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Giardia The contents of this page are not to be construed as veterinary
advice. | Liability Disclaimer: I am not a veterinarian, and do not wish for you to use this information to diagnose a problem. Instead,
it is offered as "food for thought" for responsible and educated dog owners. Pronunciation: (jee
ahr' dee uh) What is it?: Giardia is a protozoan parasite that lives in the intestine of affected
animals. Infection can occur from contact with the environment (streams, ponds, mud puddles, or stools on the ground) or with
other animals carrying the protozoa. Therefore,
any environmental water or any place that other dogs, cats, squirrels, etc. could have walked or left stools is a potential
contamination source! It is estimated that as many as 70% of all dogs/puppies in the US have the protozoa in their systems,
though relatively few ever develop signs. Not all animals with giardia show signs of carrying it. Recent research has shown that Giardia is present in
up to 11%
of the general population of pets, and as many as 50% of all puppies. | | |
Common Treatments: The most commonly used medication for giardia infection is metronidazole (Flagyl) and/or fenbendazole (Panacur
or Safe-Guard dewormer for 5 to 10 days in a row). But, the following
are often chosen from as methods of treatment: Metronidazole (Flagyl), Furazolidone (Neftin), Tinadazole, Fenbendazole (Panacur
or Safe-Guard), and Albendazole (Valbanzen). The
fenbendazole (Panacur) is a liquid, and we would squirt it to the roof of the mouth with a small syringe (no needle!) or eye
dropper. The Metronidazole (Flagyl) is a pill, which we would split, crush, and then mix with water or tuna juice or orange
juice. Again, then we would squirt it to the roof of the mouth with a syringe (no needle on the syringe) or eye dropper. Metronidazole: is what we use here…all puppies are treated at
6 weeks for 5 days and again 3 days prior to shipping..if the date of shipping doesn’t allow that many days meds are
sent with each puppy.. But
wait...THERE'S MORE! Flagyl
pills (above) are identical to the pills you can buy at Wal-Mart or pet supply stores for fish tanks, called FISH ZOLE. We
get generic Flagyl for about 17 cents per pill from our veterinarian, but have heard of vets charging as
much as $10 per pill. If our vet was charging ridiculous prices, we'd sure check out getting FISH ZOLE, which is identical
at this time, instead of lining our vet's pockets! For a 25-lb dog, one 250 mg pill can be given daily for 5 to 7 days. A
10-lb puppy could get one half of one pill. http://www.beaglesunlimited.com/beaglehealth_giardiasis.htm tells more about FISH ZOLE treatment for giardia. Since re-contamination can occur from an activity as simple as taking
your dog for a walk through a park, it is possible that treatment might have to be given more than once over the lifetime
of the dog. There is a vaccination available, though it's efficiency is in question. Ask your vet if you feel you live in
an area where giardia infection may be a problem (especially prevalent near lakes/streams or in moist climate).
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