Chesney's Fecal Exam- Giardia

[CorgiPaws]

So we took Chesney to our vet just to have him look her over and make sure there wasn't anything that needed to be taken care of.
He did a fecal exam, which they send out to have done, and she apparently has giardia, which I have a hard time believing. She's acting totally fine, solid stools, no vomiting, and not to mention, where the heck would she have gotten it? He has medication for us to pick up in the morning, I don't know what it is, Jon forgot to ask.
If she had giardia, wouldn't she be showing symtoms? not to mention that dogs RARELY get giardia.

They don't know she's on raw, if that matters?

[whiteleo]

Well, puppies do tend to get giardia, just ask me as my female had it 3 times! The medicine they use though is horrible, I quit using it and starting using safeguard wormer which cleared it up just fine, my vet really didn't want to believe it but I made them give me the dose so they knew. I believe they use metronidazole which has a lot of side effects.

Chesney might not show signs yet either because she just recently contracted it or because the raw keeps her poop solid.

[CorgiPaws]

Well, puppies do tend to get giardia, just ask me as my female had it 3 times! The medicine they use though is horrible, I quit using it and starting using safeguard wormer which cleared it up just fine, my vet really didn't want to believe it but I made them give me the dose so they knew. I believe they use metronidazole which has a lot of side effects.

Hmm, but if I went that route, how do I know she's cleared up, since there are no symptoms now?

[spookychick13]

Some dogs can be asymptomatic and still have it or still test positive.

My advice to you (since you're more of a friend than a client, obviously you can't get mad at me for bad advice ) would be to let it ride. If she shows diarrhea then talk about treating with your vet...if not...take another fecal in...about a month from now.

We mostly treat with fenbendazole, but honestly, if it were one of my dogs and they weren't presenting with diarrhea, I'd just keep an eye out. Sad to say, and my apologies, I don't mean to accuse, but some clinics scurry to find a 'problem to treat' if they want more money from the client. :( This isn't the case where I work, but I have worked at clinics that do this kind of thing. Shame on them.

[malluver1005]

I know of a dog that got giardia at the boarding place I worked at. A 2.5 year old Old English Sheepdog "Wilson." One of his symptoms was diarrhea. The vet gave him metronidazole. I don't know if it did the trick or not.

[xxshaelxx]

Well, puppies do tend to get giardia, just ask me as my female had it 3 times! The medicine they use though is horrible, I quit using it and starting using safeguard wormer which cleared it up just fine, my vet really didn't want to believe it but I made them give me the dose so they knew. I believe they use metronidazole which has a lot of side effects.

Metronidazole (as well as a bland, prescription diet) is what my vet recommended, and it didn't do JACK for Amaya. Her stools would go from really runny to partially firm and back to really runny, and it lasted a few weeks. When I went back to my breeder to pick up Ryou, she gave me the same stuff that she gives out to new puppies that had worked before, as well as the safeguard wormer. One of them did the trick, because within a day or so, her poop was back to normal.

[g00dgirl]

I like Spooky's idea of just having another fecal done in a few weeks if she is still showing no symptoms.
Felix had coccidia when I got him, very obvious from the diarrhea though. He got Panacur for that. Not sure of it's effectiveness with giardia though.

[CorgiPaws]

I think I'll pick up the meds, jsut to be in good standing with my vet, but hold off on actually giving any. I wonder where in the world she would have gotten it.

In the meantime, should I be concerned about any of my other pets getting it from her?

[whiteleo]

Really the only way to tell if the pup is clear is to do a fecal exam. How come they don't have DIY fecal exams like they have for almost everything else: pregnancy, HIV, drugs, alcohol, etc. Lots more just can't remember them all.

[whiteleo]

Giardia is contact contagious,meaning poop contact, smelling the hindend after pooping etc. My male contacted it from my female.