Giardia experiences

Hi, I totally get what you’re going through; I had a very similar experience with my dog. When he had Giardia, it took a little while to get him completely sorted. The vet had prescribed a course of treatment, but what really made the difference was adding **Flagyl (Metronidazole)** on top of the other medication. It’s an antibiotic that works really well against parasites and it definitely speeded up my dog’s recovery. I’d also recommend keeping his environment really clean and being very strict with his meals. These parasites can come back if the treatment isn't followed through 100%. Hang in there, but don't hesitate to see your vet again if you feel like things aren't improving. All the best to you and your puppy!

You were lucky then!

Feel free to have a look at this article written by a vet: https://wamiz.com/chiens/conseil/giardiose-chien-eviter-traiter-maladie-tres-contagieuse-18931.html

 

My dog also had giardia two years ago. In our case, it lasted about 3 weeks to a month and the treatment worked well. 

Thanks, hang in there too, and thank you for the brilliant advice!!!

Yes, I’d heard a lot about grapefruit seed extract, I’m definitely going to get some.

I totally understand your partner, it’s so draining! I’m a single mum so I’ve got no one to lean on; I was just crying by myself every time we went out... the fatigue, the stress, etc. And I’m usually a very resilient person...

I have to admit that now, my pup is asymptomatic except for the smelly stools. According to the vet, we’re on the home stretch... but I’m sceptical. I’d rather not get my hopes up and then hopefully get some good news... We’ll see by the end of January in my case. For now, the 5-day course hasn't changed anything... about ten days to go.

What breed is your puppy? What’s his name and how old is he exactly? If you have the time and feel like answering!

This is Tempo, a 5-month-old short-haired black and white Border Collie. He’s a bit of a giant because he’s huge and weighs over 35 lbs (more than 2 and a half stone). According to the vet, he’s also building a natural immunity because normally this parasite slows down their growth, but with Tempo, that’s definitely not the case. The only silver lining, really!

Oh no, the washing machine packing up—that’s the last thing you need! Talk about one thing after another. Personally, I’m going to do everything I can to avoid having to return the dog, but my partner is honestly going through a severe bout of depression because of all this, so it’s really tough for morale. (I’m not even joking or exaggerating). I also found a post from someone else that might help; they were in the same boat as us and it lasted for months. Here is what they did: - For hygiene, she used Aniosurf (to be fair, you can't beat professional brands like Anios which specialise in clinical disinfection and have a higher concentration of quaternary ammonium). - To supplement the treatment: Grapefruit seed extract in the morning + coconut oil (you can find these in health food shops like Holland & Barrett or in the organic aisle at the supermarket). They act as natural repellents for giardia and help support gut health. - 1 tablet at lunchtime of a natural parasite repellent (like the Floralpina brand), which contains a blend of natural ingredients to tackle parasites, including giardia. - In the evening: Propolis (0.2ml per kg) + green clay to help firm up the stools, though you could also use something like Pro-Kolin. On top of all that, she followed the medical treatment (I assume Metrobactin)—but the supplement routine is meant to be done during the breaks between the courses of antibiotics. According to her, you have to disinfect the food bowls after every meal and change the water bowl as often as possible (needless to say, you’d need to be either out of work or working from home to manage all that!). Anyway, I’m going to give this a try because I can't stay like this for six months; it’s just not an option... having to take the dog out every 20 minutes is a nightmare. And even though catching this as a zoonotic disease is very rare and only affects a tiny percentage of people, I really don’t want to be one of the "lucky" few who ends up with it (I’d much rather win the lottery!). Hang in there!

I’m going through the exact same thing at the moment. I adopted a puppy from a breeder in mid-December, but unlike you, the first symptoms appeared as soon as I got him home—blood in his stools that very evening. I phoned the breeder who told me it was just down to stress, which sounded plausible. However, I waited three days and it didn’t clear up. Plus, the stools were very specific: mucousy, soft, frequent, and bloody. I did some research the night before my vet appointment, and everything pointed towards Giardia. The vet agreed and started a 3-day course of Panacur. Everything seemed better then—his stools were formed again, no more blood, and most importantly, the puppy finally started eating, as he’d been off his food before. The joy was short-lived though. 24 hours after finishing the treatment, the symptoms came back with a vengeance. I took a stool sample in for testing and the result came back: Giardia. We did another 10 days of Panacur, but this time there was no improvement at all during the treatment. So, to pick up where I left off, 10 days later (which was a week ago), we switched to Metrobactin, because the only thing really effective against Giardia is Metronidazole (antibiotics like Flagyl or Metrobactin). For five days, everything was great—he got his appetite back, his poos were less frequent and better formed... basically, a huge relief. Then tonight, 48 hours after finishing the first round of Metrobactin, the diarrhoea and blood are back... I should mention that I’ve followed every bit of advice you can find to the letter: steam-cleaning the house every day, using quaternary ammonium disinfectants, changing his bedding daily, washing our own clothes with disinfectant (like Dettol or laundry cleanser), bathing the dog with Douxo (an ammonium-based dog shampoo), wiping his bum after every poo, putting a fence up on the patio so he only goes there, and then picking it up and scrubbing the spot with boiling water from the kettle... same for his bowls. Honestly, as someone mentioned before, I’ve become a total obsessive clean-freak and it still hasn't worked; it’s come back. So no matter how many precautions you take, it seems these parasites are incredibly hardy. After becoming something of an expert on Giardia from reading so many papers and testimonials, you basically have a few options: - Keep going with the treatment and after a few months it will eventually clear up, but in the meantime, you need to stay mentally strong to cope with it all—and have a healthy bank balance to afford the products. - Change his diet. Most kibble contains grains and therefore carbs, but check with your vet first as our puppies' gut flora isn't in the best shape right now. - Supplement with grapefruit seed extract between treatments, as some people do. Apparently, it can be quite effective and it’s a good natural support that won't mess up your dog’s system like the meds do. All of this while continuing with the manic cleaning at home, obviously, otherwise it’s no fun... - The final option: return the dog to the breeder. But that’s so hard, especially when you’re already attached to the little guy. I’ll admit my partner is leaning towards this because we aren’t sleeping anymore and we’re terrified of him passing the parasite—which is a zoonosis—to our 3-year-old. Regarding the cleaning, if it helps, standard supermarket disinfectants often aren't strong enough. You’re better off getting something like Safe4 or Virkon (but if you have kids, only clean when they aren't around and keep the place well-ventilated). You can also look for heavy-duty kennel disinfectants or brands like Zoflora which contain the right active ingredients. Other than that, use steam and boiling water wherever you can. As for the "last resort" of returning the dog (because let’s face it, this illness is definitely not compatible with a busy, complex job)—if you took steps early on to detect the Giardia with tests and everything, the only legal route is "misrepresentation." Basically, arguing that you wouldn't have taken the dog had you known about the condition. That’s my situation, and probably the case for others who are having nightmares over this. Anyway, all this to say you aren’t alone. It’s just that this parasite must be super resistant to treatment... *** Thanks for the cleaning tips! I didn't realise some of those disinfectants were less effective—frankly, given the price, I wish I'd known sooner! It’s a total money pit... The worst part is I actually work at the supermarket and I'm only just finding out that the own-brand stuff is better value... and I've been using that brand specifically! I thought I was doing the right thing by buying the expensive "name brands"... So, I’m going to give that a go. In my case, giving the dog back is out of the question for two reasons: firstly, he didn't catch it at the breeder's, and secondly, I’m so incredibly attached to him!! He’s my best four-legged mate. But I can understand your situation, because he really should have been healthy leaving the breeder, or at the very least you should have been warned. If I’d known about this illness, though, I definitely would have thought twice before getting a dog... I knew I needed a budget for him, but I hadn't planned for this kind of disease that I’d never even heard of! I have an 8-year-old child who is quite fragile, so I completely understand the fear of them catching it. But actually, from what I’ve read, it’s quite rare to catch it from a dog; it’s usually passed human-to-human (Giardia in dogs vs. giardiasis in humans), if I’m not mistaken. You’d really have to not wash your hands etc. for it to happen. Basically, if you have a basic level of hygiene, it’ll be fine. But I get that with a 3-year-old who likes crawling around on the floor, it’s not easy. Best of luck to you. We are on the final treatment—15 days this time (Panacur + Metrobactin). Symptoms: stools are formed but very soft, and above all, incredibly smelly. Today is day 5. Oh, and to top it all off, my washing machine has broken down, so that’s another £10 a week at the launderette...

Hello, I’m in the exact same boat as you right now. I adopted a puppy from a breeder in mid-December, but unlike your situation, the first symptoms appeared the moment I got him home—blood in his stools that very evening. I rang the breeder, who told me it was just down to stress, which sounded plausible. However, I waited three days and it didn't clear up. Plus, the stools were very specific: mucusy, soft, frequent, and bloody. I did some digging the night before my vet appointment, and everything pointed towards Giardia. The vet agreed and started an initial 3-day course of Panacur. Things seemed to improve; the stools were formed again, there was no more blood, and most importantly, the puppy finally started eating, as he’d been off his food before. The joy was short-lived, though. Just 24 hours after finishing the treatment, the symptoms came back in full force. I took a sample in for a faecal test and the result came back: Giardia. We started another 10-day course of Panacur, but this time there was absolutely no improvement during the treatment. So, to pick up where we are now: 10 days later (about a week ago), we switched to Metrobactin because the only thing really effective against Giardia is Metronidazole (antibiotics like Flagyl or Metrobactin). For five days, everything was fine. He got his appetite back, his stools were less frequent and better formed—it was such a relief. But tonight, 48 hours after finishing the first round of Metrobactin, the diarrhoea and blood are back... I should mention that I’ve followed every bit of advice out there to the letter: steam cleaning the house daily, using quaternary ammonium disinfectants, changing the bedding every day, washing our clothes with laundry cleansers (like Dettol or similar), bathing the dog with Douxo (an ammonium-based dog shampoo), wiping his bum after every poo, and I’ve even fenced off a specific area on the patio for him to go. Every time he goes, I pick it up and scrub the spot with boiling water from the kettle. I do the same for his bowls. Honestly, as someone else mentioned earlier, I’ve become totally OCD about it and it’s still made no difference—it’s come back. It just goes to show that no matter how many precautions you take, these parasites are incredibly hardy. Having developed a bit of an "expertise" on Giardia from reading so many papers and case studies, you basically have a few options: - Keep going with the treatment and eventually, after a few months, it should clear up by sheer persistence. But in the meantime, you’ll need to be in a very good place mentally to cope with it all, and in a good place financially to afford all the products. - Change his diet. Most standard dry foods contain cereals and therefore carbohydrates, which the parasites feed on. You’d need to discuss this with your vet, though, as our puppies' gut health is already in a bad way. - Supplements: Some people swear by Grapefruit Seed Extract between medical treatments. Apparently, it can be quite effective and it’s a good natural support that won't wreck your dog’s system the way the heavy meds do. All of this, of course, while keeping up the strict hygiene routine at home—otherwise, where’s the fun in that? - The final option is to return the dog to the breeder, but that is so difficult, especially once you’ve bonded with the little thing. I’ll admit my partner is leaning towards this because we aren't sleeping and we’re terrified of him passing the parasite—which is a zoonotic disease—to our three-year-old. Regarding cleaning, if it helps: standard household disinfectants often aren't strong enough. You’re better off using something like Safe4 or Anigene (the stuff vets and kennels use), or even a supermarket own-brand disinfectant that specifically lists benzalkonium chloride, as it's often cheaper than the big names. Use steam and boiling water wherever you can. As for the "last resort" of returning the dog (because let’s be honest, dealing with this isn’t compatible with a busy, complex job)—if you took steps early on to detect the Giardia with lab tests and the like, the only legal route is to claim misrepresentation. Essentially, arguing that you wouldn't have taken the dog had you known about the condition. That’s the position I’m in, and I'm sure others who have had nightmares over this feel the same. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know you’re not alone. It’s just that this parasite seems to be incredibly resistant to treatment...

Hi, I’m posting 9 years late but with slightly more recent news. I really hope this thread gets bumped because I’m going through absolute hell with Giardia over here... My puppy started with the runs about a month after I got him. I’m in touch with the rest of the litter’s owners and everyone else is fine, so he definitely didn’t catch it from there. To be honest, I suspect he might have picked it up at the vet's when he went in for conjunctivitis, or it could just be the obvious outbreak in my neighbourhood, so I’m not looking too much further for the source of the problem. You try to socialise them when they're pups, and well, I’m certainly paying the price for it now. It started with a week of liquid diarrhoea which was just about manageable, but obviously, I went to the vet to get him checked out. Luckily, my vets do the test on the spot and it came back positive for Giardia. So, he started Panacur based on his weight—he was about 20-22 lbs at the time—plus his monthly wormer. Since he’s a Border Collie, we use Drontal, which is apparently somewhat effective against Giardia (that stubborn little parasite). After 5 days of treatment, his poo was hit and miss, and then we had to wait at least 10 days from the start of the treatment to test his stools again. In the meantime, he had bloody diarrhoea and I had to take him out every hour and a half because he was emptying himself out day and night. We did another test and, no surprise, still positive. The next treatment was Panacur plus Metrobactin. Still positive. We did nothing for 3 weeks after that because, at the end of the day, he’s growing well in every sense of the word and has loads of energy; we just put him on special digestive dry food for 3 weeks to let his gut flora recover. Fourth test and he’s still positive today... He’s back on his normal kibble and we’re starting one last, stronger round of Panacur and Metrobactin (plus his monthly wormer) for 15 days. He’s 16kg (about 2 stone 7 lbs) now, the big lad—at 5 months old he’s a total mutant! I’ve been cleaning the house with Dettol for two months now (RIP my bank account) like a total clean-freak. Not to mention scrubbing his paws and bum; I’m washing his toys, bed, and sofa covers every two days (and yes, I’m a softie, he is allowed on the sofa). I'm constantly washing his bowls and he gets a bath every three days. I’ve reached the point where I feel completely helpless and useless. I’m working myself to the bone with the cleaning, I’m so careful about where we go for walks, and it feels like it’s all for nothing. I just want to know if I’ve missed something or if everyone else who’s been through this struggled as much as I am...!!!???

Hi, I’ve just read your post about giardia, even though it was from 4 years ago... my 4-month-old puppy has it too. We’ve just finished the second course of treatment and I’m terrified it’s going to come back! How is your dog doing now? If it’s all cleared up, did it take you long to finally get rid of it? I’m so worried. Thanks for sharing your experience. Manue