Giardia is a parasite that contracted by drinking contaminated water or coming in contact with the feces of a contaminated dog. The giardia inhabits the small intestines where they reproduce and develop into a dormant cyst that can survive in the outside environment until it finds a new host. Many dogs with giardia have no symptoms, but some dogs have loose, gray stool and weight loss. Without treatment, giardia may remain in your dog’s system for months.
Instructions
Treating Giardia
1
Visit your veterinarian to obtain a dewormer, such as fenbendazole. This will usually come in a pill form and require two treatments several weeks apart. There is no pill specifically for giardia, but veterinarians report that dewormers are effective in removing parasites. If the first treatment doesn’t relieve symptoms, a different medication may be recommended.
2
Treat all dogs in the house if you have more than one dog. Giardia passes through the environment, such as infected feces, so other dogs may contract it.
3
Clean all feces immediately. Treat dog runs with quaternary ammonium compounds, as well as disinfectant, ammonia and bleach, and soak for 20 minutes before rinsing off. Keep dogs off contaminated grassy areas for at least one month. Steam clean carpets and thoroughly clean each area your dog has access to.
4
Change water regularly and don’t allow dogs to share water bowls until treatment is complete.
5
Wash all dogs thoroughly with warm, soapy water as cysts can cling to the dogs. Disinfect the cleaning area once completed.
Giardia and Companion Cats and Dogs This short article is for companion pet proprietors. It provides facts about giardia infection in companion pets. Tempting Desk Scraps Your Pet Shouldn’t Eat Although you may well get pleasure from a white chocolate bar with macadamia nuts or a plate of chips and guacamole, sharing these treats with your furry or feathered buddies could do a lot more than just make them switch their noses up at their typical kibble. Human treats like avocados can make pets pretty ill, or even get rid of them. Fortunately, animal nourishment professionals have compiled a record of foods to prevent sharing with pets, in buy to assistance homeowners comprehend the threats they pose. Vet Fees: The Top rated five Secrets To Radically Reduce Them Veterinary Care is high-priced. I must know, for I am a Veterinarian who owned a Veterinary Medical center for practically 15 decades. Veterinary Medication has modified dramatically in the past 30 a long time gone are the days of James Herriot when Veterinarians handled each and every kind of animal, and frequently produced house phone calls. This post will give you an comprehending of why veterinary expenses have long gone up so significantly, and the leading 5 factors you can do to reduced your vet prices.
Fido has diarrhea, is listless, and has lost weight…
The symptoms are typical of several diseases, but if Fido has had contact with dirty (or potentially contaminated) water or with dogs showing similar signs, Giardiasis should at least be suspected.
Giardia are protozoans, tiny, one-celled parasitic life forms with the potential to cause serious illness. Some dogs are carriers who show no symptoms, but others get sick and need treatment.
Like many disease organisms, Giardia mature in stages. Unlike many others, no time elapses between infestation with the dormant phase and activation of the disease. The cysts (the inactive form) are found in contaminated water and feces. Once ingested by the dog, the cysts open and discharge the mobile form known as the trophozoite, a pear-shaped critter with whip-like flagella that propel it through the intestine. If the dog is healthy, the trophozoites may live in the lower digestive tract for years. If the dog has an immature or overburdened immune system, the trophozoites continue to multiply by dividing and can cause the debilitating disease.
The life cycle of Giardia is still somewhat of a mystery. Scientists do know that the trophozoites encyst at some point, and that the cysts are passed into the environment when the dog defecates, but the exact timing and mechanism are not yet known. It is also unclear whether the protozoans are a single species or several species, each with a specific host. Suffice to say, however, that Giardia is an equal opportunity disease that infects several species of animals, including humans. Thus the presence of cysts in the environment can trigger an outbreak in people as well as pets. Cysts can remain viable for several weeks or months in cold, wet environments, so areas littered with feces should be avoided and piles should be removed from backyards.
In the mid 1990s, a guide dog school in England was hit by a severe outbreak of diarrhea. Dr. Maggie Fisher, a veterinarian with an interest in parasitology, helped devise a treatment and disinfection strategy to prevent recurrence. Fisher described the diagnosis and treatment of the disease as follows.
Symptoms: Large populations of Giardia can interfere with the absorption of food and produce feces that are soft, light-colored, and greasy. Mucus from the large intestine may also indicate that the large intestine is irritated even though the colony of active protozoa remains in the small intestine. Blood tests appear normal with the possible exception of an increase in a type of white blood cells and mild anemia.
Diagnosis: Since diarrhea is a common symptom of intestinal infection, causes such as Salmonella and Campylobacter are generally ruled out before testing for Giardia is done. Direct microscopic inspection of feces is necessary to determine the presence of the protozoan. Examination of soft feces may reveal the active trophozoites, and cysts may be found in firm excrement. The number of cysts can vary from day to day, so best chances of detecting this form of Giardia lies in collecting samples over three days for a fecal flotation test or conducting individual tests every two or three days until at least three tests have been done. A quicker test does exist, but it is more expensive and requires an experienced technician to run.
Treatment:There are several options of treatment , some with two- or three-day protocols and others needing seven-to-10 days to complete the job. Flagyl (Metronidazole) is an old stand-by treatment for bacterial infestations that cause diarrhea and is about 60-70 percent effective in curing giardiasis. However, Flagyl has potentially serious side-effects in some animals, including vomiting, anorexia, liver toxicity, and some neurological signs, and it cannot be used in pregnant dogs. In a recent study, Panacur (Fenbendazole), which is approved for use in treating dogs with roundworm, hookworm, and whipworm, has been shown to be effective in treating canine giardiasis. Panacur is safe to use in puppies at least six weeks of age.
In large kennels, mass treatment of all dogs is preferable, and the kennel and exercise areas should be thoroughly disinfected. Kennel runs should be steam-cleaned and left to dry for several days before dogs are reintroduced. Lysol, ammonia, and bleach are effective decontamination agents.
Because Giardia crosses species and can infect people, sanitation is important when caring for dogs. Kennel workers and pet owners alike should be sure to wash hands after cleaning dog runs or removing feces from yards, and babies and toddlers should be kept away from dogs that have diarrhea. When traveling with Fido, owners should prevent him from drinking potentially infected water in streams, ponds, or swamps and, if possible, avoid public areas polluted with feces.
References
1. Giardia in Dogs by Maggie Fisher, BVetMed, MRCVS; at Vet On-Line, (http://www.priory.com/vet.htm) a service of Priory Lodge Education Limited.
2. Treatment information is a blend of information from Dr. Fisher and from “Giardia,” an article by Dr. Holly Frisby, Drs. Foster and Smith Veterinary Services Department,(http://www.drsfostersmith.com).
Norma Bennett Woolf
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Remaining healthy on long journeys can be very difficult. Hidden in lush foliage there are viruses borne by insect, and emerging from a hotel’s faucet is bacteria that can lay you up for weeks. One of most common illnesses that traveler’s come down with while on vacation is called giardia. To help you once infected by this debilitating sickness-or to help you remain illness free while overseas-contact a travel clinic. What is Giardia & How is it Spread? Giardia is a microscopic parasite that is common in both animals (including cats and dogs) and humans. Giardia causes giardiasis, which is sometimes referred to as Beaver Fever. It is a diarrheal disease and is common overseas and in the United States. Once the parasite is ingested it lives in the intestines and is passed to the next person (or animal) through feces. When outside the body the disease can last for months, making it difficult to eradicate. It is easily passed on from one host to another. By visiting a travel clinic you can learn all the ways in which giardia is spread. These include: • Ingesting under cooked food that contains the organism • Touching things like bathroom door handles • A visit to a farm or anywhere animals reside • Swallowing drinking water or using ice cubes made from infected water • Swallowing miniscule amounts of infected lake water or pool water. • Social contact with someone who is infected • Traveling to countries where giardia is common. These countries/geographical areas include Mexico, Central America, South America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and elsewhere on the globe including all of Europe and North America. It would seem the spindly hand of giardia infection creeps across the entire world. Symptoms typically begin one to three weeks after infection occurs and can last for longer than six weeks. Receiving treatment from a certified travel clinic can shorten this cycle. It is time to visit a travel clinic if you begin suffering from any of the following symptoms: • Diarrhea • Stomach and/or abdominal cramps • Nausea • Dehydration • Excessive gas • Greasy-type stool that tends to float A stool sample is typically collected for analysis. There are several very effective prescription drugs that can be used for giardia treatment. The fact is that tons of people who travel acquire this parasite. Diarrhea is awful when it lasts a day or two-six weeks or more is downright torturous. If preparing a journey overseas, it is highly recommended that you visit a travel clinic. Depending on where you are traveling to vaccinations may be required for entry. This is certainly true of the yellow fever vaccination. Many countries will only grant entry with a certificate proving a recent yellow fever inoculation. For those residing in the New York City area requiring a travel clinic, there is a certified facility located just two blocks from Grand Central Station. Simply log on to NYC travel clinic or call             1-212-696-5900      . Whether preparing for a trip or in need of a prescription for a post-trip poop party-you will certainly find the help you need at Travel vaccinations NYC.
A Common and Unpleasant Problem – or – Jumpin Giardia, Batman!
February 10, 2009
When you work in dog daycare, you live in constant fear of three things: Dog fights, high-maintenance customers, and the dreaded Giardia.
Giardia is not a life-threatening disease, but it sure is messy and there’s a chance you could become infected, too. Not pleasant. The symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting, but symptoms are only shown once the condition is advanced and most likely has already spread to other dogs (or your co-workers!).
Dogs become infected with Giardia when they ingest the cysts of the parasite found in feces or in contaminated water. That dog can then lick another dog’s or person’s face and spread the cysts to the recipients of their kisses. The cysts open in the intestine, reproduce, form more cysts, and are passed on through the feces. Once there is an over-abundance of the parasite, that’s when the symptoms begin. Hooray!
Treatment is simple. A few days on Fenbendazole or Metronidazol, and they (or you)Â should be ok. Diagnosing the condition is another story, though. Cysts may not occur in every sample of feces your dog makes, so the vet might need multiple samples to confirm the presence of Giardia before treatment, and the absence of the parasites after treatment.
If your dog is diagnosed with Giardia, or if you even suspect he has it, don’t expose him to other dogs, and clean up after him thoroughly. The cysts can live in cold, wet environments for weeks or even months. Avoid boarding him or taking him to daycare. If you must, notify the staff of his condition so they can keep him separate from the playgroup. Understand that your dog will likely spend most of the day in a crate, isolated, to prevent the condition spreading to other dogs.
“So, how do I prevent my dog from getting into this mess in the first place,†you say? If your dog socializes with other dogs, in fact, as long as your dog is a dog, there’s a very good chance he will get Giardia at some point. He can pick it up at the park, the dog beach, kennels, on a walk around the block, pretty much anywhere he might encounter feces. Definitely discourage him from eating, or even sniffing poo. If he steps in some, clean it off of him before he cleans himself.
And I know it seems cruel and heartbreaking and awful to say this, but, don’t kiss your dog! and do your best not to let dogs lick your face. Sure Giardia has helped some of my co-workers lose some weight, but it ain’t pretty. Every time we suspect a case of Giardia in the dogs, each one of us flutters around the daycare weilding a spray bottle of bleach in one hand and Lysol in the other, hoping to exorcise the place of the evil cysts. Whether our obsessive disinfecting has any effect on the spread of the bugs in the daycare, there’s no way to know. But at least we feel like we’re doing something to fight back against the dreaded Giardia.
Giardia is a shortened form of Giardiasis, the parasite that invades your dog’s intestines and causes the symptoms. Dog giardia interferes with absorption of food and can cause serious complications such as malnutrition if not treated.
Symptoms of Giardia
Symptoms of giardia in dogs include frequent vomiting, loss of appetite, significant weight loss, lack of energy and loss of fur. Some dogs also have a persistent fever that lasts three or four days, or a recurring fever over a period of time. The most telling symptom is diarrhea, with watery, grease-like feces that emit a particularly pungent odor.
Causes of Giardia
The giardiasis parasite is transmitted through the ingestion of animal feces containing dormant cysts, or through contaminated food or water. Many dogs are infected with giardia by swimming in water containing the parasite, since dogs frequently drink the water as they swim. No specific species are at greater risk of infection than others, but frequent exposure to affected areas does create a greater risk of infection.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Giardia
Since the symptoms of giardia in dogs are similar to signs of other conditions, your veterinarian will have to rule out other possible causes of infection such as salmonella. Giardia is diagnosed by examining three separate stool samples taken at two-day intervals for the presence of giardia cysts.
If giardia parasites are present, your veterinarian can prescribe a medication such as Metronidazole, which is commonly used to treat the symptoms of parasite infections
While a vaccine has been developed, it is still in the experimental stages and has not yet proven effective in preventing infection. However, the vaccination can help treat an existing giardia condition.
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Dr Kaya reports that Lacey does not have giardia in her bloody stool!That’s great to hear…and should clear up within a few days..It’s weird because even the little things her body recovers so fast nowadays.It’s like the recovery time is cut in half.
I am happy & excited to say that although we got Dr Kaya’s message late that our pup,Lacey,is free from giardia & heartworms after she had her blood drawn last month.Dr Kaya mentioned the last time we saw him back in November that they wanted to draw her blood to be sure that the giardia and worms didn’t return.Much to our blessings she’s free from these diseases!Now,it’s been about a month since November 13 2009 since I started Lacey on organic dog food.Hoping her medical conditions and expenses continue to get less as the years go on in her lifetime! To see how Lacey’s last visit to Dr Kaya was please follow this link:
Dr John Kaya has reported that Lacey does not have any signs of Giardia and no returns of worms!I told Lacey that she did it and is free from worms,no giardia and no meds in a excited tone and she jumped up,gave hi5′s,rolled over and even gave her a piece of chips to celebrate her health status is better than ever!
On Saturday we will be taking Lacey’s stool sample to VCA to see if she is clear from giardia.Am hoping she is.Her appetite seems to be a lot better and we are so grateful that the medicine didn’t have any effects on her!
Thursday was the last day for Lacey to take her meds for her giardia.We need to bring her stool sample to VCA in two weeks.On Friday she got a new bone (Redbarn)http://www.redbarninc.com/images/product/medium/15.jpg and she also had her teeth brushed.She usually gets her teeth brushed on Fridays.Lacey thought we were still giving her medicine so when we picked her up she hid her face in my mom’s arms but once we got her to open her mouth so we could brush her teeth she let us brush her teeth.Hopefully the Giardia will be negative in a few weeks.
Yesterday was my birthday and Lacey gave me a lot of “love†with lots of kisses.Later in the night she became “jumpy†because 1)she’s still taking her medicine which she really does not like even to put the syringe in her mouth is something else altogether.2)she was given a bath right after her medicine 3)she had to be brushed 4)she had to get her ears cleaned.I think it got to be too much for her so it scared her to even come near us for a while.Instead she was hiding from us probably afraid….Think next time we need to space things out a little more so she does not get scared.Having a scared puppy is not good at all.
Lacey is on 250 mg of Metronidazole and needs to take a half tablet once a day for 6 days.We tried giving it to her orally but she wouldn’t take it.She’d sniff and turn away.We tried taking a piece of chicken and cutting it and stuffing her medicine in the chicken but she ate the chicken and spit out the pill.So we had two more chances.That was to grind up her medicine and put it in chicken noodle soup from the can not heated and see if she’d drink her soup.She did drink a few sips but after a couple licks she didn’t want anymore so we went to the last resort which was take the chicken noodle soup base mixed with her grinded pill and put it in a syringe to squirt it into her mouth.Well,she didn’t like it one bit.After she was trying to get the taste of the medicine out of her mouth.So far she’s got no side effects from it.Her appetite is good.We’ll see and I will be watching out for the side effects if any.Otherwise we will be sure to call Dr Kaya.Don’t want anything to hurt her body.
Today Dr Kaya called and told us our pup Lacey is FREE from worms and it came back NEGATIVE!Best news I heard today but he went on and told us that she has Giardia.Usually he gives the dog 2 medicines.One we tried to give her before but she wouldn’t eat which was for the worms.So we have to give her Metronidazole once a day for 5 days.We are going to ask VCA how else can we give it to her if she does not take it on her own with food.I told Lacey she needs to take medicine again and she gave me a look (with her head tilted slightly to one side and gave me a 3 second look)as if to sayâ€Again?I have to take medicine again?â€I am not sure of the dosage but I will find out when my parents pick it up.I am also saving a piece of chicken for her as a back up way to get her to take her medicine.
Today we took Lacy’s stool to the vet at VCA Animal Hospital to see if our girl is cleared from worms(hookworms and roundworms which she took Pyrantel and was dewormed twice).The telephone person,Jackie,said that it would take about 2 days to see if she’s cleared from it and that they will call us with the results.They are also going to check for Giardia.According to Jackie,at VCA,it’s going around a lot in dogs lately.So if you have any dogs be sure to keep up with your vaccinations for your pets.It’s important to keep them happy and healthy so they can have a lot of time to spend with you!
When you work in dog daycare, you live in constant fear of three things: Dog fights, high-maintenance customers, and the dreaded Giardia.
Giardia is not a life-threatening disease, but it sure is messy and there’s a chance you could become infected, too. Not pleasant. The symptoms are diarrhea and vomiting, but symptoms are only shown once the condition is advanced and most likely has already spread to other dogs (or your co-workers!).
Dogs become infected with Giardia when they ingest the cysts of the parasite found in feces or in contaminated water. That dog can then lick another dog’s or person’s face and spread the cysts to the recipients of their kisses. The cysts open in the intestine, reproduce, form more cysts, and are passed on through the feces. Once there is an over-abundance of the parasite, that’s when the symptoms begin. Hooray!
Treatment is simple. A few days on Fenbendazole or Metronidazol, and they (or you)Â should be ok. Diagnosing the condition is another story, though. Cysts may not occur in every sample of feces your dog makes, so the vet might need multiple samples to confirm the presence of Giardia before treatment, and the absence of the parasites after treatment.
If your dog is diagnosed with Giardia, or if you even suspect he has it, don’t expose him to other dogs, and clean up after him thoroughly. The cysts can live in cold, wet environments for weeks or even months. Avoid boarding him or taking him to daycare. If you must, notify the staff of his condition so they can keep him separate from the playgroup. Understand that your dog will likely spend most of the day in a crate, isolated, to prevent the condition spreading to other dogs.
“So, how do I prevent my dog from getting into this mess in the first place,†you say? If your dog socializes with other dogs, in fact, as long as your dog is a dog, there’s a very good chance he will get Giardia at some point. He can pick it up at the park, the dog beach, kennels, on a walk around the block, pretty much anywhere he might encounter feces. Definitely discourage him from eating, or even sniffing poo. If he steps in some, clean it off of him before he cleans himself.
And I know it seems cruel and heartbreaking and awful to say this, but, don’t kiss your dog! and do your best not to let dogs lick your face. Sure Giardia has helped some of my co-workers lose some weight, but it ain’t pretty. Every time we suspect a case of Giardia in the dogs, each one of us flutters around the daycare weilding a spray bottle of bleach in one hand and Lysol in the other, hoping to exorcise the place of the evil cysts. Whether our obsessive disinfecting has any effect on the spread of the bugs in the daycare, there’s no way to know. But at least we feel like we’re doing something to fight back against the dreaded Giardia.
Giardia is a protozoan parasite that is infectious to both humans and pets all over the world. It infects nearly 2% of adults and 6% to 8% of children in developed countries worldwide. Nearly 33% of people in developing countries have had giardiasis. According to the CDC, Giardia infection is the most common intestinal parasitic disease affecting people in the United States.
We are certainly seeing a rise in the numbers of our veterinary patients being diagnosed with Giardiasis. However, it is unclear whether the rise in the number of cases is due to a true increase inthe incidence of the disease or whether it is due to better methods of detection.
Method of transmission Giardia cysts are shed in the feces from infected people or animals and can persist in the environment for extended periods of time. When animals or humans ingest these cysts, the parasite attaches to the lining of the intestine in the new host.Â
An infected person might shed 1-10 billion cysts daily in their feces and this might last for several months. However, swallowing as few as 10 cysts might cause someone to become ill. Giardia may be passed from person-to-person and from animal-to-animal. There is also some concern that certain subspecies can be passed from animal-to-person.Â
Contaminated water is the classical source of a Giardia infection. This is one of the reasons that backpackers and campers are advised to boil or treat water obtained from fresh rivers or lakes prior to drinking.Â
Symptoms Infection with Giardia causes problems with normal intestinal absorption of vitamins and other nutrients. This leads to a profuse, watery foul-smelling diarrhea. Animals and humans can also be carriers of the organism without showing any symptoms.Â
Diagnosis In the past, diagnosis in our veterinary patients was difficult. The stool sample being examined needed to be fresh, plus Giardia rarely show up on the usual fecal flotation testing methods used to detect other parasites. Additionally, Giardia cysts can be shed intermittently, so infections can be missed on a single fecal float.Â
Recently a commercial ELISA test has become available, which tests for the presence of Giardia proteins in the feces. This method has dramatically improved the ability to detect Giardiainfections and the test can be completed in the office.Â
Treatment A broad spectrum dewormer called fenbendazole (Panacur®) seems to be the most reliable treatment at this time. Metronidazole (Flagyl®) in relatively high doses has been a classical treatment for Giardia but studies show that it is not always effective as a sole agent. In some cases, the medications are used together.Â
Environmental Decontamination Treatment with medication should also be combined with environmental decontamination.Because infected pets may have been shedding cysts into the environment for some period of time before detection, it is important to thoroughly clean the environment to prevent re-infection. Guidelines from the CDC for cleaning of the environmental are listed below. In addition, because cysts can stick to the fur of the infected patient and be a source for re-infection, the positive animal should be bathed at least once in the course of treatment.Â
Carpets: Steam clean the area at 158° F for 5 minutes or 212 F for 1 minute. Read the product labels for specifications, and follow all instructions.
Other items: Dishwasher-safe toys and water and food bowls can be disinfected in a dishwasher that has a dry cycle or a final rinse that exceeds one of the following: 113° F for 20 minutes, 122° Ffor 5 minutes or 162° F for 1 minute. If a dishwasher is not available, submerge dishwasher-safe items in boiling water for at least 1 minute. Toys and bedding can be washed in the washing machine and then heat-dried on the highest heat setting for 30 minutes. If a clothes dryer is not available, allow items to thoroughly air dry under direct sunlight.Â
The Yard:Â
Wear gloves when handling feces.
Remove feces promptly and put it in a plastic bag.
Limit access to common outdoor spaces, where possible, if pets have diarrhea or are being treated for Giardia. It has been demonstrated that dogs that play at dog parks are at greater risk for infection.
Eliminate any source of standing water.
Do not allow any new animals, especially young ones, to enter the yard or other outdoor spaces until the patient has been shown to be free of Giardia.
Giardia is hard to completely eliminate from the environment, but there are things you can do to help decrease the risk of pet reinfection and of human infection. Please remember that despite your best efforts to clean the environment, Giardia can persist in outdoor spaces and pet reinfection is possible.Â
Follow up In most cases, we do recommend follow up after treatment for Giardia to ensure that the organism has been completely cleared. In general, a fecal flotation is checked two weeks post-treatment to ensure that the animal is no longer shedding cysts. The ELISA test can be repeated 6-8 weeks post-treatment to ensure that the organism is no longer present.Â
Julie Irwin, VMD
Julie Irwin, VMD was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. She attended Cornell University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts degree with a dual major in Mathematics and Biology. She then attended the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, graduating in 1998. Julie and Steve met in veterinary school and were married shortly after graduation. Julie’s other interests include rowing, cross-country skiing and hiking. She and Steve, along with their three children, have recently relocated to Seattle and are enjoying exploring the Pacific Northwest.
Giardiasis attacked my two, precious Beauty King Terriers (or as their breed is more commonly known: Cairn Terrier) on a weekend, because these horrendous illnesses cannot possibly occur during normal veterinarian office house, of course.  It turned them into helpless lumps until the Metronidazole, that the vet prescribed for them, kicked in.
Giardiasis caused my Marlon to go from this active, lively, loud-mouthed lovey:
s
To this mess (yes, that’s a pile of vomit next to him on the floor of my car):
My newt went from this ball of happy:
To this limp, ol’ crumple of fur:
This is my rendition of the culprit:
Now that I know that this evil Giardia bastard can sicken my dogs, it has taken some fun away from my fellas’ outdoor adventures.  I’m used to my filthy terriers wading in mud holes, periodically licking on dead shit and studying other animals’ dookies.  These guys love to hike and get dirty, so there’s really no tellin’ where they ingested that ugly Giardia organism.  So, unfortunately for them, I have to be more mindful about what they investigate, lick and drink while outdoors from now on.
Lesson: dogs can develop Giardiasis and seeing your pup so sick will break your heart.  Don’t let your furry loves drink out of sketchy ponds or puddles. Â
As all pet owners know, parasites such as fleas, ticks, mites or heartworm are a constant threat to dogs and cats. The reason is simple. Unlike humans that live a very hygienic life, our pets, particularly those are frequently outdoors, are frequently exposed to sources of infection and infestation. This includes a threat that causes approximately 15% of diarrhea cases in puppies, kittens and older pets. The threat is called giardia and it is found in lakes, streams, standing water and other areas that have been contaminated by feces that contain giardia cysts.
The giardia protozoa is passed by pet to pet when feces or feces contaminated water is ingested. The giardia travel in cysts that protect the infection during transport. The protozoa are shed in cysts as well as the population grows inside the dog. When these cysts enter your pet’s body, they enter the intestines where they cling to the walls and colonize. As the giardia population grows, it draws nutrients from your dog or cat, causing diarrhea, weigh toss, vomiting and lethargy. The most common symptom is diarrhea. It is rare to see blood and diarrhea mixed together.
When presented with these symptoms, a veterinarian will seek to eliminate other possible causes of gastrointestinal distress. if they suspect giardia, they will test the feces and look for any cysts that have been shed from the body. If tests prove positive, the veterinarian will prescribe a prescription medication such as Flagylis or Metronidazole. These result in an elimination of protozoa in the intestines and will keep additional cysts from being shed.
Most dogs that have the giardia will be asymptomatic or show no symptoms. If a veterinarian diagnoses giardia in an asymptomatic dog or cat, no treatment is necessary,. That said there may be circumstances where it is called for, such as to eliminate possible exposure to other animals.
Which leads to prevention. They key to avoiding this disease starts with providing a dog or cat only fresh water to drink. Avoid any body of water outdoors. If your dog frequently visits the kennel, make sure that is it kept clean. Sometimes giardia cannot be avoided, such as in other places that dogs frequently visit such as a dog run or park.
Giardia is host specific, so passing giardia from dog or cat to human is not considered a risk. There are rare cases when human giardia has been passed to a pet. More study is needed on inter-species risk.
Canine giardia is a parasite primarily found in standing water, lakes and streams. A single cell parasite encased in a protective cyst passes from an infected dog through the feces. Surfaces that the feces touch become infected. When dogs lick these surfaces, or drink from contaminated water, the cysts enter the body, where the protozoa leave the cyst and attach themselves to the walls of the intestines. The infection primarily causes symptoms in puppies and older dogs.
Dog Giardia Symptoms
Most dogs infected with giardia will be asymptomatic, meaning that they will show no clinical symptoms. The only sign of gi
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ardia will be cysts shed in the feces. In this case, the problem will only be diagnosed during routine care such as a fecal exam as part of a checkup. In dogs that show symptoms, the primary sign is persistent diarrhea that doesn’t seem to go away. Giardia is the cause of 15% of diarrhea cases. Other symptoms including vomiting, weight loss as the infection grows and steals nutrients from the body and lethargy. It is rare to see a bloody dog stool.
Canine Giardia Treatment
There are several prescription medications available to treat giardiasis. The most commonly used medications are Fenbendazole and Febantel. These are generally safe and without side effects. The medication Metronidazole (Flagyl) is also used, however it can have some side effects in some dogs, which is why it is often a second choice. In addition to prescription medications, during recovery and to reduce the change of future outbreaks, a homeopathic such as Parasite Dr. can be used to strengthen the dogs natural defenses against Parasites. Giardia in dogs can cause death when causing clinical symptoms, so treatment is required.
To help restore digestive health after treatment with prescription medications have begun (3 to 7 days), a veterinarian might recommend adding fiber to the diet with a product like Natural Moves which contains the fiber Psyllium, and natural flora with a prebiotic/probiotic supplement.
After your dog has been diagnosed with giardia, be sure to bathe the dog to ensure that all cysts that may be trapped in the coat are removed.
Giardia Prevention
Giardia dog problems can be averted through improved hygiene. For example, only provide your dog fresh drinking water when walking outdoors. If your dog is allowed to run free in a backyard and go to the bathroom at will, be sure to clean up frequently to avoid exposure to feces. When visiting areas such as parks and dog runs, be aware of unhygienic conditions. Inspect kennels to ensure that proper sanitary conditions are maintained.
Can Dog Giardia be Transmitted to Humans?
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, few direct animal-to-human outbreaks have been documented although linkages have been identified between canine and human transmission. It is more likely, although rare for human giardia to spread to dogs. Cat giardia is also species specific, with no documentation supporting that it spread to other species. That said, its’ a good idea to wear gloves when handling feces and to bag and dispose of any pet feces.
Giardia are single-celled organisms found in the small intestines of cats. These bacteria go through two states: a motile (swimming) stage, and a systic (pictured) stage. Giardia systs are the most common way that it is transfered from host to host. These cells can withstand freezing temperature and chlorinated water, and can live for several months, unless exposed to oxygen, causing them to dry up, or are exposed to sunlight.
Cats are infected by consuming the feces of other cats who are infected, most likely from sharing a litterbox. Giardiasis is the official name given to this infection. This disease can go undetected for years before the infected cat shows any signs of illness dur to this infection. In North America, only 4% of cats have been diagnosed with this infection.
The most common symptom of Giardiasis is diarrhea. Stools may contain blood, muccus, or flatulence, and the cat may lose weight or neglect grooming. Since these symptoms can indecate numerous other diseases, like Cancer, only a vetranarian can accurately determine and diagnose your cat.
Giardia can be diagnosed by fecal stools being examined under a microscope, and since the cells can be ellucive, more than one stool is needed to be examined.
Giardia is most commonly treated with an oral medication called “Metronidazole†(more commonly known as Flagyl.) Studies show that cats reject this drug more than dogs, so sometimes it takes several courses of this drug, or a change in medication, to treat this infection.
Effective cleaning and disinfecting of the litterbox will help prevent Giardia from spreading to other cats in your household.
Giardia in dogs is a serious health condition. Dogs that have the condition will experience harmful symptoms. Thus, owners of dogs should take the necessary steps to prevent and/or treat it.
Giardia in dogs is caused by parasites that infiltrate the tract of the intestines. Most of the time, dogs will contract the condition when they consume food, water, and/or any other item that contains the parasites. The condition is not exclusive to dogs. In other words, other living organisms, including humans, can contract it.
Dogs that have Giardia will display specific symptoms. A few of these symptoms consist of frequent flatulence, decrease in weight, diarrhea and nausea. Dog owners should have a veterinarian diagnose the condition. A veterinarian will more than likely diagnose the condition with a type of test.
As stated, dog owners should take certain steps in order to prevent and/or treat Giardia in dogs. A vaccination, called GiardiaVax, is one way to promote the prevention of it. Another one of the ways to prevent it is by keeping the dogs and their surroundings sanitary. In order to treat the condition, a veterinarian will recommend a medication, such as Metronidazole. Also, owners can give their dogs a daily dog supplement that can help prevent and treat it. Healthy Pet Depot is one company that offers owners this type of dog supplement.
Healthy Pet Depot is a pet supplement company that only uses high quality and natural ingredients in their dog supplements. Sodium, artificial colors, fragrances, gluten, dairy, wheat, corn, soy, and preservatives are never used in the company’s products. The products are produced in a processing plant that is FDA-approved. The products are shipped to pet owners around the globe.
Healthy Pet Depot’s website is www.healthypetdepot.com. Pet owners can visit this website, where they can purchase pet supplements, read blog posts, and communicate with other pet enthusiasts in a pet forum. Also, the company’s Facebook and Twitter pages can be accessed through their website.
Healthy Pet Depot’s dog supplement called Digestive Enzymes with Probiotics can help prevent and treat Giardia in dogs and contains many beneficial ingredients. A few of these beneficial ingredients consist of digestive enzymes and probiotics, hence the product’s similar name. In addition to preventing and treating conditions like Giardia in dogs, the supplement also supports the absorption of nutrients. The absorption of nutrients is very important because nutrients promote the overall health of dogs.
Digestive Enzymes with Probiotics is a veterinarian recommended dog supplement, available in a bottle that contains chewable tablets that taste like bacon. Since dogs will love the flavor, administering them to your dog is easy. Furthermore, each bottle contains 90 tablets, which is very generous when compared to competing brands. The price per bottle is very economical.
A dog’s weight will determine how many tablets they will need each day. Essentially, dogs that are heavier will require higher daily doses. By the same token, dogs that are at lighter will need lower doses every day. For specific dose information, dog owners should read the instructions on the bottle.
Healthy Pet Depot also offers these Digestive Enzymes with Probiotics, which treat and prevent Giardia in dogs, in a combo pack. Additionally, the combo pack contains a pet supplement called Milk Thistle with EPA and DHA, which promotes a healthy gallbladder, pancreas, urinary tract, kidney, and liver. As its name implies, some of the ingredients consist of milk thistle, EPA, and DHA and they come in a bottle that contains 90 edible tablets that also taste like bacon. The daily dosage, as with the Digestive Enzymes with Probiotics pet supplement, is determined by a dog’s weight. The combo pack is available at a special price that is discounted.
Giardia in dogs is a condition that should not be ignored by pet owners. It is a condition that can cause dogs many detrimental healthy effects. Hence, owners should take the necessary measures to avert and/or treat it.
Over the past few months, we at Royal City Animal Hospital have seen many pets in Guelph who have been infected with an intestinal parasite called Giardia. Some of these cases have been detected through routine fecal testing as done as part of the pets annual health examination. Other cases have come to us presenting with a complaint of diarrhea in the dog or cat.Â
Giardia is a single celled parasitic organism (protozoan) that affects the gastro-intestinal tract of animals and people. It is not a worm, bacteria, or virus.
Giardiasis is the name of the diarrheal disease caused by this parasite.
Giardia is diagnosed through routine fecal testing as done through your veterinary clinic. Giardia is a microscopic organism so will not be detected with the naked eye. Routine fecal testing may fail to detect tiny cysts which are shed inconsistently in the feces. If your veterinarian suspects Giardia to be the causative agent of your pet’s diarrhea, a specific test which tests for the presence of the Giardia antigen (cell protein) may be requested to help detect the presence of Giardia.
How Is Giardia Treated?
Your veterinarian has several treatment options for Giardia, and the prognosis is very good in most cases.Â
Can My Dog or Cat Give Giardia to me or my family?
If your dog or cat is diagnosed with Giardia, good personal hand hygiene and environmental disinfection are very important to prevent the spread to humans. Immediately pick up and dispose of all fecal matter that your pet produces to help limit potential reinfection, or the spread to other pets. Any surfaces that can be safely treated with bleach, should be disinfected with a diluted bleach solution (approximately 1/4 cup bleach to 1 litre water), Lysol and other common household disinfectants may also be effective.Â
Wipe your dog’s or cat’s hind end after a bowel movement to ensure any cysts that are shed do not get to stick to the fur.Â
If you have any questions about Giardia or other intestinal parasites, please contact us at 519-763-4992 for more information.Â
This product contains a proprietary blend of Wormwood, Quassia Bark, Black Walnut Hulls, Neem Leaves, Bilva Herb, Embelia Ribes, Eclipta Alba, Phyllanthus Amarus, Gentian Root, Ginger Root, Grain Alcohol, and Spring Water.
Available Sizes:
Standard Size(s): 1oz (amber glass bottle w/ dropper)
Special Order Size(s): 2oz (amber glass bottle w/ dropper); 8oz and 32oz (white plastic bottle w/ flip-top lid)
NOTE: Since most of our resellers do not regularly maintain stock of our Special Order Sizes, you may have to order these directly from us; however, please ask your local reseller first as they may be able to order our Special Order Sizes from us on your behalf.
Usage Directions:
For all pets, use 1 drop per 5 lbs. of body weight per dose. Dose can be doubled initially to build up therapeutic properties or as needed for acute situations. Extract can be mixed in a small amount of warm water or apple juice. Extract can also be mixed into food if needed, but double the dose to increase assimilation. Shake well. DO NOT USE UNDILUTED!
Disclaimer:
Results may vary according to animal’s diet and lifestyle. These products are not to be used in lieu of, but as a support to, proper veterinary care.
Having a hard time today and I’m trying to focus on the things I am grateful for.  I don’t talk about it because people act bizarre and immediately go to Serial Killer, College Mass Murderer, and whatever other terrifying image that comes to mind when any thought about mental illness gets lumped together.  It is very hard having Clinical Depression sometimes because it’s not treated like any other illness.  What is bad is not the mental illness what is bad is when it is NOT BEING TREATED.  I just feel sad that the world makes things so difficult for me to have a normal life, when I tell people sleep deprivation is bad for me but yet my neighbors upstairs make noise that wakes me up out of my sleep at any and every hour.  I do appreciate that I have a bed to sleep in, a heater to keep me warm, friends to talk to from now and again.  It’s just hard when you say what you need and people don’t listen to you.  I don’t understand how to deal with a world that is so hateful and vengeful of people trying to do good things everyday because it is not just a choice but a need, I need to do positive things.  The people like some of my former bosses who push people until they snap and they don’t want to hear when they are hurting you and think it’s okay to bully everyone because bullies don’t get punished.  So I guess another thing I am thankful for is that God has made me a good person who does her best not to hurt other people but I do my best to help people.  But this doesn’t mean that I don’t need help too sometimes, and just because I don’t want to focus my attention on every bad thing that happens in my life does not mean that I have no problems but I think because I try my best to focus on the positive most people around me make the assumption that I don’t have problems, that I don’t hurt, that it’s okay to do horrible things to me because I don’t react back the way they treat me.  It is hard to work so hard at being forgiving but I would rather not turn into the monster everyone thinks I am or that they have become or become the person that they have tried to provoke me to be by pushing me to the point of snapping to prove something is wrong with me.  Well guess what, no one is perfect, yes I have problems and yes I hurt but it does not mean I have to do something wrong because someone wrongs me.  I am thankful that I know that.  Knowing this though doesn’t make it any easier to deal with people who are so driven by their fears, hatred, mistrust, or whatever else that makes them scared that they don’t see acting out against me or other people in a hurtful or bullying way does not make them better, that hurting people is not the way to make yourself feel better.
I am grateful for my creativity and I am grateful for my diversity and I am grateful for God, and I am grateful for God carrying me through times that are too hard for me to bear on my own, I am grateful for peace and quiet, I am grateful for the wind, I am grateful for when I can trust someone enough to hold me/hug me or reassure me in someway because it’s not easy for people to get past my wall that was built up from too many bad experiences.  I am grateful for color and beauty and kindness and smiles and beads, beautiful beads made of glass and stone, I am grateful that I can feel the positive energy I feel from the cold stones that I love to use to create necklaces, I am grateful for any positive feelings that I can feel and feel safe with, I just wish I knew where I fit.  I wish I knew where in the world that I can find enough positive people that life won’t hurt as much, I just wish that I can make a life for myself, take care of myself, have positive people in my life, have my peace and quiet and be comfortable in life, I don’t want to make money from things that hurt people and I just wish I could find a way to make a living in life that doesn’t hurt people but also provides for me and allows me to help the people around me.
I am grateful for words, I am grateful for laughter, I am grateful for moments of happiness.
I’m blogging this time to try to win 1 of 4 free coupons which many people I am sure are trying for for www.turtlemountain.com has a new line of products using coconut milk, I would really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really want to try to new Turtle Mountain Coconut Milk product line.
Great site for looking for a signal, I have a basement apartment which I love for it’s cool peace but this kills cell phone reception and you guessed it, digital signals seem to be a joke for me. There was an advertisement for www.antennaweb.org on tv so I thought it would help me find what super powerful outdoor antenna I should get but it does something cooler it lists all the local stations that broadcast in your area. I just wanted to share this for any of you non-cable people like myself. Don’t get me wrong, I loved cable but I did far less when I had cable.
Other than that, it’s wonderful to see faces that seem familiar to my frame of reference, makes me feel less like I don’t fit somewhere in the world. We all fit but sometimes it just doesn’t feel like it because someone wants you to think otherwise or you are in an isolated area, or you just interact in circles that are still growing in diversity.
Anyway, the site is notable, I was surprised to see some of the couple but some I already knew about.
I was walking today, since it was so beautiful and when I walk I think.Â
The problem is, now it’s the end of the day and I have forgotten my brilliant thought I had when I was almost all the way home. I titled this blog Too Much _ CAN Kill you because I can’t remember my exact thought. And in trying to remember my thoughts I was trying to piece together the succinct sentence that summarized my brilliant thought.
Then I realized that sentence with the blank line does apply to a lot of things.
Too much alcohol can kill you…
Too much food can kill you…
Too much stress can kill you…
Too much sugar can kill you…
Too much toxins in your body can kill…
So excess of any kind is not the best way to go. And any toxin, whether it’s an action or a feeling or any type of thing that becomes negative is not healthy. But what I was thinking about at the end of my walk is the feeling of being controlled, being dominated, being isolated, being “protected†into a box of insanity, pressure and the expectations that are put on us by the people who “love†us in our lives. Luckily not everyone has had the extreme form of extremist love that I write of because there are actually a lot of people out there who do realize that there is a MIDDLE GROUND in life. Anyway, my last job prompted this thought.
I just left a job where in many ways, I feel so sad for her but I don’t, I feel sad because she can not be honest as much as she really needs to, but I don’t feel sad because as anyone who has tried to take care of a teenager realizes, teenagers, are extremely cunning.Â
Think about it, as adults we are so worried about paying bills, taking care of responsibilities, putting food on the table, and so many other millions of things but teenagers who really have very little responsiblity given to them get to spend all day in school, much of that time conferencing with their friends on how they can manipulate their parents or caretakers into doing what they want. The strategic planning teenagers can accomplish if they are smart and take advantage of every angle they see, can really make adults feel completely lost while at the same time make you feel like you are so important to them and that they are so happy that you are in their life but meanwhile, they are scheming and sending you in two different directions.
Now don’t get me wrong, I understand this is normal teenage behavior because parents can try to be too controlling and this ends up creating apparently split personality behaviors in their teenagers. I used to think it was bad when teenagers would talk back to their parents, but I’m starting to understand, that’s probably healthier, maybe these teenagers are actually being more honest with their parents.Â
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He gazed with some amusement at his uncle, wondering as he had many times before, whatever possessed his delightful, flighty aunt, Lady Corinna Melberry, to wed herself to this dour, single-mindedly political gentleman. I ran my knife down the porcupine’s spine, and the whole hide was finally free of it.
I was always so stressed as a teenager trying to be perfect but never really feeling like anything I did was good enough for my mother. I spent so much energy trying to be perfect, I didn’t get to develop the assertive side of myself that would have made knowing I had a right to equal pay to men, knowing I had a right to stand up and ask for more like men do without question. There is more to the lack of equal pay than that but it IS a contributing factor I believe.
I see the new variation on the teenager’s personality is to have split personality behavior, some girls end up being the “perfect†daughter in front of their parent(s) and then Creative Story Teller (untruthful) daughter. Now don’t get me wrong, I was smart enough not to tell my mother the terrifying situations some of my friends would get me into but I think even as controlling as my mother was, she would take me to cattle calls/go sees (model job interviews), she would take me to movies, she would take me to things that would make me look good in some way and getting to do those things while having enough independence to be allowed to be trusted to be responsible was great for me.
I know I must admit I am tired and probably rambling but I just know you can not isolate anyone and pressure anyone so much that it suffocates them to death. Suffocation is unhealthy.
I think that might have been it, Extreme Suffocation IS Fatal. Ah, that was it. Now I can go to sleep now.
I remember on my walk thinking as a woman I have lived under constant pressure and limitations at ever turn, as a minority woman, same thing, when so many people put so much pressure, dominate you with so many limitations it can suffocate you to death because you can no longer be the person that you were meant to be, because you know you are oppressed under the rule/reign of someone else.
I don’t know. What I was thinking on my walk bordered on brilliant I think right now, my sinuses hurt and trying to recall my actual words seems to be a task at this late hour.
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for 5 minutes or 162° F for 1 minute. If a dishwasher is not available, submerge dishwasher-safe items in boiling water for at least 1 minute. Toys and bedding can be washed in the washing machine and then heat-dried on the highest heat setting for 30 minutes. If a clothes dryer is not available, allow items to thoroughly air dry under direct sunlight. 
interests include rowing, cross-country skiing and hiking. She and Steve, along with their three children, have recently relocated to Seattle and are enjoying exploring the Pacific Northwest.
