If you already do not know what Coccidia is, then days-long diarrhea in your puppy might help ring a bell. And if not dealt with, it can continue on living inside your house and cause a life-threatingin situation for your beloved pet.
So what is Coccidia? How long can Coccidia live in carpet? How to get rid of them? Find answers to all these and many other questions in this comprehensive guide below.
What Is Coccidia?
Coccidia is a single-celled microscopic organism that lives in the intestines of cats and dogs and causes a disease named “coccidiosis.”
A pet suffering from this disease may commonly show signs of vomiting, lethargy, dehydration, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.
Your pet may get this disease if they come in contact with an infected animal’s feces or infected soil or by consuming an infected rodent.
Thankfully, there are oral medications available to treat this disease. But is treating your pet for coccidiosis enough? Not at all!
Keep reading to find out what dangers this parasite brings and how long it can survive in your carpet and household.
How Long Can Coccidia Live In Carpet?
If your pet dog or cat shows symptoms associated with coccidiosis and poop on your carpet, then you should definitely not take this likely.
Coccidia can spread quickly, and it can affect the health of any other pets that you may have in your house.
So how long can Coccidia live on the carpet?
Coccidia is not like lice which depend on a human host to survive or ticks that needs pet host.
Coccidia can live on your carpet for up to a year if they find an atmosphere that is suitable for them to thrive. When intact in feces, they can survive for up to a week, and on clean surfaces, they die within a few days.
Getting rid of the source, such as contaminated feces, vomit, unfinished food, etc., and disposing of them in a dustbin is not enough.
You need to clean the surface where your pet has pooped or vomited. You should also check and clean the area that your pet frequents at least twice a day.
How To Get Rid of Coccidia Eggs From Carpet?
Coccidia Eggs are also known as oocysts, and if you think you can get rid of them using disinfectants or bleach, then you cannot be any more wrong. You can also use these solutions to get rid of tapeworms from the carpet.
Here are two ways in which you can kill Coccidia Eggs:
Use Ammonia Solution
Although Ammonia solution can get rid of Coccidia eggs, it is very harmful to the environment and dangerous for your lungs and skin.
And even if you guard yourself with a mask and gloves, it will definitely ruin your carpet, so we do not recommend you go down this road.
And in case you do, then know that you will need ammonium hydroxide with a concentration of 10% or higher for this to work. You would have to then soak in your carpet for 45 minutes, which will definitely kill Coccidia and its eggs, but as mentioned before, it will kill your carpet too.
Steam Cleaning
Steam cleaning is the best and safest solution to remove Coccidia eggs from your carpet.
This method uses high temperature and heat, which kills the Coccidia and its eggs in an eco-friendly and safe manner.
And the best part about using this method is that you can not only use steam cleaning on the carpet but also on other surfaces. So this is the perfect solution to deal with this problem.
Best Ways To Get Rid of Coccidia
Here are some of the best ways to get rid of Coccidia from carpets, furniture, clothes, etc.:
Vacuuming
Sometimes some pets might not show any symptoms of Coccidia in them, but that doesn’t mean they can’t spread it to your other pets.
In such a situation, it is best that you vacuum your house, carpets, and areas where your pet frequents daily.
Make sure you use a good quality vacuum cleaner, preferably one with a HEPA filter. A good quality vacuum cleaner with strong suction can help in getting rid of Coccidia eggs to some extent.
Carpet/Upholstery Shampooing
This is another very effective and safe way to get rid of Coccidia from your carpet or upholstery.
The chemicals used in carpet shampooing, along with the scrubbing action, etc., can be very helpful in getting rid of Coccidia & Coccidia eggs.
And the best part is carpet shampooing also helps in removing years of dirt and debris from the carpet.
Steam Cleaning
As already mentioned before, steam cleaning is one of the best ways to get rid of Coccidia from your carpet.
In fact, this method is also effective in killing carpet fleas, carpet beetles, and other moths that may have infected your carpet.
Simply use hot steam at 212°F for 1 minute or at 158°F for 5 minutes, and any parasite harboring in your carpet will be destroyed.
Submerge in Hot Water
This method works wonders for your dog’s bed and other clothing items that you think might have been infected with Coccidia.
Simply take some hot water in a tub, add some shampoo to it and submerge the clothing or your pet’s bedding in it for fifteen minutes and then wash it off with plain water. The hot water will help in killing the virus.
And please do not submerge your carpet in hot water as it may damage its fibers. Use this method only for infected clothing items.
How to Treat Your Yard for Coccidia?
How To Get Rid of Coccidia From Your Home?
Since Coccidia can live in your house for up to a year, it is very important to get rid of Coccidia from your house. For this, you should regularly vacuum your carpets, upholsteries, and other surfaces.
You can also steam clean your carpets and upholsteries or opt for carpet shampooing. All these are effective in killing Coccidia from various surfaces.
Lastly, ensure that your pet does not consume the feces of other pets or eat something that they are not supposed to.
Wrapping Up
Coccidia can be heath-threatening for your dog or cat. And since they can live for upto a year, it is important to treat them by cleaning your house and carpet to get rid of their traces that might attack your pet again.
In this guide on how long can coccidia live in carpet, we shared the best and safest ways in which you can get rid of coccidia; we hope this was useful.
FAQ
Is Coccidia contagious to humans?
Coccidia can pass on from one dog to the other, but fortunately, this protozoa is host-specific, and it cannot pass on to humans. Cats may also catch subspecies of this virus, but not humans.
Can Coccidia live in bedding or clothes?
Yes, Coccidia eggs can live in clothes or bedding, but without an ideal environment, they cannot survive in it for more than a few days.
It is best to submerge and wash clothes or bedding in hot water that you think may have been contaminated.
How long does it take to get rid of Coccidia?
Dog with coccidiosis should be given treatment as per recommended by the vet, and your dog should be able to recover from it within four weeks. Mild cases can be dealt with in lesser time.
Daleyza knows a lot about carpets! She has worked with carpets for over 7 years and can help with things like putting them in, keeping them clean, and replacing them. She really likes carpets and spends most of her time learning about new ways to work with them. When she’s not learning about carpets, she enjoys reading books. She’s really good at helping people choose the right carpet for their homes and making sure they’re happy with it. If you want to know more about carpets, Daleyza is the person to talk to!