shedding and Giardiasis

[Nancy Sweet]

My 4 month old goldendoodle is shedding like crazy!!! And to make matters worse he has Giardiasis. I am in the process of disinfecting my house. I am very unhappy. Has anyone been through this?

[Kendra K. Rhoton]

What is Giardiasis???

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

also known as Giardia, lives in water (pools, ponds, puddles, bird bathes, streams, lakes, rivers, septic systems, water fountains). Main reason you shouldn't drink the water in Mexico. Causes explosive diarrhea, abdominal cramping sever cases vomiting. Treat with metronidazole

[F, Calla & Luca]

Actually the main reason you shouldn't drink the water in Mexico and other places is related to various stains of bacteria not Giardia, which is a parasite. Although I have a cousin who got Giardia on a bus tour in spain, it usually comes from drinking water from streams, etc that has not been treated. It's nickname is beaver fever. you can get it from infected domestic animals too, of course, such as our dogs.

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Ooh my heart and hands feel for you. I spent three months last winter getting my two doodles and my son's visiting husky over giardiasis. What a pain in the neck it was. It will pass though. In the meantime canned pumpkin - one large spoonful per meal, will help with the messy poop. just plain clorox will kill it in the dog run and antibacterial wipes take care of their paws when they come in from the yard. Oh boy I am so sorry for you and for almost sure it is because of a thoughtless other dog owner, unless your dog has been drinking from stagnant or infected water.

To Kendra giardiasis is an instestinal parasite, usually picked up from infected water. But it can be picked through eating infected feces. For example your dog goes to the dog park steps in another dogs infected poop and then cleans his paws on the way home. Yuck! Giardiasis causes severe diarhea in most dogs so usually an owner ( me for example) knows right away that something is wrong and all dogs are on house and yard arrest until a clean stool sample is verified at the vets.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am sure this is all very upsetting. The giardiasis is treatable. As for the shedding no one can guarantee any doodle won't shed but the odds of not shedding go up with repeated generations of dogs bred for this among other traits. If your breeder guaranteed that your dog would not shed you were misled. Dogs who do shed should cost significantly less than those who do not.

[Adina P]

Can't help you with Giardia...but I know others here have gone through it as much of a pain as it is.

As to shedding...lots of doodles shed, especially 1st generation doodles.
Hopefully you weren't led to believe there was a guarantee about shedding.

[Nancy Sweet]

My puppy is an F2b, not a first generation. I was not guaranteed that he would not shed, but I was also not told that he may shed like this. I was also led to believe that because he was an F2b he would be less likely to shed. I just wish I would have known what to expect. We have hair everywhere. I can't control it. I pray at least some of it is his puppy coat. This is what the breeder told me. We will see. Wish I would have done more research after I talked to my breeder.

[Adina P]

"Less likely" is true statistically...but statistics never accounts for individuals, only for generalities about possibilities. There's a 50/50 chance a baby will be a boy or a girl...BUT some people end up being parents of all girls or all boys.

F2b is still early in the generation thing and genetically a high percentage of retriever genes are still possible in any single pup. I've seen completely short haired, flat coated labradoodles that were F1b. Those were 'less likely' but they still pop up. Until a breed is a 'breed' that breeds true...the 'less likely' may or may not happen. That's the gamble with doodles. I'm sorry you didn't get what you expected. Are you allergic to dog hair/dander or is it more of just a nuisance?

[Nancy Sweet]

My husband has allergies.

[Adina P]

That's too bad. Is he reacting to your pup?
What a lot of us here on DK often recommend if allergies are bad enough is to get a standard poodle--guaranteed no shed. However, there are enough doodles that present NO problems that some take the risk...many times it ends up fine. But we do have members who just have to take lots of allergy meds, etc in order to handle their doodles. It's one of those gambles. Hopefully he will be able to handle your sweet pup. Regular bathing of the doodle and frequent brushing to get out dead hair I think helps.

[Noble Vestal Labradoodles]

Do NOT over bathe that will make it worse by drying the dog's skin out and causes more dander!

[Nancy Sweet]

I am supposed to give him a daily bath for 6 days as part of his treatment for the Giaridia. I am a using a diluted mild puppy shampoo.