Giardia in Pets

Giardia is a protozoa that can affect both dogs and cats. Humans can also contract Giardia but typically not from domestic animals. It is very uncommon for humans to become infected from their pets. Typically it is spread in the stool of animals carrying the protozoa. Contaminated drinking water is likely the biggest culprit in infecting animals. However they can also pick it up from ingesting feces contaminated soil.

 

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Diarrhea is the most common symptom seen in animals. Other signs may include simply lack of energy or not acting right if the patient is not receiving enough nutrients or becoming dehydrated from the diarrhea.

Diagnosis is sometimes challenging. Giardia are hard to find in stool samples and typically have to be run using a specific technique or substrate. Sometimes it is even necessary to send a sample off to the lab, and even then if they are not shedding it may be missed. Sometimes veterinarians will have to treat on suspicion if a diagnosis cannot be reached. Treatment is by an oral medication typically given anywhere from 5-7 days. Symptoms will typically be resolved by the end of medication.

 

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Medication is not the only consideration when treating an affected animal. The environment must also be addressed. It is not uncommon for patients to re-infect themselves. Bleach can easily kill the protozoa in a 1 part bleach to 32 part water ratio. However if the area cannot be bleached it is best to avoid these areas for quite awhile. In some cooler climates or times of year it may be necessary to avoid contaminated areas for up to 7 weeks. Bathing affected patients is also recommended. Giardia can stick to the fur and can be ingested again by the patient or fall off and contaminate the environment. It is best to make sure the animals themselves are clean prior to bringing them back into a treated area.

 

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While humans can get giardia, it is again not typically from our pets. Humans, as with their animals, tend to get it from contaminated environmental sources OR from eating under-cooked meat. It is still extremely important to practice good hygiene if you have an outbreak of giardia in your household pet population. For more information on giardia you can visit the CDC (center for disease control) website here  or veterinary partner website here