Diagnosis and treatment of Cryptosporidiosis in dogs

Among the etiological factors of gastroenteritis in dogs, cryptosporidiosis occupies about 40%. Gastroenteritis is one of the most common pathologies in veterinary practice. One of the causes of gastroenteritis is parasitic infestations, including coccidiosis. The relevance of this topic is due to the fact that there is a very small amount of materials covering cryptosporidiosis specifically in dogs. It is necessary to pay attention to this cococidosis, since it has an atypical life cycle, diagnosis, and at the same time is a zoonotic disease. This research paper presents clinical cases of 10 dogs that were spontaneously infected with cryptosporidiosis and examined in a veterinary clinic in St. Petersburg. Sick animals underwent a general clinical examination, which included: clinical examination, palpation, and laboratory tests. Blood samples were taken for clinical and biochemical analysis, general stool analysis, followed by staining. A rectal swab was taken for PCR testing. In adult dogs, clinical signs of this disease may be atypical. The picture of gastroenteritis is accompanied by diarrhea syndrome with watery feces and a large amount of mucus. The increase in segmented neutrophils is explained by parasitic invasion and caused intestinal inflammation. The increase in lactate degylrogenase is explained by increased destruction of enterocytes due to parasitism by protozoa - cryptosporidium. A general stool test is not informative for the detection of coccidia oocysts. It is PCR research that is an informative diagnostic method with extremely high sensitivity of up to 98%. The drug “Stop-coccid 5%” at a dosage of 0.2 ml/kg is an effective treatment for cryptosporidiosis in dogs. “Stop-coccid 5%” is a low-hazard substance; in recommended doses it does not cause complications or side effects, and does not interfere with the formation of immunity in animals. It is also necessary to carry out symptomatic treatment along with antiparasitic treatment, including antibiotic therapy (for example, a drug from the macrolide group «Tylosin»), since intestinal dysbacteriosis occurs due to the destruction of enterocytes.