What is Giardia?
Giardiasis is an intestinal disorder that affects people, dogs, cats, birds and other small animals. It is caused by Giardia, a family of intestinal parasites that was first seen microscopically by Antony van Leeuwenhoek (a Dutchman) about 200 years ago. It is no longer considered a host-specific parasite, which means it may be possible for your pet to pass it on to you or vice versa.

This parasite is common in the intestines of many small animals. It exists in two forms: attached and free-floating.

The attached form, which does not survive well outside an animal's body, uses whip-like flagella to move within the intestine. The hardier free-floating form can survive for weeks outside its host if it has a moist, humid environment to live in, which creates the potential for re-infestation.

What are the symptoms of Giardia, and how is it diagnosed?
In humans, giardiasis is often indicated by diarrhea or dysentery-like symptoms. Signs of giardiasis in cats and dogs include soft, light-colored, greasy or mucousy stools, weight loss and colitis.

The condition can sometimes be hard to diagnose because the extremely small Giardia cysts are hard to detect in fecal samples. Transmission to pets is usually through direct fecal-oral contamination, although pets and people may be infected by drinking water that has been contaminated with the Giardia cysts.

How is Giardia treated?
Giardiasis can be treated with medication and prevented by keeping your pet's surroundings scrupulously clean. Be aware it may take multiple rounds of antibiotics to suppress the giardia. For this reason, it is critically important to administer the medication as directed and finish all the doses. If your pet is at higher risk, i.e. goes camping, hiking, to parks, (all frequent outdoor activities), we recommend the giardia vaccine. The vaccine is used as a treatment as well as a preventive measure. If your pet's stools are soft or mucousy, please give us a call.

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