Everyone has heard of coccidia at some point or another or have been the owners of reptiles with this bothersome parasite. For those who don't know, coccidia is a protozoan parasite that affects reptiles of all species and tends to cause a bad runny diarrhea usually of yellow coloration. The parasite attaches to the intestinal mucosa and prevents the proper absorption of nutrients by the reptile host, thus causing weight loss, diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia and eventually death. It is highly contagious and can be passed by contact with infected reptiles. Treatment is possible and involves thorough cleaning and disinfection of the habitat as well as proper medications that are only legally available through a licensed veterinarian. Holistic medications are rumored to be effective against coccidia but it has been my personal experience that this isn't always the case. The good news is that the holistic meds rarely, if ever, harm the reptile so you can't go wrong trying them if you wish to. However, if money is tight, you might want to consider the benefits of spending $30 on a product that may help vs. using the money towards paying for a consult and medications that will help. So with all that said, let me introduce you to Coccidia: This species is likely in the genus Eimeria. This sample was taken from a Leopard Gecko. For the following pics, let's count from 1-4: One Two Three Four You have just seen the development of another species of Coccidia, likely Isospora sp., from a Panther Chameleon. The 4 celled oocyst (or "egg") seen in the last pic is the more common form we see in full blown infections but this particular guy had an infection so severe that all stages of development of the oocysts were seen. This chameleon has already been through a trial of holistic medications for 21 days according to the owner. We treated the chameleon with traditional medications and the recovery was successful. He was weak and almost didn't make it but the owner did a great job nursing him back to health during the treatment. Despite what has been said in many forums on the internet, coccidia is quite easy to acquire and can be quite prevalent in many species, such as Bearded Dragons. It can be transmitted via feeder insects and reptiles that appear fat and healthy can be infected with coccidia as well. Parasites are just another occupational hazard we have to deal with in the reptile hobby and your best bet is to have your reptiles checked for parasites at least every 6 months so you can be on top of any infection that might show up.
Please excuse my grammatical errors. I try to write as proper as possible but it doesn't always work.
We have also dealt with this in our birds on the farm. Its a serious ailment no matter what way you look at it. It can be a fragile treatment process as too much or too little medicine can also affect recovery. The treatment is available at our local fleet farm store but dosage ste by a vet is VERY important. As far as holistic treatments go, this is one cootie that should just be vet visited and medicated right off the bat. After treatment, probiotics can be fed to help their bodies recover. Probios also help controll reoccurances and prevent some ailments including kidney stones
