Puppy with Giardia

[David and Franklin]

Replies to my last post were so helpful I decided to try it again. Franklin has Giardia. I saw signs of trouble (bloody fecal discharge) on his first day home (Saturday) and got him to the vet the following Monday. The vet told me that it is treatable and not cause for undue alarm. This was a relief to me because I had already bonded with him and did not want to send him back to the breeder. We put him on a 5 day regimen of antibiotics and he has 2 days to go, Franklin still has a good appetite and pretty good energy; maybe a little tired this evening.but I found a little bit of blood in his stool this evening and he seemed to have trouble eliminating. I had Giardia when I was a young man. It was not much fun, and hard to shake. Do any of you have any experience to offer? I hope I am just being an overly excitable doggy daddy.

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

David, hope your pup gets better soon! I would def post this in the health group as well, as there are experts there (who are not part of puppy madness) on this issue! Best of luck,

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Giardia is unfortunately very common.  First things first, do not change anything in his diet.  You need to get giardia under control…no treats, bones, food changes, etc.  Did the vet do a fecal sample?  Which exact medication is he on?  Panacur is the preferred method of treatment for giardia…If he is not on it, I would switch to it ASAP.  You also want to start him on a probiotic.  The antibiotic will destroy all the good and bad bacteria in Franklins gut..so you need to replenish that.  You can start by giving 1-2 tablespoons of plain yogurt..and in the mean time, order a good probiotic either online, or at a pet boutique…we use Proviable DC.  What are you currently feeding him? How are his stools now? Make sure he is drinking plenty of water.

Also, make sure Franklin is not ingesting anything that he shouldn't…leaves,sticks, mulch, etc.  That can also aggregate his stomach.

Giardia is extremely contagious. If you are not diligent with cleaning up his poop, he can and will reinfect himself (walking in the same area he pooped in, and then later licking or sniffing that same area or his paws).  I always wiped the paws and butt after taking them outside.  

If you haven't already joined the food group, you should do so.  There is a ton of info on this topic, among many others! Welcome, and good luck with your little guy.

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Here is a very good article on giardia

http://www.vcahospitals.com/main/pet-health-information/article/ani...

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Hi, just wondering why Panacur is preferred (by itself?) when this article says it is effective or recommended in conjunction with Flagyll? I vaguely remember hearing Panacur is better also, but cannot remember why. And, Is it as effective? Thx...

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Here is a link to a very good article that Karen posted on a prior discussion. Metro is known to have serious side effects, and is proven to be less effective than giardia.

http://www.capcvet.org/capc-recommendations/giardia/

The part you are looking for within this article is towards the bottom of the article, under the headline Treatment.

[Cindy and Olive (Ollie)]

Thanks, Jill - now I have something to site for future (if needed), in case my vet questions my preference!

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

No problem..glad to help :)

[Rebecca bratter]

My pup had giardia when she was around 4 months. She took her full course of meds and got rehydrated subcutaneously. She was fine within 5 days. Make sure your vaccines are up to date and maybe add a probiotic to your pups diet. Mine got it drinking nasty water at the dog park so just be careful with that. Your pup will be fine. We kept our girl on boiled chicken, white rice, and pumpkin paste till she was better.

[Linda And Loo]

My dogs have had giardia too. Jill did a great job summing up all things regarding giardia! We used Panacur to clear things up with our dogs! Good luck and stay on top of this!

[Lori, Daphne, Lucy & Pippa]

David, You may want to post this question on the main page or in the Food group. Karen (& Jackdoodle) Is extremely knowledgable on this subject and can give you awesome advice but I don't believe she looks at Puppy Madness since her dog is well past that stage.

[Leslie, Yogi & Maci Bear]

I second the idea of posting this in the food group. Karen is so helpful and knowledgeable. Many vets will prescribe flagyl, this is the one you do not want. Try to use panacur, and the provable DC is very important. Amazon has it.
I was worried Maci had it when we brought her home, so we quartered paper plates and used each section to catch her poo so it did not stay on the ground. I know this sounds weird, but very important you do not let the poo stay on the ground. Just wait until Franklin assumes the position, then slide it into position. This infection can be hard to get rid, be diligent.

[David and Franklin]

Thanks to all who took a moment to offer advice and suggestions. I have cross posted to the health group and will also post in food after we finish the antibiotics. Personal experience has taught me how difficult it is to re-establish intestinal flora while using antibiotics! I hope one day I can pay forward the experience that was shared to me on this site.