Does coccidiosis affect dogs as well as chickens!!

[raskusbo]

I have heard that this can spread to dogs as well. We have a suspected case with my chicken and am going to treat it and clean out the pen etc... but my dogs love to eat the chicken poo - however quick i manage to clear it away the still manage to get hold of it.

If it is congatious to dogs - does anyone know if it is serious???

 

[TwoChicks]

I don't know for sure if it's contagious from chicken to dogs, but I feel pretty certain that it is. Dogs get coccidiosis the same way chickens do. I would contact your vet and get some antibiotics going for him.

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

Yes. Signs are watery and/or bloody stool in dogs. (Cats get it also.) It usually affects puppies worse and sometimes adult dogs can keep it under control unless they have a weak ammune system. It is very hard to get rid of as it can live a long time outside of the animals body(the area needs to be well disinfected). Peaople also can get it(it is a zoonosis, which is something that is transmitted to different species).

ETA: If you see these signs then a fecal can be submitted to your vet(fresh sample!! very important!). If + for coccidia they would be put on a 10 day treatment to get rid of it.

 

[raskusbo]

I will monitor him and ring the vet for some antibiotics. He seems fine with normal stools at the moment.

I am going to dig out the run tomorrow but most of it is mud so will shovel it out. Do i need to put anything on the dirt to treat it or will digging it out suffice.

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

I have not dealt with this one yet with chickens..(cats yes. and 4+ years working for vets! bleach is a favorite!) I would probably use a spray bottle with a bleach solution(I think clorox is safest?) and spray everything down(including the ground) just in case! Let it dry and air out berore letting the chickens back in.
Good luck!

 

[key west chick]

I believe cocci is species specific. Dogs get dog cocci, chickens get chicken cocci.

 

[PunkinPeep]

That's correct. The strains that affect dogs are different than the strains than affect chickens. I read that from some reputable source. I'll find it for you if you'd like.

 

[Bullwinkle]

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Hi Raskusbo:

The protozoa that is involved is very wide spread and can lay dormant for a very long time in the soil. It is likely that your do already has resistance to it. I would just watch his stools to see if there is any change. Also, antibiotics do nothing for coccidisiosis. Antibiotics work on bacteria. The medicine used fo cocci is not an antibiotic. Most chickens develop resistance to cocci and carry it for their lives. It doesn't cause a problem unless the chicken has no resistance to it ( like a young chick) or has a severely compromised immune system.

I am 99% sure though that your dog will be fine... don't panic! Do get some medicine for your sick chicken though....

 

[babyblue]

if it is in the ground for the chickens it could be in the ground and affect the dog. you could take a stool sample to the vet if you are worried. but unless he is a little puppy or a sick older dog he most likely has already been exposed and is just fine.

 

[mypicklebird]

yes- these are species specific. the dog might get diarrhea from eating large amounts of chicken poop with or without chicken coccidia in it, but the diarrhea is not from the coccidia....

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