Cally Has Giardia

[Brittney & Cally]

So instead of keep commenting on other peoples posts and commenting in the comment section. comment section, I figured I would start a post since I have a few questions.

Here is just a summery of everything that has happened.

So Cally tested positive for Giardia on Thursday after noticing her stool was getting softer. The vet (not her normal vet) and I agreed she probably picked it up from daycare since she was there more than usual in that last two weeks. She was put on three days of Panacur and 10 tablets of Endosorb. On Friday I got a call from her vet, after I asked you all about if it would be a good idea to get two more days of Panacur. She said she wants to put Cally on three more days of it and gave me a refill of Endosorb. Her main concern is that she first of all does not want to put her on Metronidazole/Flagyl and she wants to make sure Rosey would not get it because it would reak havoc on her.  She also wanted to make sure I was on a good probiotic and did not put Cally on the RX food. I am very impressed with her!

I started Cally on Chicken and sweet potato on Wednesday to see if that would help but it did not so I obviously took her to the vet. From Wednesday till Saturday she was eating a cup of Chicken and a cup of sweet potato per meal. Today I gave her a cup of her Fromm and started to give her a little white rice along with the chicken and sp. Her poop starts to firm up and then goes back to liquid.

Her poop from Thursday morning till Friday evening was straight liquid and covered in mucus. It started to firm up yesterday and then went back to liquid but there is no longer mucus in it. Her vet said do not worry about the diarrhea to much because the Panacur does not help with poop like the Metronidazole or something like that.

I have been a complete nut about cleaning the house. I am pretty sure I have bleached everything I could. I have come up with a system for her pooping outside. I try to catch it with a plate and if I do I just throw it in a Kroger bag and throw it out. If I cannot I clean up as much as I can with poop bags, then clean up the rest with clorox wipes and then bleach the area and obviously throw that all away in a Kroger bag. Cally gets new bedding for her crates after each use and then the dirty stuff and toys get thrown in the wash (I will have to get some new toys after this but I do not care). Every time Cally has a kong it gets thrown into the dishwasher in the high heat anti bacterial cycle. Her paws, butt and legs get wiped every time she comes in from outside. Her brushes are bleached after each brushing around her butt. Has also had a few baths from when her poop was really bad. So far Rosey is looking great and so is her poop!

So here are my questions.

How long should I keep up my insane cleaning?

Should I take her back to this daycare as I am sure all the dogs are reinfecting themselves. I did call the day care and they apologized and I of course do not blame them as there are irresponsible pet parents like there are parents of kids that take them to daycare when they are sick. I only called them to let them know so they could do something about it if that is what they do.

Cally needs a sanitary groom pretty bad and likely her summer cut, when is it okay to take her to the groomer or would this be her individual groomer question? I just know they clean around her butt and use those clippers on other dogs.

How long should I be cleaning her poop? Until she tests negative?

She has her obedience class on Wednesday, could we go to that?

Sorry for such a long winded post but I figured it was better to ask all this in one post and explain everything that keep having to do it on other peoples posts. Hopefully I did not forget anything.

[Brittney & Cally]

Those things do seen very common. Having read all the discussions about Giardia I knew when she starting having softer stool that is the first thing I wanted to test for! Thank you for the well wishes! She had a lot more energy today so that makes me feel better and obviously it was wonderful to see her playful self again!

[Brittney & Cally]

Karen, have you heard about ParaBe-Gone natural wormer? Someone at the vet suggested as a preventative it but it was not something my vet would recommend. Obviously I am sticking to what works but just wondering what your thoughts are? I could not find to much on it and how effective it is but is there any truth to preventing this? I am just so scared to take her back to daycare because who knows how many dogs are reinfecting themselves.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

It's hogwash. It's filtered water and plant extracts like fern and spearmint, no way would that prevent a dog from getting giardia if they drank water that was contaminated with giardia cysts, or walked in something at the dog park and then licked their paw. The plant extracts are going to be destroyed by stomach acid long before they could ever make contact with giardia cysts, the stuff sure doesn't stay in the body. Even if it could kill worms or protozoa, which is doubtful. 

[Brittney & Cally]

Okay, that is what I thought. When I saw it was just plan extracts, I was like there is no way!

[Stephanie and Ragley]

Poor Cally! I hope she starts feeling better soon! I'm so impressed you are testing for CGC already...I thought they had to be 12 months for that? Go you! 

[Brittney & Cally]

I guess not, lol. But your probably thinking about the therapy testing, they definitely have to be a minimum of a year. I am pretty lucky that I have a great trainer. What she does is as long as the dog has passed the AKC and the CGC tests with her she will take them out with her with her therapy classes, even if they have not taken the testing for it yet. She has a great working relationship with the local stores and nursing homes that allow her to do this. This helps prepare for the test and the dogs being used to being in those situations! In her therapy group she also has certified dogs as well.

[Pam Thomas]

how is Cally doing? Giardia is something we check patient's for if prolonged  diarrhea. I might grab some hospital cleaner and keep at home. I also read you can spray or yard with a bleach solution. Maybe after they go and it is cleaned up, the spot could be sprayed with a dilution of bleach and water. I may do my whole yard before  get pup. lol

[Brittney & Cally]

Cally is doing better. She actually had poop that looked formed this morning! But, this afternoon it was back to diarrhea. I know it may not be as exciting to everyone else but it just means things are improving and I hope they continue to do so.

I am doing that with the bleach if she does not make it on to the plate. But just a reminder the bleach solution becomes less effective after a day or two so you have to add some more bleach.

[Elly Koretic]

So sorry your Cally is not feeling well.  You are doing an awesome job and your posts will help another Doodle family recognize if they have the same problem.  The paper plate move is genius!  I will keep that in mind in case I need to avoid a poopy mess pick-up.  

Good luck and I will follow your post and pray this gets resolved quickly.

[Brittney & Cally]

Thanks for the prayers! I will definitely keep everyone updated. She only has one does for tonight and then tomorrow and then she is done. She gets rechecked on the 28th.

[Brittney & Cally]

Okay, so, I have been waiting to post an update as I did not want to jinx Cally! Cally finished her last bag of panacur last night and has a firm poops since yesterday morning!  Well, she has had four firm poops in a row that look pretty much back to normal except for the coloring. She has her energy back as well, yay! Talked to the vet today and she says keep her on probiotics  and yogurt for at least two weeks (just like we always say) but preferably 2 & 1/2. I will continue to clean the poop for at least another week? The best part of this is that Rosey did not get it! Phew! I also talked to the groomer and says she is fine to get groomed and they will bleach their things in between her and another dog to make sure. Thank you all for your support and help! Please knock on wood after reading this, lol. I do not want to jinx anything!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I am so glad Cally seems to have gotten through this with a minimum of trouble. Kenahora. (That's Yiddish for knocking on wood.)