: Hair mite in cats: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment

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 need to 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.

Protozoonoses are diseases caused by protozoa, single-celled organisms that can only be detected under a microscope. Infection with protozoa usually occurs after ingestion of cysts, which, upon entering the intestine, under favorable conditions, transform there into mature forms that cause disease.

3.1. Toxoplasmosis

Deliver exact diagnosis Testing for toxoplasmosis is only possible through laboratory testing of stool.
Symptoms: redness of the cat's eyes, emaciation, abortion, causeless diarrhea. In the acute form of the disease, kittens experience fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of appetite, drowsiness, swollen lymph nodes, diarrhea, jaundice and central nervous system disorder. If your cat has these symptoms, you should immediately consult a veterinarian.
Treatment A cat suffering from toxoplasmosis can only be treated by a veterinarian. Therapy using chemical coccide, sulfonamides, and immunofan in combination with gamavit and clindamycin is effective (orally for 2 weeks at a total daily dose of 25-50 mg per 1 kg of body weight).

3.2. Coccidiosis

3.3. Leishmaniasis

Symptoms: in the acute form, fever, anemia quickly develops, appetite disappears, weakness increases, the mucous membranes of the eyes, eyelids, and nose become inflamed and then ulcerated, skin lesions, and renal failure are observed. In the chronic form, dryness and skin lesions are more common.
Treatment: meglumine antimoniate (glucantim), allopurinol, fungizone, pentamidine, antimony preparations, gamavit.

3.4. Blastocystosis