# Question about Giardia and Coccidia



## Puttin510 (May 21, 2010)

My partner in Rescue and I have been wondering if our vet is taking us for a ride, or if just about every dog we bring in really has Coccidia or giardia. I want to know if most dogs from shelters or even off the street that other rescuers have, come up with the same diagnoses. We have our dogs fecal tested, to make sure we catch any problems, but how is it possible just about all of them have it.
We bought Panacur C for our dogs, because that s what our vet has us buy, so we got it ourselves to cut costs. What are your experiences in this area? 
Also is Albon the only thing that can cure Coccicida or is there something that we can get to cure that as well??? I am wondering if our vet is taking advantage of us.


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## FKAPRSOA (May 5, 2010)

I am reluctant to judge a professional, however, he could be being overly cautious. Why do you have fecal tests done on every dog? Do they have symptoms or issues that make you feel they need testing or are you testing generally for worms and similar?

If they display no symptoms then I am not sure I would test routinely. We worm routinely and treat for fleas, and we test for heartworm for obvious reasons before starting them on preventatives.

Perhaps to ease your mind, take one dog and the same sample to two different Vets and see if they both come up wit the same result.


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## Puttin510 (May 21, 2010)

We do it to just rule out any problems. Especially with dogs we get out of shelters that are known to have dogs with these problems. We are going to do just what you said. Have two tests done.
I just am thinking something is fishy being almost all dogs we bring in have giardi or coccida.
We bring our vet in alot of money, and the people at the desk do nothing but confuse the heck out of everyone there. I think we will start with the two tests. 
We worry when we have one dog from a bad place that may be in the same foster as a known healthy one. stuff like that.
Do you know of any other product that can be bought over the counter or made ourselves to help with coccidia. I understand it never really is cured just helps to stop its growth. I believe it was said something like that.


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## FKAPRSOA (May 5, 2010)

Most healthy adult dogs will be asymptomatic if they have it - that is, they will carry the parasites but will not present active symptoms. Puppies and dogs under stress (many dogs in shelters) are at risk of developing coccidiosis however and it can easily kill a young pup.

Are they puppies or adults you are testing?

The parasite is very common but it is coccidiosis that is the bigger issue and not the parasite. Does this makes sense?

A healthy dog's immune system will keep it in check, the same as with demodectic mites. Most dogs have demodectic mites in very small numbers on them. It is only those with weak immunes systems though that allow the mites to multiply in large numbers and the dog will develop demodex.

Giardia is also a small parasite that is found in water, usually dams, tank water and the like. Like coccidia, it can be passed easily from dog to dog and both can also be passed to humans. Similar symptoms and the same theory with this - dogs may be asymptomatic.

In both cases, if the dogs are displaying no symptoms, then I would not neccessarily treat them unless you really believe they are at risk of developing the symptoms or they are young puppies.

I hope this helps.


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## Dog_Shrink (Sep 29, 2009)

I know this doesn't entirely answer your question but it is informative and will help you decide if your vet is even taking the appropriate measures to test for coccidia and giardia. If they're not using proper diagnostics then my guess would be that they could be fouling up other places too. I can certainly understand why you do the testing. Placing a dog in a permanent home or foster home and then seeing symptoms f GI upset could be a multitude of things and by the time it was diagnosed you have already put ALL the animals that could be at or visiting that home at risk. 

So here is an article I had written a couple years ago on the matter:

*Canine Health Spotlight 

Giardia
By
Kellee ****​*
Giardia, pronounced GEE-are-DYE-uh, are protozoa that live in the small intestine of dogs and cats. Giardia is found throughout the United States and in many other parts of the world. Infection with Giardia is called 'Giardiasis.' There are many unknowns about this parasite ranging from how many different species there are and which of these species affects our pets. The life cycle is unknown and veterinarians conflict on how common Giardia infections are and when they should be treated. Unlike other parasitic organisms that invade our pets, Giardia can also infect Humans and should be taken very seriously if diagnosed by your vet. It has been observed that as little as 10 cysts can cause disease in humans.

Giardias are self reproducing organisms that divide to increase their numbers and generally afflict young dogs under the age of 6 months or dogs that have an immune deficiency. Like most parasites they depend on being able to overcome the dog’s defense against infection either by its virulence or by the sheer numbers of the organism becoming established. A dog becomes infected by eating the cyst form of the parasite. In the small intestine, the cyst opens and releases an active form called a trophozoite. They attach to the intestinal wall and reproduce by dividing in two. After an unknown number of divisions, this form develops a wall around itself (encysts) and is passed in the feces. The Giardia in the feces can contaminate the environment, water, and infect other animals or people. 

The most common symptom of Giardia is diarrhea. Usually infected animals will not lose their appetite, but may lose weight. The feces are often abnormal, being pale, having a bad odor, and appearing greasy. In the intestine, Giardia prevents proper absorption of nutrients, damages the intestinal lining, and interferes with digestion. Surveys have shown that about 14% of adult dogs and over 30% of dogs under 1 year of age were infected. Once passed the cysts can survive several months in cold weather, and are infective as soon as they are passed. Onset of symptoms is approximately 13 days after ingestion. Without treatment the condition may occur chronically or intermittently, for weeks or months. 

Diagnosis is based on demonstration of the infection and the elimination of other possible causes of diarrhea such as Salmonella or Campylobacter. Giardia cysts may be observed directly in fecal samples or indirectly using an ELISA technique. The ELISA technique requires a kit and some method of reading a color change or production of fluorescence. Studies examining the reliability of some immunoflourescent kits have found them to be over 90% accurate, with relatively few false results, however, the tests are costly and probably only worthwhile where there are a large number of samples to be processed and a technician who is familiar with carrying out ELISAS. Direct examination of feces, using zinc sulphate centrifugal flotation, followed by staining the supernatant with Lugol's iodine, has been found to be up to 70% effective at detecting infection from a single fecal sample. The cyst output is variable so the detection rate may be improved by pooling fecal samples collected over three days. Fecal examination is the cheapest method but is time consuming and requires an experienced technician for reliable results. 
There are several treatments for giardiasis although some have not been FDA-approved for that use in dogs. Fenbendazole is an anti-parasitic drug that kills some intestinal worms and can help control Giardia. It may be used alone or with metronidazole. Metronidazole can kill some types of bacteria that cause diarrhea, but it has been found to be only 60-70% effective in eliminating Giardia from dogs. It can cause liver damage and birth defects in pregnant dogs and has a very bitter taste usually resented by pets.

The easiest way to prevent Giardia from spreading is to clean and treat the affected animals, and disinfect the area with a Quaternary ammonium disinfectant used according to manufacturer's directions or a 1:5 or 1:10 solution of bleach can usually kill the cysts within twenty minutes. Allow the area to dry for several days before reintroducing the animals. Use extreme caution when using quaternary ammonium compounds and bleach solutions. Use proper ventilation, gloves, protective clothing and follow your veterinarian's recommendations. Remember, Giardia of dogs may infect people, so good personal hygiene should be used by adults when cleaning kennels or picking up the yard, and by children who may play with pets or in potentially contaminated areas.


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