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Dear Critter Chatter

After several days of my dog having disgusting diarrhea I called my vet and then took in a stool sample for analysis. Turns out she has giardia and could have contracted it from infected water or the busy dog park we frequent. She is on medication and it's clearing up, but can she get it again and should I keep her away from the park?

North York Reader

 

Dear Reader

This past month two of the rescue dogs we took into the program were also diagnosed with giardia and while talking with some dog pals online it appears that giardia is becoming more and more common. Here's some information I found on the web that will hopefully give you additional insight about this one-celled parasite classified as a protozoa that affects not only dogs, but humans and other animals, too.

- Found worldwide, giardia is caused by a protozoan parasite affecting the intestines of both humans and most types of domesticated animals.

- Giardia is transmitted by cysts containing giardia trophozoites, which are singled-celled organisms. Infected dogs pass these parasites into the environment via their feces.

- Most infections with giardia are asymptomatic. In cases in which disease occurs, the usual sign is diarrhea. The diarrhea may be acute, intermittent or chronic. Usually the infected animal will not lose their appetite, but they may lose weight.

- Most common causes of giardia in dogs include drinking from a contaminated lake, pond or stream, however, giardia can also be found in soil, food, water, infected feces or surfaces that have been contaminated with the feces from an infected host. Dogs get the infection when they ingest the substance that contains trace amounts of animal feces. The feces contain a cyst or small sac that enters the gastrointestinal tract of the dog.

- Giardia is commonly found either in dogs that have poorly functioning immune systems or in dogs that have been grouped together in close quarters and hence have been exposed to an unusually large number of the parasites.

- Giardiasis can be difficult to diagnose because the protozoa are very small and are not passed in every stool. Tests have to be conducted on a serial of samples (one per day for three consecutive days) to detect the organism.

- Once an animal or person has been infected with giardia intestinalis, the parasite lives in the intestine and is passed in the stool. Because the parasite is protected by an outer shell, it can survive outside the body and in the environment for long periods of time.

Once diagnosed by your veterinarian, giardia is a treatable condition. Most dogs recover quickly and do not have additional problems. Giardia can reoccur if your dog ingests contaminated the substance again.