Giardia in Pets: Frequently Asked Questions
Pet owners need to watch out for many different kinds of parasites, from external predators such as fleas and ticks to the various internal parasites that can invade an animal's gastrointestinal tract. Among the latter group, a protozoan commonly known as giardia can cause serious illness or even death.
Fortunately, most cases of giardiasis (the proper medical term for giardia infection) respond well to veterinary care. Even so, you need to understand this problem's causes, effects, and available treatments, as well as smart strategies for preventing such infestations. Check out the answers to these frequently asked giardia questions.
Why Do Pets Suffer From Giardia Infestations?
Giardia includes a variety of protozoa subspecies, any of which can infest amphibians, birds, and mammals. These protozoa may make their home wherever a host animal has deposited infected feces, which contaminate soil and water.
Pets who drink contaminated water or lick their feet after walking on contaminated soil can easily ingest giardia microorganisms. The parasites then make their way to the intestines, where they transform into cysts. When the pet defecates, the cysts enter surrounding soil and water, becoming mature protozoa awaiting new hosts.
What Symptoms Can Giardiasis Produce?
Healthy animals with a relatively mild giardia infestation may show no symptoms at all. When symptoms appear, they usually include severe diarrhea and vomiting, which can lead to dehydration. Your pet may lose weight and then have trouble regaining it. These issues call for immediate veterinary treatment.
Certain pets may prove particularly vulnerable to giardia's worst effects. These pets include baby animals such as puppies and kittens, senior pets, and animals with impaired immune systems. If your pet belongs to any of these categories, you should take the risk of giardiasis especially seriously.
How Do Veterinarians Confirm a Case of Giardiasis?
Because the telltale symptoms of giardiasis can also indicate other digestive diseases and disorders, veterinarians must run lab tests to confirm the diagnosis. In addition to direct examination of fecal samples, fecal and blood sample analysis can indicate whether the immune system has produced antigens against giardia.
What Treatment Methods Can Help a Pet Suffering From Giardiasis?
The first step in treating giardiasis may include medications that treat both the infestation itself and any dehydration caused by its effects. Although you can't purchase over-the-counter drugs for the treatment of giardiasis in pets, your veterinarian can prescribe a drug such as metronidazole, fenbendazole, or albendazole.
Your pet's symptoms may improve before it has actually eliminated all the giardia from its system, meaning that it can still pass the parasite on to others. Keep bringing your pet to the veterinarian for follow-up lab tests until no sign of the giardia infestation remains, at which point you can finally consider your pet cured.
How Can You Prevent Giardiasis Infestations in Your Home?
If you have a pet currently undergoing treatment for giardiasis, you need to keep your household scrupulously clean to prevent any expelled parasites from infesting other pets in your home (or re-infesting the same pet). Disinfect food and water bowls, litter boxes, bedding, toys, and other such items as often as possible.
This hygiene practice can also serve as an ongoing preventative measure. Bathe and groom your pets regularly to remove any traces of the parasite that their coats or paws may have picked up from an outdoor romp. Don't let your pets drink from puddles, creeks, or other water sources that might harbor giardia.
Fortunately, humans run little risk of contracting giardia from a pet, at least compared to the risk of one dog or cat infecting another. However, giardia can survive in water or soil for months, so you should wash your hands after exposure to either. Remember also to wash your hands after handling pet feces or used litter.
Alta Vista Veterinary Clinic can help your pet recover from giardiasis and provide you with ongoing advice for keeping your special friend as healthy as possible. Contact our office to set up an appointment.
