I just wanted to take a minute to discuss Coccidia in puppies, dogs, and canines — firstly about how it happens, secondly what circumstances can cause a puppy to have a flare up, and thirdly and most importantly for my breeder friends — the very best treatment for Coccidia. All my information is from thorough research reading studies done by the NIH (National Institute of Health) and from personal experience. Let's dig in!
Getting Infected — Don't Blame the Breeder Yet
If you get a puppy and it's diagnosed with a Coccidia infection — you should NOT automatically assume that the breeder who sold you the puppy is a backyard breeder in deplorable conditions. Here's why: almost every single warm-blooded animal has Coccidia in their gut ALL THE TIME.
Dogs can ingest Coccidia from other dogs' feces, getting dirt in their mouths, or coming into contact with rodents like mice, hamsters, or gerbils. These intestinal parasites are allowed to get out of control and turn into an infection when the immune system is stressed — or when they come into contact with Coccidia from another dog's feces at a high enough level to be classified as an infection. Any breeder with even 5 dogs in their home can have one flare-up spread — because those spores live a very long time and can randomly infect another dog down the road just from being in the same area. Every vet in the US prescribes Albon, which doesn't stop reinfection — and most cleaning supplies don't kill the spores either. So give breeders a break. Most of us are obsessive about cleaning, and all it takes is one sick puppy or parent to mess everything up.
What Triggers a Flare-Up?
When a puppy is born and drinks its mother's milk, it gets a flood of antibodies in colostrum in the first 4 hours. At around six to seven weeks of age, the puppy's immune system starts working on its own as the mother's antibodies begin to drop off. This is why vets don't vaccinate before 6 weeks — the mother's antibodies would handle it without the puppy's immune system learning. So at six weeks old, little puppy has to start controlling Coccidia — and literally thousands of other things — entirely on its own for the first time.
Now add the stressors that happen at 6–8 weeks of age:
Stressor #1 — Weaning begins, usually starting at 6 weeks. Balancing food and milk without stressing the puppy is delicate. Stressor #2 — Separation from mom and siblings. Stressor #3 — A new home. Stressor #4 — New owner changes food immediately. Please, for the love of everything — do not change your puppy's food right after you get it. An immediate food change will cause serious GI problems in small breeds.
Add all of these together and you have a perfect storm for the immune system and GI tract. Don't go blaming the breeder unless you've personally seen the dogs living in filth. Call your breeder and let them know — it's possible the Coccidia was present before the puppy left, but more likely you're seeing a flare-up from stressors, not an intentionally sold sick puppy. The two puppies from my program that tested positive after arrival — none of my other dogs tested positive. Placing blame isn't helpful. There's simply no way to know.
Symptoms
• Diarrhea — sometimes bloody, or it can start without blood and progress to blood.
• Puppy acting weak and lethargic — may present as Hypoglycemia, especially in small breeds.
• Vomiting.
Treatment — Why Toltrazuril Beats Albon
Why every veterinarian prescribes Albon after a dog tests positive for Coccidia — I will never fully understand. My hunch is that the owners of Albon don't want Toltrazuril distributed directly through veterinarians in the US, making it cheaper for vets to prescribe Albon. Here's the critical difference: Toltrazuril actually kills Coccidia cysts. Albon does not — making it far less effective at stopping the growth cycle.
For breeders: treating your puppy with Toltrazuril even a week before it leaves can prevent a flare-up — especially if the new owner changes the food quickly. I won't include dosing instructions here — read the full study linked above, as it includes dosing. It is NOT a continuous dose like Albon. It's a single one-time dose that wipes out Coccidia for up to 30 days. You can buy it online from many equine vet websites without a prescription. It's a white bottle with a black horse on the label. Do your puppies and clients a favor — dose those babies with Toltrazuril before they leave.
GI issues are so hard to deal with and so hard to pin down without a fecal exam. Before you get your puppy, find a vet you like and do a fecal as soon as you bring your puppy home. Thanks for reading! 🐾
