Coccidia are a major issue for puppies and kittens under eight weeks old and can even kill them. After the first exposure, Coccidia parasites may remain present in the animal’s intestines, and they’re just waiting to take advantage of any digestive upset, writes Marty Greer, DVM. The bacteria is rarely the initial cause of the diarrhea, but once diarrhea starts, the Coccidia will grow to large numbers to keep the diarrhea going.
My grandfather referred to Coccidia infections as nest box scours.” – Kirk Augustine
Source: Revival Animal Health, March 04, 2022. Link. Puppies and kittens are born with a sterile gut, and their mother seeds their gut with good bacteria during cleaning and care. Fecal contamination is often the source of infection from the mother.
Bathing the moms a few days prior to queening and whelping will reduce the number of spores on her coat and reduce transmission.” – Marty Greer, DVM
Transmission can also occur by contact with certain hosts, like flies, cockroaches, dung beetles or eating infected vertebrate intermediate hosts such as mice. Environmental sporulation can occur in as little as eight hours.