My Chanel had coccidia and it IS passed from the mom to the pups thru cells shed during birth and unclean conditions - also from contact with feces that's infected.
Your baby had it already from her breeder but stress probably did bring it out - she didn't get it from the airlines or anything but that really is sad....the good thing is it's pretty easy to treat ...I don't blame you for being upset -
A puppy is not born with the coccidia organisms in its intestine. However, once born, the puppy or kitten is frequently exposed to its mother's feces and if the mother is shedding the infective cysts in her feces then the young animals will likely ingest them and coccidia will develop within their intestines. Since young puppies, usually those less than six months of age, have no immunity to coccidia, the organisms reproduce in great numbers and parasitize the young animal's intestines. Oftentimes this has severe effects.
From exposure to the coccidia in feces to the onset of the illness is about 13 days. Most puppies who are ill from coccidia are, therefore, two weeks of age and older. Although most infections are the result of spread from the mother, this is not always the case. Any infected puppy is contagious to other puppies and kittens. In breeding facilities, shelters, animal hospitals, etc., it is wise to isolate those infected from those that are not. |