Small Animal Protozoal Parasites

Question 1

how is giardia treated in dogs and cats?

Answer 1

Metronidazole, Fenbendazole,

Question 2

how to treat coccidiosis in dogs and cats?

Answer 2

sulfadimethoxine, TMS, ponazuril

Question 3

how do you differentiate between giardia and feline tritrichomonas?

Answer 3

on direct fecal smear, tritrichomonas will have more of a “random/jerky” movement, whreas giardia looks like falling leaves

Question 4

how is feline tritrichomnas treated?

Answer 4

ronidazole

Question 5

how is toxoplasma gondi transmitted?

Answer 5

acquired: ingestion of cysts or tissue/bradyzoites

congenital: passage of tachyzoites from dam to baby (placenta or milk)

Question 6

how is toxoplasma treated?

Answer 6

clindamycin first choice, or TMS

Question 7

how is neospora caninum transmitted (remember it is like the dog version of toxoplasma)

Answer 7

acquired: ingestion of cysts or eating meat with bradyzoites

congenital: transplacental tachyzoties

Question 8

how does neopsora caninum usually present?

Answer 8

ascending paralysis in young dogs

neuro/resp/derm signs in older dogs

Question 9

how is neospora caninum treated?

Answer 9

clindamycin for 4+ weeks, or TMS + pyrimethamine

Question 10

how is cryptosporidium treated?

Answer 10

nitazoxanide, or Tylosin/azithromycin