Does the Giardia Vaccine Work?

A vaccination question was called into CAT CHAT® by a lady who got a puppy (curly coated retriever), which turned out to have giardia. The vet had treated the pup for it with panacur and another antibiotic — then she saw a vet specialist who recommended a giardia vaccination for this dog as well as her healthy 4-year-old dog (another retriever who had no symptoms). First of all, I know both from personal experience and research that giardia is tough to knock out of a dog’s system — but I had not heard of a vaccine being used. I also would question where the puppy picked up the giardia since the older retriever did not have it. Sure enough, when I asked whether the puppy had come from the breeder with giardia it turns out that she did. Therefore, you have to ask yourself whether in the absence of a continuing environmental risk for reinfection whether the dogs were actually at risk for infection, even if a vaccine was effective? So I wrote to the Official vet of DOG TALK®, Phil Padrid, and asked for his thoughts on vaccinating for giardia?

The great majority of literature on this suggests the vaccine is not very effective for prevention or control. The Companion Animal Parasite Council does not recommend it either (if you are not familiar with this group it would be good to investigate, they do great scientific and evidence-based work).

None of the good general practitioners or gastro-intestinal veterinary specialists I know recommend it except sometimes in particular crowded shelter situations, not for individual patients. The most effective treatment seems to be combination of fenbendazole and flagyl That’s the best we have for now.

– Phil Padrid DVM

So I hope that Curly Coated retriever puppy is feeling better by now — and that their mom is in the market for a vet whom is better educated or up-to-date on current thinking.

Tracie

The Dog Bible