Coccidiosis - recovery time

We brought home two new kittens a little over a month ago.  They were 4 months old and their stool sample revealed coccidia.  Both have had mushy stool since we brought them home, but no diahrrea...they go once or twice a day in the box and are extremely active and playful.  There are no signs of illness other than the stool.

The kittens and our other three cats were all treated for 10 days with a sulfa antibiotic and it's been about 10 days since treatment stopped.  We're supposed to do another stool sample 3 weeks after the end of treatment. I noticed this morning that one of the kittens had quite a bit of mucous in his stool and my oh my did it stink!

The vet said that eventually the kittens' immune systems would kick in and the coccidia wouldn't be an issue.  Is the mucousy stool something that should concern us at this point or will that clear up on its own?  We're also considering that it could be diet based.  They are eating a mixture of Science Diet (they came home on it and we're almost through weaning them off) and Wellness kitten food (both dry and wet).

Thoughts?

I would say that's a concern.  The odor is a tip-off, too.  Unfortunately, although there is a cure for coccidia, it's not available in the U.S. 

Coccidia is, largely, an opportunistic infection that is usually controlled by the cat's own immune system, but it usually needs help in any cat under stress.

Congratulations on your new kittens ....AWW poor babies..... It is possible they might need another treatment for the coccidiosis. I would also try to get them off the Science Diet and onto the Wellness since you are already feeding the Wellness. There could be something in the Science Diet that is definitely causing the diarrhea. Not the best ingredients. So just stop feeding that all together and stay on the Wellness right now. Let us know how they are doing!

I'm not trying to be contradictory, but I was given albon suspension (a sulfa antibiotic) for Boots' severe coccidiosis when I got him at 8 weeks. IIRC, I had to give it every day for a week, and then just once a week for four weeks after that.

Not sure how reliable this site is, but it says albon is used to treat coccidiosis in cats and dogs. That doesn't mean it's a CURE though. http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=0+1451&aid=1481

Having just read up on coccidia, I would say that the mucous in his stinky stool is definitely not a good sign, and all your cats may need another round of medication .  Did you contact your Vet yet?  Just wondering the outcome.  Keep us posted.

Thanks all! I did call the vet this morning and although he still thinks the little ones will "outgrow" this, he told me to start them all back on the antibiotics.  The kittens don't care at all, but the cats are not happy with me.  

The stinky offender from yesterday left another heinously fragrant deposit this morning, but there was no mucous that I could see.  We stopped the Science Diet this morning and we'll see if it has any effect.

Glad you talked with your vet :bigthumb: Hope the kitties get better quickly :cross: More vibes for meds to work

There IS a cure for coccidiosis.  It's called Baycox, made by the Bayer company, and available for cats in such locations as Australia, but only for chickens (and perhaps other farm animals) in the U.S.