Giardia & Coccidia & Round Worms - Trying to stay calm

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

So when I picked up Stuart today I knew that he was on meds for Coccidia & round worms - he is on a 10 day treatment of Albon - he has 3 more days.  And I had made a Vet appt. for him, here in Atlanta as I have to stop for 2 days in Ocala and will not get home till Friday.  I figured I was being overly cautious but oh my DOG!  Stuart pooped for me today (outside - good boy) and I took that stool in.  They also swabbed another sample from his butt.  Well he has Giardia!  He is also very under weight - his little ribs stick out when you touch him - breaks my heart.  He has gained two pounds though since his last weigh on 5/31 but at 8 weeks is only 6.5 pds.  We started him on meds for the Giardia - Metronidazole.  I'm trying to be brave but I am a total germaphobe!!!!  I feel all icky with worry about catching something.  I am worried about Rooney when I get back home on Friday.  I don't know anything about any of this stuff but I will tell you this.  I LOVE this little guy, he is mine and I WILL do whatever gross thing that I must to get him healthy.  He has a funny odor (vet said do not bath for a few days - too much stress already).  He has gone potty outside every time I put him down!  I guess I'm begging for advice and moral support because I'm so out of my element with this.   Any advice on how not to infect Rooney or myself is welcome.  Thank goodness the Giardia was caught early - his poop was soft but not runny.  Help.

 

[Jennifer and Jack]

Sweet Jane, I am so sorry that you are going through this. I totally understand about the germs, about the fear of putting Rooney in harms way and about getting sick yourself. I am very immune compromised from all the steroids I am on and I once took in a foster for a few days, I will spare you the details but this dog had every possible infection in his stool known to dog hood.

 

My doctor put me on two pills, I can't remember what and we bathed Jack in something to make sure he didn't get round worm which is what this dog had. Both Jack and I were fine.  Neither one of us caught anything. If I can recommend you calling Rooney regular vet ahead of time, who knows you and knows Rooney and see if they want to do something to protect him. It is my understanding that they don't usually do that, unless the dog is known to be immune compromised, or in my case, I am, I catch everything, honestly.

 

This is all going to pass, Stuart is going to get better. His poor tummy is going to heal, the bloating will go away, he will gain weight, and be worm free.  May I also suggest, when he does get a bath, make sure you groom or have his hiney groomed with a sanitary cut so that no worms get attached to his furn when he poops them out.

 

You are so much stronger then you think,

 

We are pulling for you

[Colleen, Jake & Baxter]

Hi Jane

 

I just want to encourage you!  This is not going to be an easy time......and, it may feel overwhelming at times....(like now)  but you will get through it. Just take one day at a time......I bet you in a month or 2 when things settle down you will have a different answer to your daughters question!  You are going to be a great doodle mom to him......it will get better! 

[Julie and Maggie]

Hey Jane, just saw this post and haven't had time to read the 50+ responses, but just want you to know that you have my support and I know everything will EVENTUALLY be just fine. You are doing a wonderful job. Really an inspiration to us all.

[Jennifer,Chloe & Myla]

Hi Jane, all I can say is hang in there. He is yours for a reason and you will be fine if you do what the vet says. I'm thinking it's a good thing that Rooney did not come along and you have this treatment time. Sounds like you need to go shopping for Rooney now, since I think you took some of his stuff for the pup!! Sounds gross, just  try to think of it as nursing him and not what it is I would buy a HUGE box of gloves!!! Easyon the wine you don't want to scare your new pup (LOL) You should not feel like a terrible person if you knew and didn't take him, you have your health and Rooney to think about. Just remember it's not an uncommon thing for pups and you saved him from that awful place, he will gain the weight once he feels better.

[Clifford, Cloud, Jake..and Kim]

Jane - both you and Stuart will get through this.  It might be gross but you are never given more than you can handle and this little guy will repay you with love and fun times for a long time after this "stuff" is forgotten. 

[Anna]

I feel your pain.  I got my little guy from a reputable breeder and she told me nothing about giardia - but gave me little white pills and told me to give it to him - if he has diarrhea from stress.  he wasn't stressed - so i didn;t give him anything.

After serveral bouts of diarrhea and then finally a bloody stool - I figured it out - that he has giardia and he has already pooped all over out house - and I did not know it was highly contagious.  I have two little boys who were so enamored of the dog they took no precaution. 

So - he has finished his medication yesterday and he seems ok. 

 

so I have a couple questions for you guys

1. some people say that - it took them a couple rounds of meds to cure it.   how do I know its gone?  I assume you thought it was still there - b/c the pup still had diarrhea?

2. if a human got this giardia - what are the symptoms?  does the person also need to be on meds?  or does it just work out of my system?

3. is there long term issues - if your pup ever had giardia.

4. do only puppies get this?  

5. why doesn't heartworm medication - protect against this?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

1. You know it's gone when the stools are firmed up and you get a negative fecal test.

2. In humans, it's just like amoebic dysentery..."Montezuma's Revenge". Bad diarrhea. You have to take meds for it.

3.No real long term issues, but the meds seem to start a lot of puppies down the road of digestive issues; they have loose stools for months and they can also get reinfected with the giardia.

4. It isn't only puppies that get it. Lots of adult dogs get it, too. But at your house, there is only one or two dogs, and you don't have 40 adult dogs and puppies running around together outside through each other's poop. You clean up your yard and your dog. I'm sorry to say this, but a lot of breeders seem to have too many dogs and not enough time to be able to keep the puppies from getting giardia, and they come home with it.

5. Heartworm is not related to giardia in any way. It isn't really related to worms in the same sense. The kinds of parasites and worms we're talking about here are all in the intestinal tract. Heartworms come from mosquitoes, and they are actually worms that get into the chambers of the dogs heart via the microfilarae that gets into the blood from mosquito bites. Giardia and other intestinal parasites come from ingesting contaminated feces, usually from drinking dirty water outdoors or from licking themselves after they've come into contact with the contaminated stuff.

[Anna]

thanks Karen.  I can see why everyone here wants your input.  you are the GURU. 

just a couple of more questions.  My vet said that it hard to figure out giardia with the usual fecal test and there can be false negative - something like that sometimes it doesn't show up in the feces all the time? 

My pup's poo is more firm now and it doesn't stink like before.   he said the test for it - is more expensive and takes a long time - is it worth it to ask for the test?

 

I see my pup licking and trying to eat every surface/patio/grass.  no wonder many dog get it.  how come there is no medication to prevent it.  Have you heard of anything - that can kind of help = so pup doesn't get it again?

 

"montezuma's revenge"  LOL   I love it.  and it accurately describes the act.  haha

 

I totally agree with you.  when i went to pick up the pup - she had like 3- 4 litters all grouped together - the same age.   and a couple of them had really smelly diarrhea - when we were there.  If I was a smarter/ more knowledgeable person - that should have been the warning sign - right there.  There are just too many pups for one woman to take care of - in the most optimal way possible. 

 

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The standard test for giardia is called a "snap" test, and it doesn't take all that long. I waited for the results in my vet's office. Maybe there are some storefront vets like banfield who don't have the ability to run the test on premises, but I wouldn't use that kind of vet anyway.

 As far as it being "expensive", that's a relative term. If the test that is more accurate is also more expensive, to me, there's no question of which one you want. In my mind, the cheaper test is actually the one that's more expensive, because you're throwing the money away on a test that isn't reliable.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I brought another fecal sample in for Murphy this morning.  My Vet charges $29, and she uses both the Snap and the flotation, so she has to send it out.  I'll get results tomorrow morning.

[Anna]

thanks for letting me know the cost jane - I know we adore him and everything - but I'm really trying to watch what we are spending - and $30 bucks is totally doable.   so - how did the fecal test go? 

[Anna]

that makes sense karen.  I think I will ask for this test - b/c for a few days - his poop was fine - but just today - he had diarrhea twice.  and now - I always think - maybe the medicine didn't cure it.  you are right - and it would give me a sense of relief - knowing