That Case of Pet Diarrhea Could Be Due To Giardia

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.