Will my dogs be at risk if I bring home a puppy from the shelter who has coccidia?

The dogs I already have take a monthly Heartguard/Interceptor pill to protect them from worms.

    Will my dogs be at risk if I bring home a puppy from the shelter who has coccidia?

    The dogs I already have take a monthly Heartguard/Interceptor pill to protect them from worms....
    General Dog Discussions : Will my dogs be at risk if I bring home a puppy from the shelter who has coccidia?...

    • Will my dogs be at risk if I bring home a puppy from the shelter who has coccidia?

      Will my dogs be at risk if I bring home a puppy from the shelter who has coccidia? General Dog Discussions
      The dogs I already have take a monthly Heartguard/Interceptor pill to protect them from worms.

      Will my dogs be at risk if I bring home a puppy from the shelter who has coccidia?

      Will my dogs be at risk if I bring home a puppy from the shelter who has coccidia? General Dog Discussions
    • Yes they will. Any time that puppy has a bowel movement it is going to shed the parasite in its stool and this is VERY easy to transmit from animal to animal. If you can find someone to keep the pup for you that does not have animals until you can finish the treatments and get an all clear from a vet it would be a MUCH wiser decision.Good luck with your new pup and good job on keeping your others on their monthly meds! Way to go!~Tyed~BTW: While the risk is very minimal (depending on the type of Coccidia being shed) there is always a slight risk of you getting it as well. But don't worry! Just wash your hands good after playing with the pup and especially after picking up any poo.

    • Other pets may become infected from exposure to infected fecal matter but it is important to note that this is usually an infection of the young (i.e. the immature immune system tends to let the coccidia infection reach large numbers where the mature immune system probably will not.) In most cases, the infected new puppy or kitten does not infect the resident adult animal.

    • Heartguard/Interceptor will protect against certain worms, but Coccidia is not a worm - its a protozoa. Its actually a parasite that lives in most dogs, and when the dog is stressed (such as a shelter environment) it gets the upper hand and causes a smelly yellowish brown diarrhea.Practice good hygiene and the other dogs will be fine. Other puppies in that litter, however, will likely need to be treated for it.

    • coccidia isn't worms it is an intestinal parasite. you might see if shelter will keep puppy until it is better if you go ahead and adopt it. if puppy is with other pups it will just keep getting reinfected and it is best to get pup out of shelter.coccidia is easy to cure with antibiotics and as long as your other dog doesn't lick puppies poop or pups rear he should be ok but check with your vet. to be sure.