Giardia

Any of your dogs every experience GIARDIA?

1 of my dogs have really had stool problems for a long time. I have switched diets, eliminated bones/treats, and even gave bottled water for a while. (Thinking it was my city water)

The vet wants another stool sample so she can run some sort of test for Giardia.

This giardia sounds like bad news.........any info?


Andrew

 

been there, done that. meds fix it, no worries

 

My dogs get vaccinated for Giardia (since we go hiking a lot, there's no telling if it's in the water I let them romp in). They got their first this year, so I'm not sure if it's a new thing or if it's not available in all areas.

I don't think it's life threatening, though. It's treatable, but it's best to treat every dog, especially if they're outside a lot (since the germ spreads through soil and from dog to dog very fast).
The dogs should be moved to a different area than where they're kept/exercised since any given area can be considered contaminated for up to one month.

 

I'm no Vet but i us to be a vet tech. I've seen and caught it I did it by doing a test called the floatation method. Treatment: Dogs may be treated for giardiasis using fenbendazole at the same dosage used for Helminths. Treatment with albendazole (Valbazen; 25mg. per kg. every 12 hours for a total of four doses) has been shown to stop the shedding fo Giardia cysts by infected dogs. Albendazole therapy has the potential of inducing bone marrow toxicosis in dogs and cats; therefore, veterinarians should abserve caution in using this drug for treating giardiasis. Other treatments that have also been used for canine giardiasis include quinacrine (6.6 mg. perkg. twice a day for five days), and tinidazole(44mg. once daily for three days).

Once again just tryin to help with some info. Definitly see your vet tho.

 

NICE RESPONSES!! FAST

I have spent, roughly, 800 bucks treating my 2 dogs for this. I have broughten in 3 stool samples and they've done tests on them before. The next test she wants to do is where, I think, she puts it in the fridge and 'grows' crap on my dog's crap? That sound right? There is SO much information.

When I get home, I will write all the meds we've been given to treat this.

POUND: What do you mean, they need to be removed from the area? It's the back yard, where they poop at. I clean up poop IMMEDIATELY after it's out of their butt. I have became anal (pardon' the pun) with their poop and cleanliness in the yard.

I HATE seeing it pour of our her ass when she's going to the bathroom, I know it can't be pleasant. I hope the new test, which I will bring to the vet on Monday (she's closed on weekend) will show something!!!!

Thanks for the responses, and keep em' coming

Andrew

 

another thing that it be be is possible food allergy. my Dimitri had giardia, but also has a sensitive GI tract. once the giardia was eliminated his stool was 50/50. tailored the diet some and now its 95%(roughly) right.
best of luck-sometimes its the little things that will drive you crazy

 

Did the dog in question have diarrhea? Beacuse in dog's, diarrhea may begin as early as five days after exposure to infection; cysts first appear in the feces after about a week or two.:o

 

Did the vet confirm Giardia already? Or are they not sure what it is? I too was a vet tech for many years and have had issues like this in my kennel too. First thing I would do is treat with Metronidazole (Flagyl). It is really cheap and a good catch all. Albon is another alternative. Did it effect both dogs or just the one? If it's just the one and you did a treatment for over 10 days with no results it could be something else. How old is the dog?

 

RALLY: I have went back and forth between foods. Sometimes she's got good poop and other times is horribly loose and totally runny. I am being driven crazy, its been going on for toooooo long. It will be ok for 3 weeks or so, then all of a sudden I come home to a kennel full of diareha.

RX7: U talking to me or Rally. If you're talking to me, yes, lots of runs.

PERFORMANCE:
1. Not confirmed Giarda, just many signs point to it.
2.It has, overall, affected 2 of my 3 dogs. Bell, who this thread is about gets it VERY bad. She is the black dog in my photos. Change, white dog in gallery, gets is about 1/2 as bad as she does. It usually lasts about 2/3 the time w/ him as it does w/ Bell. My other boy, Jake, has never gotten it. (he's had a few loose stools in the past 7 months, but nothing on a regular basis)
My dogs are all inside dogs.
3. We tried a shitload of things, I have to get the paperwork when I get home to see exactly what has been tried.
4. The dog is 22 months old.

THANKS!

Andrew

 

From what I understand, Giardia can live outside a host body for quite sometime due to it's strong outer shell. So, if the soil has been contaminated, it will be for several weeks.

 

Will the cold weather kill it? I live in Michigan and it will soon be 0 degrees outside.

Any other opinions?

 

I was talking to you Andrew. Control of Giardia infection involves prevention of fecal contamination of feed and water supplies and sanitation and disinfection of the environment with Lysol (2-5 per cent), Sterinol (1 per cent) or chlorine Bleach (sodium hypochlorite, 1 per cent).

 

I'm pretty sure freezing temperatures for a couple of days would kill it.

 

I also read somewhere that there are new blood test to detect Giardia other than the stool sampling, cause sometimes they are negative even if the animal is infected. They are called ELISA or IFA tests.

 

I see China's mom.............I will see if they can do that too/instead..........anyone hear of that thing where they 'grow' it in the fridge or something like that?


Andrew

 

I believe that is used for bacterial infections. Maybe they have know test for it now? :confused:

Anyone, some input on this would be interesting!

 

Giardia (Giardia canis)

Giardia are protozoa (one-celled organisms) that live in the small intestine of dogs and cats. Giardia are found throughout the United States and in many other parts of the world. Infection with Giardia is called 'giardiasis.'

There are many things we do not know about this parasite. Experts do not agree on how many species of Giardia there are and which ones affect which animals. Veterinarians do not even agree on how common Giardia infections are and when they should be treated. Generally, it is believed that infection with Giardia is common but disease is rare. There is much about the life cycle we do not know either.

How do Giardia reproduce and how are they transmitted?

A dog becomes infected by eating the cyst form of the parasite. In the small intestine, the cyst opens and releases an active form called a trophozoite. These have flagella, hair-like structures that whip back and forth allowing them to move around. They attach to the intestinal wall and reproduce by dividing in two. After an unknown number of divisions, at some stage, in an unknown location, this form develops a wall around itself (encysts) and is passed in the feces. The Giardia in the feces can contaminate the environment and water and infect other animals and people.

What are the signs of a Giardia infection?

Most infections with Giardia are asymptomatic. In the rare cases in which disease occurs, younger animals are usually affected, and the usual sign is diarrhea. The diarrhea may be acute, intermittent, or chronic. Usually the infected animals will not lose their appetite, but they may lose weight. The feces are often abnormal, being pale, having a bad odor, and appearing greasy. In the intestine, Giardia prevents proper absorption of nutrients, damages the delicate intestinal lining, and interferes with digestion.

Can Giardia of dogs infect people?

This is another unknown. There are many species of Giardia, and experts do not know if these species infect only specific hosts. Sources of some human infections have possibly been linked to beavers, other wild animals, and domestic animals. Until we know otherwise, it would be wise to consider infected animals capable of transmitting Giardia to humans.

You may have heard about Giardia outbreaks occurring in humans due to drinking contaminated water. Contamination of urban water supplies with Giardia is usually attributed to (human) sewage effluents. In rural settings, beavers most often get the blame for contaminating lakes and streams. Giardia outbreaks have also occurred in day care centers fueled by the less than optimal hygienic practices of children.

How do we diagnose giardiasis?

Giardiasis is very difficult to diagnose because the protozoa are so small and are not passed with every stool. Tests on serial stool samples (one stool sample every day for three days) are often required to find the organism. Special diagnostic procedures, beyond a routine fecal examination, are necessary to identify Giardia. The procedures we use to identify roundworms and hookworms kill the active form of Giardia and concentrate the cyst form.

To see the active form, a small amount of stool may be mixed with water on a microscope slide and examined under high magnification. Because these forms have flagella, you can see them move around on the slide. The active forms are more commonly found in loose stools. If you ever have the opportunity to see the active form of Giardia under the microscope, take it! It is an interesting-looking creature. It is pear-shaped and its anatomy makes it look like a cartoon face, with eyes (which often look crossed), nose, and mouth. Once you see it, you will not forget it.

Cysts are more commonly found in firm stools. Special solutions are used to separate the cysts from the rest of the stool. The portion of the solution that would contain the cysts is then examined microscopically.

In spring, 2004, a diagnostic test using ELISA technology became available. This test uses a very small fecal sample, and can be performed in 8 minutes in a veterinarian's office. It is much more accurate than a fecal examination.

We have done the tests, now what?

Now we come to how to interpret the test results. It can be a dilemma for your veterinarian. What you see (or do not see) is not always a correct indication of what you have. A negative test may mean the animal is not infected. However, few, if any, laboratory tests are 100% accurate. Negative test results can also occur in some infected animals. If a negative test occurs, your veterinarian will often suggest repeating the test.

What about a positive test? That should not be hard to interpret, right? Wrong. Giardia can be found in many dogs with and without diarrhea. If we find Giardia, is it the cause of the diarrhea or is it just coincidence we found it? The animal could actually have diarrhea caused by a bacterial infection, and we just happened to find the Giardia. Test results always need to be interpreted in light of the signs, symptoms, and medical history.

If we find Giardia, how do we treat it?

Here we go again; treatment is controversial too. There is a question about when to treat. If Giardia is found in a dog without symptoms should we treat the animal? Since we should not know if G. canis can infect man, we often err on the side of caution and treat an asymptomatic infected animal to prevent possible transmission to people.

If we highly suspect infection with Giardia, but can not find the organism, should we treat anyway? This is often done. Because it is often difficult to detect Giardia in the feces of dogs with diarrhea, if there are no other obvious causes of diarrhea (e.g.; the dog did not get into the garbage several nights ago) we often treat the animal for giardiasis.

There are several treatments for giardiasis, although some of them have not been FDA-approved for that use in dogs. Fenbendazole is an antiparasitic drug that kills some intestinal worms and can help control giardia. It may be used alone or with metronidazole. Metronidazole can kill some types of bacteria that could cause diarrhea. So if the diarrhea was caused by bacteria, and not Giardia, the bacteria can be killed and the symptoms eliminated. Unfortunately, metronidazole has some drawbacks. It has been found to be only 60-70% effective in eliminating Giardia from infected dogs, and probably is not 100% effective in cats, either. It can be toxic to the liver in some animals. It is suspected of being a teratogen (an agent that causes physical defects in the developing embryo), so it should not be used in pregnant animals. Finally, it has a very bitter taste and many animals resent taking it – especially cats.

Quinacrine hydrochloride has been used in the past, but is not very effective and can cause side effects such as lethargy, vomiting, anorexia, and fever.

But now we come to yet another unknown. It is possible these treatments only remove the cysts from the feces but do not kill all the Giardia in the intestine. This means even though the fecal exams after treatment may be negative, the organism is still present in the intestine. This is especially true of the older treatments. So treated animals could still be a source of infection for others.

How can I prevent my pet from becoming infected with Giardia?

The cysts can live several weeks to months outside the host in wet, cold environments. So lawns, parks, kennels, and other areas that may be contaminated with animal feces can be a source of infection for your pet. You should keep your pet away from areas contaminated by the feces of other animals. This is not always easy.

As with other parasites of the digestive system, prevention of the spread of Giardia centers on testing and treating infected animals and using sanitary measures to reduce or kill the organisms in the environment. Solutions of Lysol, bleach, and quaternary ammonium compounds are effective against Giardia.

How do I control Giardia in my kennel?

Infection with Giardia can be a big problem in kennels, and a multi-faceted approach is needed.

Treat Animals: Treat all nonpregnant animals with fenbendazole for 5 days. On the last day of treatment, move them to a holding facility while a clean area is established. When the animals are moved back to the clean area, treat them once again with a 5-day course of fenbendazole or albendazole.

Conditioned below...

 

Decontaminate the Environment: Establish a clean area. If possible, this can be the whole facility. Otherwise, create a few clean runs or cages, separate from the others. Remove all fecal material from the areas since the organic matter in feces can greatly decrease the effectiveness of many disinfectants. Steam clean the area. Quaternary ammonium disinfectants used according to manufacturer's directions or a 1:5 or 1:10 solution of bleach can usually kill the cysts within one minute. Allow the area to dry for several days before reintroducing the animals. NOTE: Use extreme caution when using quaternary ammonium compounds and bleach solutions. Use proper ventilation, gloves, protective clothing and follow your veterinarian's recommendations.

Clean the Animals: Cysts can remain stuck to the haircoats of infected animals. So during treatment and before moving the treated animals to the clean area, they should be regularly shampooed and rinsed well. Especially concentrate on the perianal area.

Prevent Reintroduction of Giardia: Giardia can be brought into the kennel either by introducing an infected animal or on your shoes or boots. Any new animal should be quarantined from the rest of the animals and be treated and cleaned as described above. You should either use disposable shoe covers or clean shoes/boots and use a footbath containing quaternary ammonium compounds to prevent people from reintroducing Giardia.

Remember, Giardia of dogs may infect people, so good, personal hygiene should be used by adults when cleaning kennels or picking up the yard, and by children who may play with pets or in potentially contaminated areas.



References and Further Reading
Barr, SC; Bowman, DD. Giardiasis in dogs and cats. Compendium on Continuing Education for the Practicing Veterinarian. 1994;16(5):603-614.

Barr, SC; Bowman, DD; Frongillo, MF; Joseph, SL. Efficacy of a drug combination of praziquantel, pyrantel pamoate, and febental against giardiasis in dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 1998;59(1):1134-1136.

Georgi, JR; Georgi, ME. Canine Clinical Parasitology. Lea & Febiger. Philadelphia, PA; 1992;59-61.

Griffiths, HJ. A Handbook of Veterinary Parasitology. University of Minnesota Press. Minneapolis, MN; 1978;21-22.

Hendrix, CM. Diagnostic Veterinary Parasitology. Mosby, Inc. St. Louis, MO; 1998;19-20.

Meyer, EK. Adverse events associated with albendazole and other products used for treatment of giardiasis in dogs. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. 1998;213(1):44-46.

Sherding, RG; Johnson, SE. Diseases of the intestine. In Birchard, SJ; Sherding, RG (eds.) Saunders Manual of Small Animal Practice. W.B. Saunders Co. Philadelphia, PA; 1994;699-700.

Sousby, EJL. Helminths, arthropods and protozoa of domesticated animals. Lea & Febiger. Philadelphia, PA; 1982;577-580.

Zajac, AM; LaBranche, TP; Donoghue, AR; Chu, Teng-Chiao. Efficacy of fenbendazole in the treatment of experimental Giardia infection in dogs. American Journal of Veterinary Research. 1998;59(1):61-63.


http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2090&aid=739

Member's remember Google is you friend

 

Right Marty. I get a lot of info on Google. Some not so true though. Got to be able to weed through it.

 

As a vet I can say that Marty's post contains very good, accurate information . Beyond that I can't say much without getting my behind in trouble...

Genevieve