Technicians look for both the cyst and for antibodies to giardia. Dogs can intermittently shed giardia cysts so looking for antibodies help guarantee a diagnosis.
We recommend checking for intestinal parasites at your annual exam as well as if your four-legged family member is experience loose stool, diarrhea, or vomiting. Like so many parasitic infections these days, Giardia is becoming more and more resistant to treatment which means more and more animals are carriers.
Treatment varies depending clinical signs and severity of infection, but usually involves 1 or 2 oral medications. It is important to pick up fecal material at this time in particular to help prevent contamination of the home environment and re-infection. It is also very important to bring a fecal sample in 3 weeks after finishing medication s to make sure the infection has cleared.
Wherever possible, avoid all forms of water when away from home. Bring water and a dish to the park for your dog. When out hiking, clip one of these to your belt:. Avoid walking your pet where other animals including wildlife have pooped. Get regular fecal checks for your pet: we recommend twice a year.
What is Giardia? How Does a Pet Become Infected? Are Dogs the Only Ones Affected? These can show variable levels of dehydration, vomiting and diarrhea. Dogs that are younger and in their growth phase may not reach their growth potential and end up being unthrifty. However, they can be transferring the Giardia parasite to other dogs when they are out in the park, so it is very important to check for it by doing a fecal sample and if it comes out positive, treat it.
Generally, a dog that has Giardia will have a softish stool. Sometimes it can vary from sort of soft, like melted ice cream all the way to extreme diarrhea. Sometimes you will have some pet dogs that are positive for Giardia that have a regular stool, so that is why testing is so crucial.
Giardia can be very easily identified through a fecal or a stool sample. Treatment involves medication, typically one called Fenbendazole, as the first choice, if that does not work, we choose a product called Metronidazole. It can be an extremely resistant parasite, which may require several bouts of treatment to get rid of it.
Beyond medication, things like a good digestible diet and probiotics are likewise useful in controlling the parasite. Some pets may need follow-up tests and treatments based on their condition and seriousness of the infection. All contaminated animals should be re-tested 2 to 4 weeks after completion of treatment.
Luckily, the odds of humans being infected with this parasite from their canines are relatively low. This has to do with the fact that there are seven different types of Giardia, A through G. Dogs are most typically infected with the types C and D, felines with F, and people most frequently get types A and B. Even so, it can occur!
If your pet is diagnosed with giardiasis environmental disinfection and good personal hygiene will help prevent accidental infection of other people and family pets. It can be a very resilient parasite, which may need multiple bouts of treatment to eliminate it. In addition to medication, things like a good digestible diet and probiotics are also effective in controlling the parasite. Some dogs may require follow-up tests and treatments based on their condition and severity of the infection.
All infected pets should be re-tested two to four weeks after completion of treatment. Luckily, the odds of humans being infected with Giardia from dogs is relatively low. This is because there are seven types of this parasite, A through G.
Dogs are most commonly infected with types C and D, cats with F, and humans most commonly infected with A and B.
Even so, it can happen! Giardia causes gastrointestinal upset, vomiting, diarrhea and poor growth in dogs. Environmental disinfection and good personal hygiene help prevent accidental spread to humans and other pets if your dog is diagnosed with giardiasis.
In particular, people with immunodeficiency, such as AIDS or cancer, or who are undergoing chemotherapy, should exercise extreme care, especially when handling feces or after administering medications. After you are sure Giardia is not an existing problem, good hygiene and easy precautions can help you a lot. Bring water and a dish for your dog whenever you are going for long walks. Keep their food and water dishes clean, as well as toys and accessories.
Remember to do stool tests on your furry friend at least annually. This article provides a summary view of some aspects you need to know about pets and how to protect them from giardia infections.
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