Coccidiostats

What are coccidiostats?

Coccidiostats are active substances that are used to combat infestation of animals with coccidia. Coccidia are unicellular parasites that can infest the gastrointestinal tract of various animal species, for example dogs, cats, rabbits, poultry or reptiles. Infection with coccidia is called coccidiosis and can lead to diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, weight loss or blood in the feces. In severe cases, coccidiosis can even lead to the death of the animal.

Coccidiostats are administered either as medication or as feed additives to prevent or treat coccidiosis. There are various chemical or natural substances that can act as coccidiostats. Some examples are clazuril, diclazuril, toltrazuril or monensin. The effect of coccidiostats is based on the fact that they inhibit or kill the growth or reproduction of coccidia.

What are the benefits of coccidiostats?

The main advantage of coccidiostats is that they are an effective method of controlling coccidia and can therefore improve the health and well-being of the animals. Especially in young or weakened animals, coccidiostats can be a life-saving measure to prevent or cure severe coccidiosis.

Another advantage of coccidiostats is that they can have a positive effect on animal production. For example, they can improve feed conversion and laying performance in poultry or increase milk production in cattle. They can also reduce the ecological impact of animal husbandry by reducing the excretion of phosphorus or ammonia.

What are the disadvantages of coccidiostats?

The main disadvantage of coccidiostats is that they can also have side effects. For example, some coccidiostats can be toxic to certain animal species or trigger allergic reactions. It is therefore important to pay close attention to the dosage and the target species and only use approved coccidiostats.

Another disadvantage of coccidiostats is that they can lead to coccidia becoming resistant. This means that the parasites become insensitive to the active ingredient and it loses its effectiveness. To avoid this, coccidiostats should not be used permanently or prophylactically, but only in cases of proven infestation and according to veterinary instructions.

A third disadvantage of coccidiostats is that they may leave residues in animal products. This can pose a risk to human health if these products are consumed. For this reason, there are legal maximum levels for certain coccidiostats in foodstuffs of animal origin that must not be exceeded. In addition, manufacturers of feed containing coccidiostats must label them accordingly and inform consumers.

What should you look out for?when you give your dog food containing coccidiostats?

If you give your dog food with coccidiostats, you should pay attention to a few points to minimize possible risks. Here are some tips:

• Find out about the ingredients of the food and check whether it contains coccidiostats. If so, pay attention to the exact name, dosage and target species of the active ingredient.
• Only give your dog food with coccidiostats if it actually suffers from coccidiosis or has a high risk of infection. A regular fecal examination at the vet can help you to detect and treat an infestation at an early stage.
• Follow the manufacturer's or vet's feeding recommendations and avoid overdosing or using coccidiostats for too long. This can increase the side effects or promote the development of resistance.
• Do not mix feed with coccidiostats with other feed without coccidiostats. This can reduce the effect or cause undesirable interactions.
• Keep the feed with coccidiostats separate from other feed and ensure that it is not accessible to other animals. This can prevent poisoning or unintentional ingestion of coccidiostats.
• Observe your dog for possible signs of intolerance or overdose of coccidiostats, such as loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy or convulsions. If you notice such symptoms, contact your vet immediately.