Giardia is a protozoan that can affect our dogs but also other animals such as cats or cattle and even Humans. In this article on our site we will give more information about giardia in dogs, the symptoms it produces, how it is spread and diagnosed, and what is the treatment of choice.
As we always recommend, a safe environment for our dog, regular veterinary check-ups and a correct deworming schedule, as well as going to the doctor for any symptoms, are the keys to controlling this and other diseases.
Giardiasis in dogs
As we have said, giardia is a flagellated protozoan that is located in the intestine and, due to its action in it, causes its inflammation and a series of symptoms that we will detail below. In many cases, this infestation occurs subclinically, that is, it will not be possible to see any signs. On the other hand, in more vulnerable animals such as puppies or dogs that are immunodepressed or overcrowded, giardia in dogs will cause a clinical picture that must be treated by a veterinarian.
How is giardia spread in dogs?
Most infections of giardia in dogs are caused by the ingestion of contaminated water where protozoan cysts can be found, which resist disinfection with chlorine and can be kept in the environment for several weeks. Infection can also occur if the dog comes into contact with contaminated food or surfaces
Giardia in dogs and contagion to humans
Giardiasis is considered a zoonosis, which means it can be transmission from animals to humans and vice versa Although some genotypes of giardia in dogs can also be found in the human body, the importance of this transmission is still being studied.
For humans, drinking contaminated water continues to be the main source of infection, in addition to contact with surfaces where giardia are found, relationships with other infected humans, and even unprotected anal sex. protection.
In humans, there is a greater risk of contagionchildren, the elderly and relatives or professionals who work with them in nurseries or residences geriatrics. The dogs themselves could contaminate the environment with their droppings and, from this, the contagion to humans would occur. We will see in another section the preventive measures to adopt.
Symptoms of giardiasis in dogs
In cases in which giardia infestation in dogs develops a clinical picture, we can find the following symptoms:
- Bowel noises
- Flatulence
- Diarrhea characterized by a large volume of mucous stools with a very bad smell
- Episodes of diarrhea can be acute or chronic
- Slimming
Diagnosis of giardiasis in dogs
If our dog has diarrhea we must go to the vet, who will be the one who can identify giardia in dogs through different diagnostic techniques based on of a faeces sample At this point it is important to point out that stools of several days will be needed since, otherwise, it could give us a resultfalse negative This happens because shedding of giardia in the stool is intermittent. Thus, to rule out its presence, three negative fecal tests would be needed.
The treatment of giardiasis in dogs
To combat giardia in dogs, several protocols are followed, including a antiparasitic or a antibioticThey should always be prescribed by a veterinarian. If we suspect that our dog is pregnant, we must notify her since the antibiotic cannot be administered during pregnancy because it causes malformations.
The vet will tell us the dose and how long the treatment for giardia in dogs lasts, which is usually 3 days for the antiparasitic and even 15 for the antibiotic. Giardiasis in dogs is not normally fatal, but it can cause complications, such as dehydration or malabsorption, especially in puppies. Because of this and because of the possibility of contaminating the environment, we must treat the affected animals.
Giardiasis prevention
Against giardia infestation in dogs, cats or humans, we can highlight the following prevention measures:
- Drink water only from known safe sources.
- Wash your hands, especially after handling diapers or faeces and, always, before preparing food. Cooking kills giardia. Fruits and vegetables should be well washed.
- Disinfect places where infected dogs have been.
- Treat the infestation in animals with and without symptoms, since this way we avoid the elimination of giardia from the environment.
- Go to scheduled veterinary check-ups and maintain an adequate deworming schedule.
