Dog Health Information Provided by DoodyCalls Pooper Scooper Service

Giardia are parasitic, single-celled organisms called protozoa that live in the small intestine of dogs. Giardia protozoa prevent nutrients from being properly absorbed through the dog’s small intestine. Many dogs carry the infection, but do not display the disease. While these dogs show no symptoms of infection, they are highly contagious.

Spread of Giardia

Giardia is spread through the feces or poop of infected dogs.  Dogs become infected with Giardia by consuming Giardia cysts when drinking contaminated water, grooming, or consuming anything that is contaminated with the cyst.

A Giardia cyst is a group of Giardia protozoa that has formed a protective protein shell around itself. Giardia cysts form inside the small intestine of the host and pass through the stool and into the environment.  Giardia can be passed from dogs to humans through contaminated dog waste.

Symptoms of Giardia Infection

Dogs infected with Giardia may display severe symptoms or no symptoms at all.  Symptoms include: diarrhea, gas, bloating and weight loss. Dog waste from infected dogs may appear greasy, have a foul odor, or be pale in color.

Dogs infected with Giardia may display symptoms very suddenly, or they may appear and reappear over a period of weeks, months, or even many years.

Diagnosis of Giardia

Diagnosis of Giardia is frequently performed by looking for Giardia cysts in the stool of an ill dog. This test is called a Fecal Coliform Test. Giarda cysts may not be present in all stool samples. Multiple dog waste samples are generally needed to determine if there is an infection.

A new and accurate method for determining Giardia infection is the Giardia SNAP test invented by IDEXX Laboratories.  The Giarda SNAP determines in less than 10 minutes if the proteins used to create the protective cyst wall are present in the dog waste. If the protein is present, the dog is positively diagnosed for Giardia.

Treatment

There are a number of drugs available to treat Giardia infections.  Based on our research, there does not seem to be a clear determination on the best way to treat dogs infected with the Giardia protozoa. Further, many medications have side effects that include nausea, bone marrow injury and even birth defects.

Four commonly used drugs are:

• 
  Metronidazole – Metronidazole disrupts the DNA structure of the Giardia.



• 
  Quinacrine hydrochloride.



• 
  Fenbendazole – Fenbendazole is a member of the anthelmintics family and is used to expel Giardia cysts from the intestine.  This family of drugs is more commonly used to treat intestinal worm infestations.



• 
  Albendazole.

Prevention of Giardia Infection

The best way to prevent Giardia infection is to keep your dog away from the waste of infected animals.  Giardia cysts can survive for months outside if the conditions remain cold and wet.  The spring thaw tends to reveal many piles of poop that have not been picked up as diligently as one might hope.  Since Giardia cysts can live for extended periods of time in cold and wet environments, it is logical to assume that parks this time of year will have a higher than normal population of Giardia protozoa. Keep an eye on your dog this time of year.  Especially if you regularly visit dog parks and other public places shared by a variety of dogs.  If your park or community has a problem with accumulated pet waste it may be wise to look into hiring a pooper scooper service.  Services such as DoodyCalls pet waste removal can do a large “spring cleaning” of the community common areas to clean all the dog waste from paths, playgrounds and common areas.

A Canine Giardia vaccine is available but not recommended because, as the UC Davis Website states: “the diseases are either of little clinical significance or respond readily to treatment, evidence for the efficacy of these vaccines is minimal, and they may produce adverse events with limited benefit.”

Resources

Giardia - Public Service Announcement

Multiple clients of mine within the Oxnard and Camarillo area have recently been diagnosed with a disease called Giardia. For many dogs, puppies especially, this disease can cause severe and possibly life threatening issues if not caught early and treated appropriately. Since Giargia is so easily spread from one animal to another and there is the possibility of spreading the disease to humans, proper care and cleaning procedures for your infected animal is essential to preventing the further spread of the disease.

Young puppies who have not finished their 3 sets of puppy vaccines should NOT be brought to dog parks or other unrestricted areas. Even though there is no effective vaccine for Giardia, an infection of Giardia can severely compromise the already delicate immune system of a puppy and cause severe illness and stunted growth due to malnutrition. One of my clients, for example, adopted a dog that had Giardia in utero. The dog barely survived and has since had medical problems and sensitivities his entire life.

When you go to the dog park, be proactive in keeping it clean. Each Meet n Greet I arrive 15-30 minutes early and walk around the entire park with bags picking up poop from careless owners (as well as checking for rattlesnakes or other unsafe areas within the park). Make sure you pick up poop from your dog promptly and never allow your dog to eat the feces of any other animal (rabbits and cats included)

Follow this link giving more information on Giardia from the CDC.

If you have behavioral issues with your dog such as eating feces, excessive or obsessive rolling or eating inanimate objects, or any other behavioral issues, please Contact Us for an evaluation.