Coccidia count? or no count?

My vet is a well respected herp vet for our area. One of the few who knows anything about reptiles at all.

She says that the way their lab tests for coccidia (centrifugal method) they can only report back if coccidia are present or not-present.

If the lap reports back positive for coccidia then she treats with Toltrazuril (baycox) – one course for 5-days.

Then during the same visit she says that coccidia are present in almost all beardies and that it’s when the count is high there is a concern. But she can’t give me a count – so how do we know if it’s high?!

To me these two positions conflict. If her lab can’t give me a count and all beardies have at least a small amount, then why test at all. Why not skip the $50 test and treat blind without the test since the test tells us very little.

I’m thinking her thinking on “most beardies will always have ‘some’ coccidia” is off base.

The whole conversation with her seamed circular and then she just gave me a dismissive look like I don’t get it because I can’t comprehend.

What am I missing?

Hi, it is true that beardies have coccidia in their systems and that a low count doesn't need to be treated. If it is 1+ or 2+ then they don't need antibiotics but if 3+ to 4+, then they should be treated if they are not eating, have a runny poop, are lethargic, etc. Sometimes the count comes down on its own so if they are acting normally and have no actual symptoms, then it's best to wait it out a little.

It sounds like your vet only looks at them under a microscope to see if any at all are present. If the sample was sent to a lab to be tested, then the results would show an actual count.

It's not a good idea to "treat blind" because antibiotics are very rough on their systems and kill off the good gut flora.

If a beardie is going through a stressful situation, then it can raise the coccidia level which can also cause other parasites that they have to multiply out of control, then treatment should be done.

Hope this helps a little.

I really thank you for your reply and it does help.

Funny that I pushed her on this point and she was very firm with
A) she uses a lab
B) the lab uses a centrifugal method that can't give a count
C) when I mentioned owners buying a scope and slides she said that this "float" method was not accurate.

Does her lab just suck? Why pay $50 plus for a yes/no answer?
Her story just doesn't add up.

I have to agree with you that something just doesn't add up. Did she happen to say that she saw actual coccidia and eggs?

What she said to me that she sends to a lab (in a little collection bottle) and they report back positive or negative for coccidia.

Said that because of the centrigugial metiod they use and because of varrying amounts of fecial material thier method does not provide a way to give a count.

She definately said that its done at an outside lab.