Giardia -- ROUND 3 - give him FLora or Greek Yogurt???

[NS]

Our puppy was born on 11/10/12. We got him in January 2013 and he has been treated twice for Giardia with Metro + Panacur the first time, and only Panacur the second time. We just got the call from our Vet and he STILL HAS IT! The Vet does not want him to do anymore meds at this time since he is a puppy and does not want to compromise his system. He suggested giving him "FLORA"a probiotic for 2 weeks to see if that clears it up.  Our puppy does not have a lot of symptoms. Sometimes his stool is well formed others times it is runny. He sleeps thru the night, he eats normally, he is growing and has an overall healthy and happy disposition. What do you think of giving him FLORA as a probiotic versus just giving him non-fat greek yogurt which has the active enzymes. 

Thanks in advance for your advice 

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I'm not a vet but Giardia is a parasite and your puppy is already compromised by it. I have read that scrupulous  precautions regarding the cleaning of not only the puppy but where he poops and all his bedding, toys and flooring is necessary in order for him not to get re-infected. You need to bleach all areas where he poops immediately. Some people here have been known to catch it on paper plates :) I would want to clear this parasite completely with whatever it takes and I will be interested to read what others more knowledgeable have to say here on that. 

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

I agree with Nicky.  What have you done to rid the environment of the parasite?  When Guinness had it we had to only take him to one place to potty (on leash) and that place was cleaned with bleach and water....every time.  We had to wash all his bedding in hot water and we had to wash his anal area every time he went to the bathroom.  It could be that your puppy is just continuing to reinfect himself. 

[Julie and Charlie]

Baths, sanitation, and Panacur are the key. 

Every possible surface I cleaned with bleach on the first and last day of treatment, and I caught the poop with a paper bowl (gloves, garbage bag, baby wipes at the ready). It was disgusting, but less gross than having to do it for weeks and months on end. Continue catching the poop until you have the lab clear your puppy with a fecal.

I soaped and rinsed his hindquarters probably three times a day- I know it's a pain, but I didn't want it in my house or on my carpet. I disinfected my shoes, the floors, his outside potty area both on the first and last day of treatment (even though I was catching it with a disposable paper)

Consider not taking your puppy out in public until it's gone. I know that's hard, but imagine if you spread it to others.

Honestly, it was one of the hardest weeks of my life- I had to spend countless hours cleaning, working at home instead of at my desk at work, and to make matters worse, he couldn't go to daycare while he was infected. But, I think it paid off. This was relatively recent, so we're still being careful, even though he had a clear fecal and his stools are nearly back to normal. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The vet is talking about Purina's Fortiflora, which is not a good product. There are better ones out there that are also cheaper. I recommend iFlora or Proviable, you can order them online. 

However, I don't see how a probiotic is going to get rid of giardia. All it does is put some good bacteria back into the GI system. It can't kill giardia protozoa. Panacur is a relatively safe treatment that is not going to compromise his sytem, I would insist on it. You really do have to get rid of the giardia. 

I agree with the others that disinfecting every surface that may possibly have come into contact with feces both indoors and out is essential, as is montioring your puppy every second that he is outside. You cannot allow him to get near standing water, puddles, droppings form other animals, etc.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I laso have to mention that several puppies from your same breeder, and I believe this same litter, have ongoing issues with giardia, there is a discussion going on about it in TFG right now. And there are many complaints online about this same issue, going back a couple of years to the present. Perhaps there is a resistant strain of giardia among these dogs. 

http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup/forum/topics/my-pupp...

[Star and Goldie]

Wow, I just read through the complaints on that breeder. That is very troubling. All of those poor pups and their owners who were left in the dark :(

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Here's a good article about treating giardia:

Panacur

Panacur contains the ingredient fenbendazole, which works by binding to the proteins in parasites and damaging the transport function of the cells. This drug is available over-the-counter and usually comes in power form. Dosage is based on weight and is given once a day for 3 consecutive days. Results have shown to be ineffective if complete treatment is avoided. This medication can be mixed with a small amount of food. Moisten if used with dry food. Full dosage must be consumed for best results.

Side Effects

Panacur is considered an extremely safe remedy for treatment of giardia and other intestinal infections. Side effects and overdose are rare and unlikely. This drug has been reported to be safe for use with pregnant and lactating dogs as well. Occasional loose stools have been reported. If your dog shows any signs of allergic reaction, use of Panacur should be discontinued. It's also possible that dogs will react to dying parasites. If facial swelling, hives, scratching, vomiting, shock, seizures, pale gums, cold limbs or lethargy ensue, your dog may be experiencing an allergic reaction. 

Prevent Reinfection

To prevent reinfection of giardia, there are a few things you can take into consideration. Hygiene is very important, as this parasite is spread by contamination. Never feed your dog raw or uncooked meat. Also keep swimming pools clean and select use of public waterways carefully. Always avoid parks or yards with large amounts of feces, and keep kennel and living areas clear of waste and debris that may collect bacteria. Cleaning with bleach or ammonium disinfectants is very effective at ridding common areas of the possibility of infection. It has been said that no medication can cure giardia 100%. Some of the giardia cysts may stay dormant for years by burrowing into the lining of the intestines, where they become almost impossible to kill. During times of stress in your dog's life, or situations that cause weakening of the immune system, this infection may reoccur.

Read more: Canine Giardia Treatment with Panacur (Fenbendazole) for Dogs - Vet...

[Star and Goldie]

I can't speak to anything Giardia related because I have never dealt with it but I can tell you that iflora is great! Do not accept the purina fortiflora it's BAD BAD BAD. The first ingredient in it is Animal Digest... something you definitely don't want your pup to have. Thats undecomposed animal carcass tissue- horns, hair, teeth, etc... iflora is a wonderful probiotic that I use and I also still give Greeks fat free plain yogurt as a special treat. I usually rotate them. One day I'll sprinkle the iflora over the food and the next day I'll put a dollop of yogurt on it.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I think yogurt may not be tolerated by some dogs because of the yeast.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Some people believe that the acidophilus in yogurt kills yeasts. It's a "natural remedy" for yeast infections. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Absolutely. Women often get vaginal yeast infections when on antibiotics and lactobacillus  can help prevent this.

[F, Calla & Luca]

Whoops, I don't know why I typed that, I meant because of lactose intolerance not yeast. I agree with what Karen has said. I did give Luca yogurt with his first round of antibiotics. I have not with the latest round, which is a 50% increase in dosage. I have not noticed any difference in his feces. Both times he has had softer that usual stool but not diarrhea.