Protozoans
•
Giardia
•
Coccidia
•
Cryptosporidia
•
Toxoplasma
•
Trichomonia
Giardia lamblia
•
protozoal infection
•
watery, mucoid diarrhea
•
may be asymptomatic
•
affects young more than older
•
small bowel or large bowel
•
chronic diarrhea
•
pet store, puppy mill, kennel or cattery situation
• Zoonosis!
Giardia
• Diagnosis:
o
fresh fecal direct smears
o zinc sulfate fecal flotation
o
fecal ELISA test
o
duodenal aspirates
o
trophozoites, cysts
•
Treatment
o
fenbendazole (Panacur)
o
metronidazole (Flagyl)
o
new vaccine GiardiaVax
Coccidia
• Cystoisospora spp.
•
young kittens and puppies
•
diarrhea with mucous and blood streaks
•
weakness, dehydration, cachexia
• Diagnosis:
o
oocysts on direct smear or
o
fecal flotation
• Treatment:
o
Albon, trimethoprim/sulfa, Marquis paste (ponazuril, Bayer ®)
Cryptosporidia
•
Cryptosporidium parvum
•
young dogs < 6 months
•
cats – any age
•
diarrhea, may be asymptomatic in cats
•
Zoonosis
Toxoplasmosis
•
Cat is definitive host
•
Zoonotic
•
many intermediate hosts (humans)
•
shed infective oocytes
•
transplacental transmission
Trichomoniasis
•
Tritrichomonas foetus/suis
•
Cats
•
Large bowel diarrhea ± blood/mucus
• Diagnosis: direct fecal with saline, resembles Giardia, PCR(?)
