General Question Giardia

[ccurran]

Seamus went to the vets for his first visit. Over all he is pretty healthy. He has an eye infection, as was previously noted in an earlier thread, but it is looking much better. I got some antibiotic drops to put in for a week and hopefully that will clear up. The vet called us this morning and said that he has giardia in his stool. I didn't even realize anything was the matter! Usually I associate giardia with very very loose stool or diarrhea and lots of bad gas. Seamus seems fine. The vet said it could be festering in his intestines and on a scale of 1-4 he is a 3. So I am heading back to the vets today to get giardia medicine and hopefully we nip it in the bud before it gets too bad. I emailed my breeder and let her know about the giardia and she said she is going to get her dogs checked out as well just to be safe.

Is giardia normal? What should I do to try and avoid him getting it again? Should I give purified water? We live in Washington DC and the tap water isn't the best. My husband and I only drink filtered water.

Thanks!

 

[Davidh]

Giardia is not normal, but they can get it anywhere even from a water bowl. when you start treating you pup for it, make sure and disinfect your house with bleach to kill, any that may be on the floor and in food and water bowls. Please keep us posted how the treatment is going. If your refrigerator has filtered water. i would use that.

 

[sweetpeasmom2008]

Didnt know what is was but I looked it up and sounds nasty but can be cured! Please let us know how it goes!

 

[ccurran]

Sadly I know about giardia quite well ... I actually had it many times since I lived in Latin America for a number of years. If it is as bad in dogs as it is in humans we are in for a treat. I will definitely go through and disinfect our house. Thankfully he has only had one pooing accident in the house and that was on a washable mat so I already washed that. Thanks!

 

[Taylor]

I've also had giardia multiple times living in Nepal and Ecuador...The biggest issue is dehydration, but if he didn't have loose stools yet this shouldn't be a problem. Sometimes giardia can build up and hit them all at once, he could seem fine and then suddenly ill.

Did you take your dog swimming or did he drink any puddles of water outside? It could be your tap water but it also could have been before you got him (isn't he a new puppy?)

 

[ccurran]

So if he gets on meds right away could we avoid the whole diarrhea and very loose stool? So far his stool seems loose but I can still pick it up with a poop bag. Its more like soft serve.

He is a new puppy... only picked him up on Sunday so it definitely wasn't anything from when we have had him.

 

[bullmama]

Don't forget it is contagious. Right [MENTION=959]kazzy220[/MENTION] ? Since you have had it before you are well aware of the symptoms... But if you been getting a lot of puppy kisses... Yikes!


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[ccurran]

Crap ... yea I will try and avoid them until after he is done with his meds. Hopefully I dont get it again!

 

[nyerathrt]

Yea it is very contagious. Our boys have had it. Good batch of antibiotics will nip it

 

[Taylor]

And yes, if you medicate before the lose stools it should prevent them and therefore prevent dehydration...however, (for the future) you don't want to medicate too early without symptoms because you might assume its giardia and it could be something else.

 

[kazzy220]

Oh yes .... I know ALL about Giardia!!!!

Daddy was a rescue from an Amish puppy mill, and I probably did get it off him when I was getting puppy kisses whilst we brought him home. Soooo painful!!!

Just take every precaution to wash hands and keep everything as clean as possible until you get the all clear. Also make sure to pick up all poop and either pour boiling water or bleach over the place he went just to be safe!!! It is highly contagious!!

Remember that even when he is given the all-clear that giardia often comes up as a false negative, so give it a few more days to make sure that he is well and truly clear. The incubation period for humans getting it is approx 10 days before you start feeling any of the symptoms.

I also doubt very much that it came from your water supply! If that was the case than your entire area would be an epidemic by now. It is much more likely that your breeder has a big problem on their hands and that giarida is present at their kennels!!!!! Not good!!

 

[ccurran]

Seamus is on rice and chicken diet right now but his meds haven't helped clear him up. I am picking up new meds tomorrow for him to start. Fingers crossed these will work. Is it normal for puppies on a rice and chicken diet to poop a lot less? Unfortunately when he does poop it is still very very runny. I thought the meds he was on would clear him up but I guess not. Ughhhh I am hoping this clears up soon!

 

[cowsmom]

oh my im praying for your baby to get better soon.

 

[Gunny B]

It takes awhile for it to kick in. Our boxer contracted it while she was in quarantine in Hawaii at 9 months then quickly picked up coccidiosis (which is significantly worse) right after. Needless to say she is our $10,000 dog.

 

[ccurran]

Ugh I hope he gets better soon. Other than the runny poo he is totally fine. Playing and chewing like crazy, going for walks, sleeping a lot. Nothing out of the ordinary for a 13 week old puppy. I just want his poo to get better!