Presentation from 2020 Weekly Worm Webinar Series. By Dr. Kwame Matthews from Delaware State University.

1. PREVENTING AND
TREATING
COCCIDIOSIS
Kwame Matthews
Small Ruminant Specialist
Delaware State University
kmatthews@desu.edu
302-857-6540

2. PROTOZOAN PARASITE OF THE
INTESTINE
• Single-cell organism that damage the
lining of the small intestine
• Genus Eimeria found in sheep, goats
and camelids
• Survives in environment for multiple
years if it is warm/hot and moist
• Infection rate is high but clinical
disease is low in herd/flock
• More severe in younger animals

3. TRANSMISSION COCCIDIA
• Adults serve as the source for
infection
• Immunity to cocci occurs with
age/exposure
• Not all species causes disease
• Species-specific (2 major in sheep,
4 major in goats and camelids)
• Once oocyst can destroy up to 50
million intestinal cells

4. LIFE CYCLE
• Must mature (sporulate)
outside the host in order to be
infective.
• Non-infective oocysts are
released into the environment
in feces.
• Eggs will mature into infective
oocyst in ideal environmental
conditions (75 – 90 °F and
moist).
• Animals ingest infective
oocysts from contaminated
area.
• Oocysts undergo further
maturation and penetrate the
lining of the intestine.

5. SYMPTOMS OF COCCIDIOSIS
• Subclinical
• Not observed immediately and
long-term infection
• Lower feed consumption
• Poor growth and weight loss
• Poor utilization of nutrients from
feed
• Soft feces

6. SYMPTOMS OF COCCIDIOSIS
• Clinical
• Diarrhea (watery with or without
blood)
• Anemia
• Failure to thrive
• Rough hair coat
• Depressed
• Dehydrated
• Death

7. DIAGNOSIS
• Observation of clinical symptoms
• Fecal oocyte count
• Quantitative way of diagnosis
• High number of oocyte eggs can be
found in feces
• Animals may shed oocysts without
showing signs of infection
• Counts may vary drastically between
animals (low FOC does not meant not
infected)
• Detection of lesions in small
intestine http://www.wormboss.com.au/sheep-goats/worms/other-
occasional-parasites-of-sheep-and-goats/coccidia-and-
cryptosporidium.php
https://www.ces.ncsu.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2018/02/Coccidia.jpg

8. PREVENTION – GOOD SANITATION
• Young animals should be kept in a
clean and dry environment
• Clean and replace bedding in shelters
where animals gather regularly
• Keep lambing/kidding pens clean
• Prevent overcrowding
• Follow established guidelines for
housing
• Requirements is based on age, area,
species and horned/no horn

9. PREVENTION – GOOD SANITATION
• Clean feeders and waterers (try to
prevent fecal contamination)
• Avoid feeding on the ground
• Elevate feeders and waterers
• Try moving them around to prevent
congregation
• Clean and disinfect barn/pens well
between groups of animals

10. PREVENTION – GOOD NUTRITION
• Poor nutrition increases animal
stress
• Good nutrition improve animals
ability to fight disease and
infection
• Good nutrition leads to quality
colostrum production
• Give kids and lamb a fighting
chance again infections in early life

11. PREVENTION – STRESS REDUCTION
• Stress in young animals can affect
their immunity and overall health
• Reduce aggressive handling of
animals
• Try to separate larger animals from
smaller/less dominant animals
• Quarantine new animals prior to
introduction to flock/herd
• Isolate animals in areas where they
can still look out and see other
animals

12. PREVENTION – STRESS REDUCTION
• Weaning is very stressful on
young animals
• Remove the mothers from the
familiar area and not kids/lambs
• Provide fence line contact with
mother for a short time after
• Keep weanlings together and not
mix with older animals
• Adjust feeding schedules for
young animals before weaning

13. PREVENTION – COCCIDIOSTAT USE
• Added to feed, mineral, water and/or milk replacer as per
label directions
• Effectiveness depends on timing and dosage
• Several coccidiostats are FDA-approved for use in sheep
and/or goats in the United States:
• Monensin (Rumensin®, Monovet® 90) – Goats in confinement;
20 g/ton of feed (mix according to label at all times)
• Fed at 15 g/ton in sheep feed in countries where approved
• Toxic to equine
A valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship is required for all
extra-label drug use!

14. PREVENTION – COCCIDIOSTAT USE
• Several coccidiostats are FDA-approved for use in sheep
and/or goats in the United States:
• Lasalocid (Bovatec®) – Sheep in confinement; 30 g/ton feed
• Fed at 5 mg/kg body weight in goat feed in countries where
approved
• Decoquinate (Deccox®) – Young, non-lactating lambs and
goats; 13.6 g/ton feed; 0.5 mg/kg BW daily
• Feed dams 21 days prior to giving birth
• Feed to kids/lambs in creep feed and rations for growing
• Do not feed year-round
A valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship is required for all
extra-label drug use!

15. TREATMENTS
• Treat all animals sharing space with infected animals
• No Drugs are FDA-Approved to Treat Coccidiosis in Sheep
and Goats in the U.S.
• Drugs used for treatment include:
• Amprolium (Corid®) – both treatment and preventative
• Sulfonamides (Sulfamethazine, Sulfadimethoxine and Sulfaquinoxaline)
• Toltrazuril (Baycox®)– approved outside the U.S.
• Diclazuril (Vecoxan®) – approved outside the U.S.
• Ponazuril – approved for use in horses but no other animal in the U.S.
A valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship is required for all
extra-label drug use!

16. TREATMENTS – AMPROLIUM
• Corid® - can be bought over the counter
but recquire veterinary approval for
treating sheep and goats
• 9.6% oral solution (5 mg amprolium/kg BW)
for 21 days (cattle)
• Treatment: 10 mg/kg for 5 days (1 day meat
w/d) of 9.6% or 20% drench (cattle)
• May cause polioencephalomalaicia
(thiamine deficiency) with overdose and
prolonged use.
A valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship is required for all
extra-label drug use!

17. TREATMENTS – SULFONAMIDES
• Sulfa drugs – must be obtained from a veterinarian
and utilized according to the extra label drug law.
• Sulfamethazine (Sulmet®, Sustain III®)
• Sulfadimethoxine ( Albon®, Di-methox®)
A valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship is required for all
extra-label drug use!

18. OTHER OPTIONS BASED ON
RESEARCH
• Ponazuril (Marquis®) – effective in reducing fecal
oocyst count when administered a single drench (10
mg/kg) in goats prior to weaning. (Gibbons et al.,
2016)
• Sericea lespedeza (forage) has been effective in
reducing fecal oocyst counts (goats and sheep)
• Fed at least one week prior to weaning and continue 3 to 4
weeks after weaning
• Oregano essential oils have been shown to reduce
oocyst counts in sheep and goats – need more
conclusive data

19. THANK YOU.
QUESTIONS??