Giardia

[Lookingforone]

MJ has Giardia. He's on medication. From what I've read, you have to bleach the infected area to kill it, everyday, for 20 days. Fun!!! But what do I do about my couch, carpet, and other items I cannot bleach? He has to stay in his playpen all day so he doesn't contaminate other things and he just cried non-stop for me. It's killing me!!!

[ChibiLuv]

Giardia is spread through poo. You can still hang out with him just wash up after. As long as he does not have poo on him while rubbing on your stuff you should be ok. Most treatments I've seen have only lasted 2 weeks, what did they give you that's 20 days??

[Lookingforone]

But it's microscopic. So even if I clean his butt, I won't be able to see it when he sits on furniture.
The medicine for him is only 5 days. But the parasites can live in infected areas for 20 days, from what I've read.

[shelbysmom]

here ya go. haven't had to deal with it, don't want to.

CDC - Giardia - Giardia and Pets

[ChibiLuv]

It's really not that big of a deal. I work at a shelter where I've been for 2 years and at any given time at least 30 or more of the animals there, most of which I handle daily have Giardia and I've never caught it nor have I heard of anyone adopting an animal with Giardia get sick and we only tell them to be careful during the treatment time of 2 weeks. It's usually only a problem if you have an infant (hand in mouth and lower immune system). Lysol and ammonia also kill it. A lot of reference material has to put worst case scenario just in case but I'm telling you, if it were that easily spread to people everyone who came in our shelter or any animal shelter ever would probably get it. Luckily it's not that scary.
Ps Molli had Giardia twice from a stupid daycares I took her to(she's a poo eater) I didn't keep her kenneled or separated, my other dog didn't get it nor did we. I just cleaned up after her when she went poo

[Lookingforone]

Originally Posted by ChibiLuv

It's really not that big of a deal. I work at a shelter where I've been for 2 years and at any given time at least 30 or more of the animals there, most of which I handle daily have Giardia and I've never caught it nor have I heard of anyone adopting an animal with Giardia get sick and we only tell them to be careful during the treatment time of 2 weeks. It's usually only a problem if you have an infant (hand in mouth and lower immune system). Lysol and ammonia also kill it. A lot of reference material has to put worst case scenario just in case but I'm telling you, if it were that easily spread to people everyone who came in our shelter or any animal shelter ever would probably get it. Luckily it's not that scary.
Ps Molli had Giardia twice from a stupid daycares I took her to(she's a poo eater) I didn't keep her kenneled or separated, my other dog didn't get it nor did we. I just cleaned up after her when she went poo

My boyfriend and I both caught it from MJ.

[shelbysmom]

Originally Posted by Lookingforone

My boyfriend and I both caught it from MJ.

oh no!!! No more kissing (the dog, not your bf) until this is cleared up!

[ChibiLuv]

That's crazy. You must be really unlucky, I must have seen 100s of dogs go home with Giardia and not once has anyone ever come back and said they caught it from their dog. Maybe I've built up an immunity from being around it so much but with diseases in shelters you'd think everyone who worked there would get sick all the time. Weird.

[Lookingforone]

Originally Posted by ChibiLuv

That's crazy. You must be really unlucky, I must have seen 100s of dogs go home with Giardia and not once has anyone ever come back and said they caught it from their dog. Maybe I've built up an immunity from being around it so much but with diseases in shelters you'd think everyone who worked there would get sick all the time. Weird.

It pretty much only happens if you let the dog lick your mouth, which we do. I assume people that work at shelters probably don't do that.

[ChibiLuv]

Originally Posted by Lookingforone

It pretty much only happens if you let the dog lick your mouth, which we do. I assume people that work at shelters probably don't do that.

That's what we do most

[Lookingforone]

Originally Posted by ChibiLuv

That's what we do most

Well the symptoms are really mild in humans, so get checked if you get diarrhea for more than a day.

[lynzy420]

I'm shocked too, been around it a million times, take care of yourselves and get that pup cured...Good Luck.

[Wylie's Mom]

I didn't confine Marcel when he had it as a puppy, I just cleaned up after him...vacuumed, washed things etcetera and all was fine in the end in terms of getting rid of the giardia. It was the after effects that were a disaster for us.

How old is MJ again? For puppies, giardia can actually be quite devastating bc the giardia can actually digest the small intestine tissue...this can wreak havoc and completely change the flora of the sm intestine, causing diarrhea for many months even though the giardia is gone. If I were you, I'd be supplementing w/ a probiotic while treating him and after the giardia is gone for a while. You could use Benebac powder or the probio from Nature's Farmacy.

[Lookingforone]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

I didn't confine Marcel when he had it as a puppy, I just cleaned up after him...vacuumed, washed things etcetera and all was fine in the end in terms of getting rid of the giardia. It was the after effects that were a disaster for us.

How old is MJ again? For puppies, giardia can actually be quite devastating bc the giardia can actually digest the small intestine tissue...this can wreak havoc and completely change the flora of the sm intestine, causing diarrhea for many months even though the giardia is gone. If I were you, I'd be supplementing w/ a probiotic while treating him and after the giardia is gone for a while. You could use Benebac powder or the probio from Nature's Farmacy.

His last poop was actually solid!! But thanks for the tip! He is 4 months.