GIARDIA - Page 1

Hi,

Can anyone tell me the symptoms of Giardia. My dog was diagnosed with SIBO five months ago and has been on antibiotics since  and B12 injections since then. Thought we were winning but over the past month he has had intermittent diarrhoea again, and over the past couple of days it has been very liquid/ watery. Had him back at the vet yesterday she gave another B12 shot. I took in a stool sample and during our conversation I realised that  he hadnt had a stool sample tested since last November(when it all really started) I ehad read on here a bit about Giardia and asked if he had been tested for that and she said no. so I asked to have this sample tested. She seems reluctant. She is convinced it is Sibo. I am seeing her again tomorrow and have collected two samples today and will get one in the morning too. If she is still reluctant to test for Giardia do you think I should insist, I mean doeas it sound like Giardia to anyone reading this. He lost 7kg in weight before he was diagnosed with SIBO and he has  regained it, but with the diarrhoea back i know how quickly the weight can drop off. He is not off his food but is a bit subdued and his coat is looking a bit jaded. Please advise as I have never come across Giardia before and althogh I have faith in my Vet, I would like to have it ruled out. I live in Scotland and I have no idea if it is a common occurence here or not.

Ive had a bout with Giardia 3 or 4 years ago. My vet kept treating for worms. Then he tried selling digestive enzyme for $120.00. The same bottle I could buy online for $129.00. Since he was VERY unsure of the diagnosis, I opted to buy some Nupro online and add to my dogs diet anyways, vs. spending $120. for his overpriced bottle. When my vet still had his head up his ass and wouldnt THINK about possible causes of loose stool/diarrhea (as worms were not found in the stool  for the 2nd & 3rd time checking), I decided it was time for a new vet. I was very upfront telling them we had ruled out "worms". The first words out of the new vets mouth.. "I think it could be Giardia". Well, low and behold it was. My dog was treated for it and totally fine after. Giardia is naturally occuring in the environment. Sometimes, the dog can come in contact with it in small pools of water. And we all know, that if a German Shepherd sees a mud puddle, swamp, pond, or lake, it MUST get in it! I would tell your vet you want to treat for Giardia as a precaution. There are no adverse effects of treatment if the dog does not have it.

Thank you funk man

 This has been going on so long and I am not very forthright, I tend to let my Vet talk me round to her way of thinking But I will go tomorrow and insist that  she test for Giardia and maybe even as you say treat for it  while wating for results

 Thank you I just needed a bit of encouragment.

Brady Bee,  YES you should Insist !!!  and if your vet is reluctant,  I would take a sample into a different clinic and ask to have it tested for Ghiardia,  Just to make sure your vets DX is the same as the other clinic !! 

Sometimes we allow vets to do whatever they want because afterall, they are the trained professionals. But when i go to my personal physician, if they are rude to me or dont give me the time i need to explain my symptoms, I move on. Never forget, YOU are the client! they are working for YOU!

Check out this site: www.beaglesunlimited.net

In the vertical menu go to Beagle health and it will take you to a framed page that has links to several topics.  Ones that seem to pertain to your problems are:

1. Giardia
2. Coccidiosis
3. Intestinal woms

I found that this site provides insight and education that pertains to canine health in general and not just Beagles.

                                                                              Don

Let's talk about the Vit B12 injections first, before you get all worried. Initially, were the injections given IM (intermuscular) every three days, for about 4 or 5 weeks? then did you go to one shot (IM) every week, decreasing like you would with a steroid?  I know some vets don't offer the treatment this way, and I have found (I work at a local shelter) that the treatment isn't always administered the way UC Davis recommends.

If you did the Vit B12 as stated above kudos to you and your vet. I would definitely get a stool sample checked. For both Giarida and Coccidia. Also, keep in mind all the treatments as such have probably messed with the good flora in the intestines, so a good probios supplement would probably be a good idea, as stated in a previous post.

Fenbendazole is what we use for treating Giardia. On another note, it can be hard to diagnose because it sheds intermittly. Treat for it to rule it out.

There is a blood  test for Giardia that is far more accurate than the fecal test.  I know of two different people who had multiple fecal's done and they were negative for Giardia, they finally did the blood test and guess what it was positive.

Brady . IMHO vets are all too quick to diaganose IBD in GSD w/o out looking at the "simpler" things that it could be ( tho Giardia is not simple). Negligence, greed, breed prejudice? Who knows but nowadays same as w/ human docs it almost seems like you have to be your own medical expert.

Certainly, Giarda, cocidda(sp), corona virus,worms, posioning or bad food ALL should be eliminated as possibilities BEFORE getting to a more serious diagnosis. It is very difficult to test for Giardia - you can test 100 times and 99 will be negative. You must catch it in an active shedding phase. Generally speaking the protocol is to treat for it and if it works then that was the diagnosis. Since treatment by whatever method "sterilizes" the gut it is VERy impt that you put the good bacteria back in w/ a combo of probiotics and yogurt. Here is a link to another board and the same discussion and it has good links to reliable info on Giardia . My post ithere s last on the page and has some specific suggestions re the vaccine and eliminating the environmental re-infection.

http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=398004

Plus if you search the message list here for Giardia you will find some great posts outlining treatment regimes that different people have used with success. Good luck let us know how it goes.