# coccidia



## Keroppi (Nov 23, 2004)

Hi! I have been trying to find some information on coccidia and my searches have not turned up what I am looking for. I have heard that the book "Amphibian Medicine and Husbandry" has several informative pages devoted to it but whoever has checked out from the university library does not seem to want to return it. There seem to be tons of references to it and its effects on livestock but not amphibians. So my question is can anyone point me to an article or thread? I would like to know what the symptoms are and in the long run can they leave normal lives? Do they require weekly/daily medication to suppress it? Is this like froggy AIDS (in terms of a chronic disease that can shift into overdrive when a frog develops another malady)? Can they reproduce or will the tadpoles also be infected? I have a whites tree frog that has something going on and I have not done a fecal yet. I know it isn't a dart frog but I assume that it will have a similar effect on tree frogs. Thanks for your time!

eve s.


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## bbrock (May 20, 2004)

These are very good questions. There was a very in depth debate over this subject on frognet so you could search the archives. It was sometime this past winter.


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## Keroppi (Nov 23, 2004)

Thanks for posting! I have not joined frognet but this is a good motivator...thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

eve s.


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## OneSmallFrog (Apr 27, 2005)

*Frognet*

FYI, you don't have to join frognet to read the archives:

http://listserver.dreamhost.com/piperma ... ognet.org/


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## v_traves (May 14, 2005)

*Treatment?*

I have heard coccidia is untreatable in frogs? Is this true? I work at a veterinary clinic and we use Albon to treat it in dogs and cats. It works extremely well. Is sulfadimethoxine toxic to frogs? Just curious.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

It sort of depends on your definition of treatment. According to the literature, you can decrease or stop the general active shedding of coccidia in anurans but if the frogs that have stopped shedding are necropsied infection is readily detected on histopath.

So an infected frog is always an infected frog and active shedding is basically managed. 


Ed


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## elmoisfive (Dec 31, 2004)

*Re: Treatment?*



v_traves said:


> I have heard coccidia is untreatable in frogs? Is this true? I work at a veterinary clinic and we use Albon to treat it in dogs and cats. It works extremely well. Is sulfadimethoxine toxic to frogs? Just curious.


I am under the impression that treatments like sulfadimethoxine in dogs and cats are cytostatic to the organism and allows the host's immune system to then eliminate the pathogen. I'm not sure that frogs can mount enough of an immune response (speculating here) and would be in a position to be constantly reinfected in the viv.

Bill


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## Dane (Aug 19, 2004)

In response to the question about transference to offspring, it is possible to get uninfected larvae from infected parents. This usually requires immediate removal of the eggs and thorough rinsing as well as submersion in methylene blue or similar.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

But if the frogs can be asymptomatic and nonshedding throughout their lives and a positive infection in a nonshedding frog can only be confirmed via a necropsy (listed in the literature) how can you be sure that the offspring are all clear from coccidia and are not just nonshedding? 


Ed


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## Keroppi (Nov 23, 2004)

Thanks for the info on frognet. I wish I had checked it out 6 months ago. I found the discussion but since it is very long I had not gotten through all of the posts yet...most of the discussion so far is in reference to frogs that are asymptomatic. I can't seem to find what the actual symptoms of coccidia are. I assume weight loss (is this a correct assumption?) would be one of them but are there any other consistent symptoms?

Is it really possible to get a coccidia free frog or could they just be nonshedding? So far what I am inferring is that the best avenue would be to not breed any infected frogs (to be on the safe side) and hope that for the nonshedding breeders... that the froglets are symptomatic so that the chain is broken there. I realize that this is in an ideal world...there are many people (myself included) that have fat healthy frogs that are untested. Anyone have an idea of what the lifespan of an infected frog is? I have heard that with good care many frogs can live into their late teens. How easy is it for the caretaker to unknowingly spread it to other healthy vivariums? Can you pick it up on your hands? Logic tells me that most people would house their froglets together. So, if one has coccidia it would be safe to assume that after a few months they would all be infected. A fecal is $15, why wouldn't we just test the whole viv before selling or trading any froglets?

Please excuse me if I am rambling it is 6:00 am and I am very groggy...thanks for any input... 


eve s.


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## Ed (Sep 19, 2004)

At this time, the only way to be 100% sure you have a frog that is not infected with coccidia is to euthanize and necropsy it and look for coccidia. 
Coccidia can be spread from cage to cage via many methods, plant cuttings, water droplets, and not washing hands to name a few. In addition, some insects are known to be carriers (such as roaches) so free ranging insects and/or meadow plankton can be a vector. 

There is a lot of really good information in Amphibian Medicine and Captive Husbandry on coccidia including various references that can be looked up (I do not feel like typing it at this time). 

To quote one of the vets at work, manage the frogs so they are not shedding (in other words if they are actively shedding treat them) but otherwise don't worry about as the frogs will probably get it from something along the lines. If you think you have coccidia, then get fecal checks done and treat if necessary. 


Ed


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