coccidia and a new baby

[itspolo]

I had my pup tested a few months ago before the arrival of our baby and was told that he was free of parasites...needless to say with the arrival of our son we just wanted to make sure. to our shock yesterday we recieved a call from the vet asking why we have not picked up his medication for cocccidia???

I was quite upset that there was a mixup and in fact our puppy was infected. I have done some poking around and found it is quite rare to have it transfered to humans, but i think i should take precautions with a almost 2 week old newborn in the house. my poor pup is going to have to stay outside :(

has anyone had a similar situation? and how long does it take for the treatment take in order to make my pup parasite free?

 

[sgbtab]

just make sure you wash your hands anytime you touch your dog. I would be very angry with the vets office and I would let them know that. maybe even change vets. the medicine should help with you puppy but that is no excuse.you have a infant in the house. I do not think your puppy needs to be out side. as boxers do not do well away from the family or in heat or cold. like I said just wash your hands all the time. and of course just keep the baby away from the puppy till the cocccidia is gone. your puppy must have direrrea from this illness. maybe you can close off a part in your house till this is under control.

 

[itspolo]

angry i am, this vet has treated my girlfriends pups for many many years, very unlike him. he does not have diareah, occasionally it would seem like he did. what i did notice was no substantial weight gain, he is going to turn a year in july. I thought it was just because he is growing, but now i have my doubts.
I was also supplementing his diet with yogurt, and i read that introducing this good bacteria, keeps the coccidia under contol, so unknowingly i guess i was controlling it.

How long does the treatment take?

 

[sgbtab]

you would need to ask the vet how long he needs to be on the antiboctic. but I believe it is flagyl and as soon as he starts the meds he should be on the road to recovery. it is just that you did not know about this illness I am sure you let him near the baby. and babys imune system is not up to full speed yet. so I would just keep the baby away for now but I also think that once the antiboctic is in his system for 24 hours he will be fine. just like humans when we are sick once we get the antiboctic in the system we are ok to be around other people. good luck and one more thing since the baby is so young you might want to talk to the babys doctor and see what he says.

 

[Elyse]

Just want to send so well wishes and say good luck on the delivery. Boxers and babies make an amazing combo.

All the best.

 

[1FlashyFan]

There really is no medication that will eliminate the coccidia. Usually they prescribe Albon which keeps the coccidia from multiplying thus allowing the immune system to rid itself of the parasite. The mature immune system of most older dogs enables them to eliminate the parasite themselves without any medical intervention, however, younger dogs and especially puppies usually need help getting rid of the coccidia. Because the immune system must kick in and do it's thing, it could take a few weeks to get rid of it completely which is why the prudent thing with the Albon is to use it for 21 days. The type of coccidia that effects dogs is NOT zoonotic, which means it is NOT contagious to humans. The dog can reinfect itself or other dogs through contact with stool.

While there are species of coccidia that can infect people (Toxoplasma and Cryptosporidium, for example), the Isospora species of dogs and cats are not infective to people. (From Marvista website)

Here is a good explanation:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/coccidia.html

I know how upset you must be, your primary responsibility is to absolutely protect that precious new baby. Your baby's safety and health must always come first. However, your puppy may not need to stay outside to keep your baby safe.

 

[1FlashyFan]

Yucca shigedera is another way to go about dealing with the coccidia.

Yucca shigedera - powdered yucca root is a natural cleansing agent, containing saponins (soap precursors). It is very effective in treating coccidia. Add ½ tsp. to meals, gradually increasing to up to 1 TBSP per day for 1-2 weeks. Be careful, as it is a soap-like substance and can cause stomach cramps.

Hope things are going well.

 

[myroxygirl]

Our pup had coccidia and she was treated with Albon and ut took about 10 days. One important thing is PICK UP THE POOP! If the infected poop sits in the grass or wherever she goes, the coccidia will infect that area if it is left there.

Don't worry so much about it affecting humans as I would worry about it affecting the dog again or other animals.

I wouldn't leave the pup outside. If she is potty trained and has no accidents in the house everything sould be fine.

To be on the safe side just keep baby & pup away from each other until treatment is done.

Good luck and congrats on your new baby!