"Ear's lookin' at you, kid!" The owner of those delightful long ears is Solomon, a basset hound who was four years old at the time of his purchase.

      Solomon has "proven" himself as a breeder; with Lizzie, he fathered a daughter Rose, who was sold at the same time as both her parents.

     All three went to auction suffering from an intestinal parasite called coccidia, which causes a condition called coccidosis. Passed through feces, the most common symptom is diarrhea. In most adult dogs, coccidia can be present with no ill effects at all, but it can be very serious and even fatal for puppies.

     Coccidia can spread through a kennel like wildfire, particularly in crowded conditions sanitation is not all it should be. All a healthy dog would have to do would be to walk through an infected "mess" and lick his paws. Young puppies will get it from an infected mother, even if she is showing no symptoms.

     Coccidia/Coccidosis can be treated with antibiotics. It can be prevented by keeping living conditions clean. (Read more about coccidia/coccidosis here.)