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Okay...just found out Emmy has this bug in her belly. Picking up meds tonight, and the vet tech indicated that this particular strain is not transferable to humans (TG since I have a toddler). Also need to get my other dog tested...And tonight she'll be getting a bath too.

So now I need to figure out how to disinfect pretty much everything. Dog beds (we have about 4!), Any ideas how to minimize the infection in the yard? We have a small backyard and pick up poop pretty regularly. And we back onto a greenbelt so she could have picked it up eating grass/rolling on grass in the park or along our fence as the dog people like ot walk along there.

Suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

The vet said you had to disinfect the yard?? Ask her/him how! Sheesh!

Glad you know what it is and can treat it. I would ask the vet what life span the virus has outdoors and where or what it is found in so you don't have to be worried about everything your dog investigates.

I guess bleach wash any fabric toys too. Wouldn't really hot water do the trick though?

Good luck and glad the pups are ok.

Apparently this parasite is really hardy, and typical 'environmental' conditions don't kill it. So cold or hot don't do squat! Ammonia and lysol work, but I can't see myself coating my new grass (seeded 3 weeks ago!) with ammonia or lysol. I am taking everything to the laundromat this weekend and washing it in the big machines in super hot water with bleach. I'm just thinking that if the bug lives on poop, but then matures and 'spores' out, it may be a losing battle if the source is the field behind the house.

What is this parasite exactly? Is it common?

It's a very common parasite- about as common as giardia(sp?). It's often found in puppies too- a friend has a 11 wk siberian wth it although as an adult Emmy hasn't had the lethargy or diarrhea. I found that I can order the meds on-line for a FRACTION of what the vet charges- I just need to get an Rx and have it faxed in. The on-line pharmacy also has the heartworm meds. I paid $100 for the yellow sentinel, and on-line it is $57.60 plus shipping/tax which is still about $20-25 less than the vet. Multiply the savings times 2 dogs and I've saved enough for the actual cost of the lab work! The dog has to come into contact with the infected feces of an animal carrying the parasite, or she could have come into contact with the spores, which may have been air-borne and travelled that way onto our lawn.

Coccidia is very commen, but you most often will see it in puppies. Most dogs actually carry it, but it doesn't effect them until they get stressed out or their immune system is compromised. It's quite strange to see it in a healthy adult dog.

I honestly wouldn't worry about disinfecting your entire house - wash the dog beds/blankets etc with bleach and pick up poops outside as soon as they're made. With it being fecal-oral transmission it's easier to contain and eliminate - and as long as contact with poop is minimized there should not be any reinfection.

Not to be a alarmist, but I'd be more concerned with why Emmy got it in the first place - her immune system should have thrown it off, unless she's been having other health issues? Or is she elderly?

Yeah. I'm not sure why she tested positive. She's otherwise healthy, and I also just had a full wellness screen done by the vet. Her only vice is a fetish for my daughter's dirty diapers. So tomorrow will be laundry day at the laundromat- loads of fun (pardon the pun!).

Oh and the meds....the vet wanted to charge me $22 for 18 tablets. Ummmmm.....I don't think so. So I've asked for a script. Given that I need to treat my other dog and the 2 cats, it would cost about a $100 bucks for one course of treatment. Or I can order on-line and get 100 tablets for $12.50. I have no problem paying for the lab work, blood work etc. I just have major issues paying markups on veterinary medications that, were they for human consumption, these levels of markups would be prohibited. Needless to say, the vet tech was a bit pissy with me. Too bad, I'm an educated consumer!

Often you can get the same perscription in 'human' form from any pharmacy for much cheaper (go generic). It just has to be re-packaged sometimes. We were treating kittens and used the human variety and one human pill made 10 kitten pills, that was a pain but it was about a quarter of the cost, always see if you can get it elsewhere.
Double check with you vet about the internet drugs, we had a big problem with 1-800-petmeds at our clinic. Because they were perscribing medication without actually seeing the dog everytime someone got their meds from there we had to treat them like a new patient when they came back to the clinic and so the cost was actually higher.
Meaghan

I wish this came in human form, but unfortunately Albon and its generic are only available in animal form. Although I have used ranitinidine (zantac) for constipation and antihistimines (appetite stimulant)for the cat . The on-line pharmacy is mainly for humans, but they do dispense animal stuff too. And they confirmed they will only dispense with a vet rx.