Giardia in Dogs

Explained and Experienced by DVM Per Schonbeck

Giardia in dogs is disease that primarily affects puppies during their first few months.

Giadia is a parasite that lives in an pups digestive system and can eventually turn into a cyst on a puppy's intestinal walls and can cause puppy health problems.

There are a number of different things that you should look out for if you feel as though your dog might have contracted this parasite, as well as a number of different treatments for you to be aware about.

The symptoms of giardia in dogs are not always completely obvious.

It is possible for a dog to be a carrier without showing anything outwardly. It is important to remember that this is most common in puppies. They do not have an immune system that is strong enough to fight it off.

In many cases, giardia in dogs occurs as a result of the dog drinking from an impure water source. Giardia parasite live in dirty water and sewage. If your dog has been acting a little strangely after being exposed to some unclean water, it might be a good idea to begin looking for symptoms, no matter how weak they might appear.

I got Giardia back in the eighties traveling in Asia from impure water. So, i have personally experienced this parasite and the symptoms of it!

Symptoms

The first symptom to look for is puppy diarrhea. Almost all cases of giardia in dogs have this. In some cases, you might find that your puppy only have diarrhea from time to time. This could be a symptom that your puppy is a carrier.

In other cases, the diarrhea might be chronic, which is a clear indicator that something is seriously wrong. If the diarrhea last for a few weeks or reoccurs every few week, Giardia should be regarded as a possibility.

Since the parasite lives on the walls of the dog's intestines, it can appear at any time once the dog has it. Another thing to keep an eye on is the consistency of the diarrhea, as it will often have blood in it and might have a very strong smell.

The presence of mucus is another indicator that giardia might be present, so make sure that you keep a close eye on the dog's feces. Puppy vomiting, loss of appetite, and weight loss will also accompany giardia, although these can occur for a number of other reasons as well.

As in many other cases these symptoms are not specific for Giardia. Mucus and blood is often seen in severe diarrhea patients and can be caused by other bacterias and viruses.

Giardia Tests

Giardia in dogs can be treated in a few different ways, but the best thing to do is take your puppy to see a college to me, another vet in your area.

A stool sample will probably be necessary, since the cysts that appear on the intestine will be shed through the dog's feces. The problem is that these cysts are not shed every time the puppy goes to the bathroom, so it might be possible to have a negative test, even if your dog does have to parasite.

If you feel as though there is a good chance that your dog has been exposed to anything that causes giardia in dogs, it might be a good idea to have its stool tested more than once.

In Sweden the PCR technique is used and is said to be more accurate. One tablespoon of stool is needed and delivered to the laboratory. Result after a day or two.

One snap ELISA test from is available in Europe. This test was compared to a laboratory immunofluorescens test. The snap test can be used in practice and on fresh stool. Vets like this as you fast can make the diagnosis. Big advantage.

In a study on the Veterinarian Faculty in Copenhagen this ELISA snap test was not showed to be accurate enough. PCR is the most accurate at present.

Treatment

If your puppy has been diagnosed with this parasite, it will be prescribed with an antiparasitic medication. This treatment will last about a week and it is usually pretty effective at clearing up giardia in dogs.

Myself was treated with an antibiotic (metronidazole) and the same medicine can be used in dogs as well. There are other medications to choose from.

If your dog might is pregnant, it cannot be prescribed with the same medication that it otherwise would be, so make sure that you let your vet know if your dog is expecting puppies. This is usually not an issue, however, since the majority of cases of giardia in dogs are found in young puppies anyway.

Treatment might not completely eliminate the parasite from the dog's body. Sometimes we suspect the parasite returns after some time, as sometimes these medications will only rid the dog of the symptoms, rather than the whole parasite.

After receiving the treatment it can be worthwhile to test the feces again to see if its completely eliminated from the intestines.

It is also important that you clean your house thoroughly after the appearance of giardia in dogs, as it can stick around in your home environment for some time to come.

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