Oliver has giardia - and I have a few questions

[LarryL]

I thought I'd move this out of the food group and start a new thread as it is no longer food related.

Oliver is a little over 3 months and has been with us for two and a half weeks.
A day after changing food he had diarrhea - after getting a stool sample to the vet, he tested positive for giardia.

We have been adding a bit of mashed sweet potato to his food to firm him up a bit.

The vets office initially gave me metro, but thanks to DK I requested Panacur instead.
They gave me 3 little baggies of powder - a 3 day supply.

Question 1: I know I'm supposed to give a probiotic either two hours before or after he takes his meds. Yesterday we bought all natural fage Greek yogurt - is this a probiotic? Or is yogurt & probiotic not the same?

2: how often should we give him yogurt? Just once a day before or after his meds??

3: I asked the guy at the vets office if in a week or two I should give another stool sample, but he said he would just take more Panacur in two weeks. This sounded weird to me as I dont want to give him more meds than necessary - am I right for thinking that?

4: as far as cleaning, I know to be diligent with his poop cleaning. Is the only way he can reinfect himself by eating licking his poop???

5: he just got his booster shot yesterday - should I avoid taking him outside until this passes?

6: how cantageous is he to other pups? We have a puppy socialization class on Wednesday that I now think I should cancel?

Lastly, I will take as much advice & recommendations as possible!

Thanks

[Brittney & Cally]

LOL

[LarryL]

so heres another update on Oliver to those wondering & those offering their help and advice.

yesterday was our 3rd and final day of panacur.

after the first awful day of diarrhea, he stools started getting better. not 100%, but much much better. 

not sure if that was the meds, or the sweet potatos, rice and chicken we've been feeding him.

This evening he woke us up 3 times needing to go, each with the runny stool again.

My question is, does this mean he re-infected himself or that the panacur didnt work the first time out to begin with?

Also, since the dr said wait two weeks and then give him another round - does that now make sense?

I mean if this first round didn't get rid of it  - why wait another 2 weeks to give it again?

Advice anyone?

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

I'm going to guess that you;re going to need more treatment..I just checked our bottles..the 1st round we gave for 5 days..the 2nd round was for 7.  

How much are you feeding him?  This is just a suggestion..maybe others can weigh in here..by why give rice?  I would think the sweet potatoes and chicken would be fine..I'm wondering if you are over feeding? Who knows..just a suggestion..when we were going through our treatment with panacur, I stopped feeding her Acana (or maybe she was still on the breeder food-Eukanuba) and just fed strictly chicken and sweet pot. until things cleared up finally…but honestly, it took close to a good month. it is stressful, especially since you are trying to housebreak him too…you will get through this!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I agree with Jill, you need two more days of the Panacur.

Let's go over a few basic facts:

1. Oliver has diarrhea because he has giardia. 

2. Giardia is a parasite.

3. You must get rid of the parasites in order to stop the diarrhea.

4. Only medication will kill the parasite. Food will not kill it. 

There are some strains of giardia that are more resistant than others. There is a breeder in the Pacific NW whose dogs seem to be affected by this resistant strain, several members here have had this problem. It is not your breeder, but your breeder is in the same part of the country, and it is possible that your breeder's dogs also have this resistant strain. So Oliver may need a longer course of treatment. 

[LarryL]

Thanks Karen,

I wasnt suggesting that the food kill it - but rather that the food firmed him up a bit giving a false sense of security.

I will go back to the vet for 2 more days of Panacure

Thank you again for everything - your help is priceless!!!

[LarryL]

Regarding over feeding - if in substituting his kibble for some chicken and potato how much should I give

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Larry, I cannot stress this enough. Don't make food changes right now. Re-read Jill's advice, she is suggesting that you should only feed the chicken and sweet potatoes. Why would you want to add the kibble back in right now, while he is still having issues? Get more Panacur and leave everything else alone, so you know what is helping or not helping. 

[LarryL]

Thanks, but maybe you misunderstood - I wasn't thinking of adding new food.
I was asking if I'm NOT giving him his kibble, what is the appropriate serving size for JUST chicken and sweet potatoes?

As far as new food, I added some Orijen to his RC a few days before his positive test.
I never stopped giving it to him thru this whole time w the exception of when I fed him ONLY chicken & rice.

Should I cut out the kibble altogether now?
If so, how much of just the chicken potato mix do I give??

Just got back from vet, got two more packets of Panacur, and my proviable DC pills

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Be sure not to give the Proviable within 2 hrs of the Panacur, and longer is better. 

How much kibble and how much homemade food is he getting each day? 

[LarryL]

He was getting a half a cup - 3x a day
I was adding a quarter to a half of a sweet potato mixed in
If I wanna do just potato & chicken what should be my formula

One last question - I have this thing called the porch potty which is basically a strip of real sod grass - he LOVESSSS to eat the grass and the twigs - is this safe for him?
(I mean if I know for a million percent that he has not pooped on it)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Half a cup of what 3x a day? Kibble? A mixture of kibble and homemade? 

[LarryL]

Before his positive test I was feeding him 1/2 cup of kibble.
60% RC Mini puppy / 40% Orijen puppy

I started adding to that 1/4 - 1/2 of a small sweet potato.
When I would add, I would use jut a little less kibble.

Last night I gave 1/4 potato, table spoon of white rice, and a few small pieces of white meat chicken. Hard for me to say how much chicken, but not a lot.
2 tablespoons, maybe 3

He's a little over 3 months, 11.15lbs