Nikko has Coccidia TOO
 

Speedy backstory: Just got Nikko (12 weeks old, 2.5lbs, 3/4 yorkie 1/3 poodle) a week ago, quickly discovered he had giardia from the vet we took him to that was close to where we picked him up, and started treating him for it. Took him back to what will be "our" vet from now on earlier today, got another stool sample, and our vet is 90% sure the giardia is all gone or dead. However, she also noticed that he has coccidia - which was why he was still going downhill and feeling worse, despite the giardia meds. He had barely been eating or drinking, he was sleeping a ton, tossing and whining in his sleep, and was even starting to gag and spit up. Oh yeah, and his nose started to drip a couple days ago and he started sneezing too.

Here's what the vet prescribed for our coccidia-filled run-down little boy. I would love some opinions from some of you out there on this combo - it sounds good to me, but I am VERY inexperienced, and the more info I can get, the better I'll be able to watch him over the next few days, and the more intelligently I'll be able to talk with the vet when I take him back on Friday.

1. Albon Suspension for the Coccidia
2. Clavamox (antibiotic) Drops for the runny nose/sneezing
3. 2 1/2 cc EnerCal 3x a day if he's not eating, or 1cc once a day for maintenence/appetite stimulant if he is eating decently.
4. Since he won't eat/can't stomach his kibble, gave me "Hill's Prescription Diet a/d" to feed him as normal food instead until he starts feeling better.
5. She also gave him some subcutaneous fluid while he was there, just to help kick-start him into rehydration.

Also, he still needs one more Parvo shot, and she wants to do that as soon as humanely possible - if he seems to be enough up to it Friday, she really wants to do it then. She said the other vaccinations can wait a little if necessary, but that the Parvo is really important to do asap.

Anyways, I would really appreciate any of your thoughts on this treatment, or even any part of this treatment. And if your pup ever had Coccidia, and you have anything else to add at all, please pipe up. And of course, we really appreciate kind words too, even if there's no advice. :-) It's been a really rough week for Nikko and for us, and we still have several days ahead of us to get through too.

Thank you all so much,

Lauren & Nikko

Make sure he is eating and drinking - even if that means by force. What he has is making his belly very upset and he won't want to eat. Nutridrops I would get for sure! It's better than nutrical as it doesn't need to be digested. Keep him VERY clean - meaning wash his feet and butt often (like every day). Every time he poopies - clean it up! It has spores in it. It will take a while, but you can get him better! I really hope he isn't getting kennel cough too as that is bad enough on it's own. I know you can do it though!!

Usually a vet will not give shots if the pup is sick already? Perhaps it is a big problem in your area? I am not sure...perhaps call another vet in your area and ask them. Also - don't put him in the grass to potty - cocci can live like a year in it!!

Thank you :-)

Our backyard is 90% rocks, and the other 10% is dirt, so no worries about the grass. Though that's good to know - it's a small wonder more dogs don't get it more often, knowing that. Once he's feeling better, you've almost got me scared to go take him to a park that has grass, lol!

Just like we have been with the giardia, we're still being obsessively clean. Washing paws and bum with baby shampoo after every poop, picking up the poop and bleaching the area, and doing like four loads of laundry every day so we are positive our shirts and his bedding towels don't have any poo on them. We're doing absolutely everything we can to make sure this round of meds kicks it, so he doesn't have to go through any more of this horrible-ness than necessary.

I hope he doesn't have kennel cough either... there's no coughing (yet), just a runny nose and a few sneezes.

Lauren & Nikko

Hahaha, I was just thinking... I have never thought about poo so much in my entire life! I think I've probably devoted like at least 60% of all my brain power over the last week to all of the various things that are puppy poo related. I'm surprised I haven't had dreams with poo in them yet! I suppose there's still time.... :-)

Lauren & Nikko

I just glanced back at my original post, and feel like such an idiot... pretty hard for a pup to be 3/4 one thing and 1/3 another. Of course I meant 1/4 poodle... *sigh*

Anyhow, Nikko seems to be doing better now. He happily eats that canned food stuff, and loves the enercal, and even loves the flavor of the coccidia medicine! It smells pretty good too - like bananas.

He is pooping way less now, but it's still runny and gassy. However, he has a TON more energy, so I'm guessing things are looking up for the little guy. We'll see when the next stool samples come in.

Lauren & Nikko

Thanks for the advice, and to those of you who PM'd me, thanks for that too. :-)

I am glad that your fur baby is feeling better! They are so tiny and helpless...it's awful to see them not feel well. The only puppy that I have ever had to be sick when we brought it home was my Livi. She had Coccidia and was also on Albon. She ate as long as she was offered can food and I also kept Karo syrup in her water until she got better.

Tammy

A dog I just purchased had cocidiosis also. She had her meds and I picked up her poop and dumped bleach whereever she pooped. Thankfully shwe only had the poops for 1 day. My vet said that almost every dog has a few of these parasites it is normal. BUT when the dog/puppy is put under alot of stress eg: new home, plane ride, ect it thenmultiplies and that's when they get sick and need meds. My baby would not eat at first and I mixed wet food in with dry and that's the only way I could get her to eat. She is doing great now! I hope your baby recovers quickly!!!

Just to quickly update, Nikko is doing a lot better. He's actually eating his dry kibble now, and his poops are still soft and damp, but they seem to be getting better daily now. After the first round of meds, we took in a stool sample and the vet said he had much less coccidia, but there was still some in there... so we started him on a second round of the meds - no break inbetween the two rounds. He seems to just keep getting better every day! :-) I can't wait to have little dry-ish tootsie roll poops, lol.

Lauren & Nikko

PS: It's amazing how much he loves the coccidia meds... it looks and smells like vanilla/banana pudding - yum!

So glad to see he is doing well. Don't you love it when they take the meds without trouble. They are making pills "liver" flavored now and it is such a blessing. Keep getting well Nikko!~

So glad your baby is doing better. We have lambs and we had an outbreak of it, our vet prescribed the Albon Suspension for the Coccidia and it worked fast and it did not reoccur. It is our understanding that birds are a main culprit in spreading this, though not positive. Bless his heart, sure hope he is feeling much better!

Happy to hear your little guy is on his way to recovery :)