Giardia Coccidia In Kittens

Giardiasis and coccidiosis are parasitic infections of the intestinal tract which are fairly common in kittens particularly during the weaning stage.

Giardia coccidia in kittens. Giardiasis in cats giardiasis is a medical condition that refers to an intestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite giardia and this parasite can also infect animals including cats. Coccidia is a nasty little single celled organism that causes mucousy diarrhea in kittens and can be treated with the prescription drug ponazuril. Vomiting may occur in some cases. Giardia wouldn t necessarily threaten the life of a healthy adult cat but in kittens and immunocompromised adult cats it can be devastating.

If your kitten or cat experiences frequent bouts of diarrhea coccidia may be the culprit. One s fecal showed nothing the other s the vet thought she may have seen both giardia and coccidia and felt that with their symptoms it s best to treat them for both. With appropriate and prompt treatment the prognosis is good. What are giardiasis and coccidiosis.

Atlanta ga two of our stray kittens have been diagnosed with giardia and coccidia. Infestation with the various parasites called coccidia is extremely common in cats even more so in kittens. It most commonly causes watery mucus based diarrhea in animals. If it is not treated over time it can cause damage to the lining of a cat s intestinal tract.

Giardia infection in cats may lead to weight loss chronic intermittent diarrhea and fatty stool. Kittens are often susceptible to illnesses that healthy adult cats can fight off because their immune systems have not yet fully developed. Kittens become weakened by the diarrhea caused by giardia making them susceptible to more serious diseases. Giardia is the most common intestinal parasite found in humans.

Giardia is another protozoan infection resulting in soft frothy greasy diarrhea which can be treated with panacur. Rarely does giardia itself cause diarrhea or gi signs so severe that it requires more treatment. Giardia cysts are excreted shed in the feces of an infected cat then picked up when ingested by other cats sharing litter boxes. This infestation can lead to coccidiosis a disease affecting the gastrointestinal system.

My problem is how rapidly they ve deteriorated. Coccidia however can cause severe dehydration in puppies and kittens due to the tremendous water loss and sloughing of intestinal cells. We typically prescribe a sulfa type antibiotic for coccidian isosporan infections in puppies and kittens. The stool may range from soft to watery often has a greenish tinge to it and occasionally contains blood.

Infected cats tend to have excess mucus in the feces.