I have found several references to dogs and cats getting coccidia from eating raw meat.
I know that puppies get it from infected poop and that it can cause loose bloody stools.
I feed all my pups raw and they have not had problems with loose bloody stool caused by coccidia (so I'm assuming it isn't a big problem).
In the past when I fed kibble coccidia was always a concern.

So...do dogs really get coccidia from raw meat, and if so how often and to what degree?

Well coccidia is a one cell protozoa that normally lives in the intestinal tracts of animals. In most older animals they live there rather harmlessly and is spread through poop eating. Either puppies chowing down on mom's poo or eating intestines or fecal matter.

So long as young puppies don't eat alot of poop and you make a reasonable effort to keep their pen clean of poo I really don't see a connection between feeding raw decent quality meat and coccidiosis unless you feed alot of digestive organs.

Hi,

After having been bombarded with worms (hook and tape) for the past month and 4 trips to the vet, our 9-month old English Cocker was tested positive for coccidia during the vet emergency visit last night. We were told that she has gotten that from her raw diet which she has been fed and REALLY enjoyed since she was 3 months old. We have fed her chicken/lamb/beef/salmon with yogurt, salmon oil, vitamin E, and glucosamine.

We are now putting her on boiled rice and chicken diet while she is on medications and trying to get better and would like to get opinion from this board on the vet's statement on her getting sick (coccidia) from raw diet and what we should do to prevent it if we find that her claim is baseless choose to continue with the raw diet.

Thanks in advance for any advice/comments.

I think Melissa's answer sums it up pretty good.

All my dogs have been on a raw diet from weaning & I have not had any issues with them concerning worms or parisites. Although, I do worm a couple of times a year over & above for heartworm. But that is due to the areas of possible infestation that I work & run my dogs. Many vets will blame any problem that a dog has on raw feeding, when finding out that you feed that way, just to discourage raw feeding. Many do this, due to the fact that they do not have enough knowledge of feeding a proper raw diet. In the vets defense, I will say that many people would feed their dogs hamurger every day & say that they feed raw. That is worse then feeding 'ole Rory' for a dog. So I can understand a vet being aprehensive about encouraging raw diets.

I always pick up poop immediately, therefore don't allow opportunities for pups or adult dogs to eat poop. I am also very vigilant with puppies when outside to keep unwanted items out of their mouths.

I currently have a dog that got coccidia at 7 months old. He got into our senior dogs, dog food and ate as much as his tummy could handle. Next day, severe diarrhea, vomiting and he could barely walk.

This was caused by kibble.

 Quote: Niomi Smith

This was caused by kibble.

I wouldn't say that, either. Although it is a good example that this common parasite doesn't discriminate animals due to diet.

One way or the other it came from fecal contamination. Maybe the kibble was contaminated and was the delivery system, but it didn't cause it all by itself.

Thanks. I'm a big fan of raw diet as I can see one obvious benefit which is that her teeth are beautifully white mostly from spending hours chewing beef neck and knuckle bones every week. Of course, her coat is also shiny.

She has not been really interested in eating other dogs’ poop for a big while. Sometimes, she gets curious and sniffs it and then (I think) feels disgusted and moves away. Of course, I try to get her away whenever I notice that it is poop. She is a real sniffer. And, I think it's rewarding for her to get to sniff around after walking nicely with the pact for a while. It's unfortunate that there are quite a few of irresponsible owners who do not clean up after their dogs.

Could she get it just from sniffing? She lives inside the house most of the time and is our only dog. And, her crate is cleaned every other day.

She has been given Heartguard on schedule every month which I think is supposed to prevent hook worms. Yet, she got them anyway a month ago. Then came tapeworms and recently coccidia.

Seeing her get badly sick yesterday, we really want to do what we can to prevent it from happening again.

Nothing your dog is having problems with is raw diet specific.

Maybe? By some fluke, I guess maybe. If you are using good quality meat from the grocery store I highly doubt it. Common cleaning and freezing practices with wild game would also make it highly unlikely.

FAR, FAR, FAR more likely that all came from environmental means. Not your fault at all.

$#!t happens. In the case of coccidia.....literally.

Dogs don't get coccidia from a raw diet UNLESS that food has been exposed/infected to feces of animals carrying coccidia.

coccidia is a totally common parasite, do a google search for good vet websites that explain the life cycle.http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_coccidia.html

adult dogs typically develop an immunity to coccidia, although they can still be carriers and shed the oocysts.