How to get rid of Coccidia?

[Nancy (Spuddie' s Mum)]

One of my dogs got Coccidia last month and he was treated as well as my other dogs too. I used bleach water every time he pooped outside. I never leave anything in my yard, I always pick up after them right away. I stopped walking them around the block if the grass was wet or covered in dew. I dry their feet when they come in from outside just in case. I find here in TN that the grass is always sloppy and wet every single morning from the heavy dew.

So, here I am over a month later and one of my seniors seemed to have a bit of an upset tummy and the runs. I decided to take no chances and took her straight into the vet, and sure enough they were seeing the first signs of Coccidia in her stool. How the heck to I get rid of this once and for all?? It's very frustrating and expensive to say the least, not to mention I feel so bad for my dogs when they don't feel good.

Any suggestions?

[davet]

i am going to wait for traci on this but i suspect you might have to get enough medication for several treatments...you should be able to get this without more office visits...but that was my ractice...things are different now.

[Traci]

Agree, sometimes it can take up to 4 courses of treament. If you're currently using Albon, ask your vet about Panacur instead. A recheck fecal should be done 1-2 weeks after each course of treatment to determine if the condition is resolved.

Also, keep stress reduced as much as possible.

[Nancy (Spuddie' s Mum)]

Yup, they are on Albon. And as for stress, LOL, well, I wish I had such a "stressfull" life. Heck I'm sure laying on the couch all day and barking at the birds must be awful for them. LOL Naa, they have no stress just seems to be this climate I think - at least that's what my vet tells me. We are going back in two weeks for another fecal too so we can make sure it's gone.

Now, the vet tells me that this is not something that hides in the system (like Giardia for example), that once it's gone, it's gone (unless reinfected). I ask because others have said that it's always in a dogs system but it did not sound that way to me when I spoke with the vet. Otherwise, I just really want to know how to prevent any reinfection beside what I am doing now.

[davet]

in that you don;t know the original source i suspect you will have no way to guarantee reinfestation.But i wouldn't worry, chances are, once it is gone your chances of reinfestation are allmost nill...you can be overly protectve in trying to prevent it and sure enough you will bring something home on your feet...enjoy, don;t worry