Hi everyone!
I’ve done a lot of research on Giardia online, but I’d really like to read more stories from people who’ve had to get rid of this parasite from their dog… but first, here’s my story.
About a month ago, I got an adorable Papillon puppy. I went to collect her from a breeder. On the day I was due to bring her home, I noticed her little tummy was a bit bloated, but I didn't pay much attention to it, especially as the breeder told me she was in good health, was up to date with all her jabs, and had been wormed recently.
As soon as she arrived home, she started having diarrhoea which alternated with stools that were more or less formed. Getting her to eat was a real struggle and she would sometimes skip meals. She was sleeping a lot too. I wasn’t happy about it, but I told myself it might just be the change of environment and that I’d wait a few days. As the situation didn’t improve, I booked an appointment with the vet.
The vet said that, on the face of it, there was nothing serious since she didn't have a temperature and was in good spirits (when she wasn't sleeping). He prescribed some probiotics but said that if she wasn't better in a few days, we’d have to run some tests to see if it was Giardia.
As you’ve probably guessed, we did the tests and BANG: Giardia.
So, the vet started her on a treatment (using an oxfendazole-based wormer).
She’s doing better already, but I’ve read that it can take months to completely clear this parasite… so I’d really love to hear some of your experiences… If your dog has had Giardia, how long did it take to cure them? What were they treated with? What other extra measures did you take to help the recovery?
