Can someone kind of imform me about this? I would really appreciate it, for instance "how do u know if your beardie has it?"
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coccidia?
kevinBD1
Jul 04, 2004 08:17 PM
Replies (1)
beardiedragon
Jul 06, 2004 08:13 PM
Coccidia is thought to be a natural parasite (in minimal amounts) in a bearded dragon and that the dragons own gut fauna controls it and keeps a balance; until a dragon gets stressed or some other illness allows that to bloom and get out of control.
Coccidia are single celled organisms that infect the intestine. They are microscopic parasites detectable on routine fecal tests in the same way that worms are but Coccidia are not worms and they are not visible to the naked eye. Coccidia infection causes a watery diarrhea which is sometimes bloody and can even be a life-threatening problem to an especially young or small pet.
A routine fecal test is a good idea for any animal whether there are signs of diarrhea or not as youngsters are commonly parasitized. This sort of test is also a good idea for any patient with smelly diarrhea. It should be noted that small numbers of coccidia can be hard to detect so just because a fecal sample tests negative, this does not mean that the pet is not infected. Sometimes several fecal tests are performed, especially in a young pet with a refractory diarrhea; parasites may not be evident until later in the course of the condition.
We do not have any medicine that will kill Coccidia; only the patient’s immune system can do that. But we can give medicines called “coccidiostats” which can inhibit coccidial reproduction. Once the numbers stop expanding, it is easier for the patient’s immune system to “catch up” and wipe the infection out. This also means, though, that the time it takes to clear the infection depends on how many Coccidia organisms there are to start with and how strong the patient’s immune system is. A typical treatment course lasts about a week or two but it is important to realize that the medication should be given until the diarrhea resolves plus an extra couple of days. Medication should be given for at least five days total. Sometimes courses as long as a month are needed.
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Bennett
Home of the Florida Orange
www.beardiedragon.com
