Thanks Diane, I am worried about Lacy, as she cannot be on the Panacur as she had a bad reaction to it, she got into a severely agitated state and I had to take her to the emergency hospital on Friday night. They told me to hold off on the meds, so she has not been on any since Friday night. Am waiting for my vet to call me back this morning to put her on something else. Lacy only weighs 2.2 pounds, so is very little also.

Wow, hope everything goes okay with Lacy.. Why did the breeder fed the dogs chicken feet? Just asking because I thought dogs should only eat the chicken meats except all the bones...

It sounds like to me she is in pain, probably beyond just simply discomfort. My Brandi had the same exact symptoms. She was restless and could not get comfortable. However, it was intermittent. In her case, she was diagnose with liver shunts.

I'm am not saying that is wrong with your baby. I am hoping it is the meds that is causing the behavior. I do hope she is doing much better today.

Sharon, one thing we have plenty of here in Arizona is compounding pharmacies. Diamondback Drugs or one of the other pharmacies can make a dose of metronidazole small enough for a two pounder. You might just have to wait a day or so for the meds. We continued on with panacur because our pup did fine with it. I hope you've spoken to your vet by now. Unless your Lacy is lethargic, vomiting or has diarrhea, she will be fine waiting on the meds. Our little gal was very sick with giardia when she was diagnosed so there was some urgency at first, but her symptoms resolved within a couple of days. Its important to continue to monitor with fecal samples - we waited about two weeks after the meds were completed - because they can still carry the parasite without having any symptoms. It felt like a never ending battle to me. It took at least a few months before she had a clear stool sample. I was so angry that our poor little gal came home with this nasty parasite. She was a rescue from across the Mexican border so I'm sure that's where she got it.

Let us know how Lacy is doing.

Diana

Thank you all so much for your concern for Lacy, I appreciate it.

Scooberstermom, like you, I am also pretty upset that Lacy came with Giardia. You just don't expect to have that kind of a problem when you first get a puppy! Especially from a reputable breeder. Getting a puppy is supposed to be fun. But when you are told you have to be scrupulous about keeping her entire playpen spotlessly clean or she will keep getting infected, and WE can get infected also, it is a REAL concern. The vet told me if humans contact it, you get extreme diarrhea, and it is serious and can take a LONG time to get rid of. NOT a happy thought!!!

The vet put her on Metronidazole for 7 days. Then we have to wait another week to take another fecal test to see if she is rid of it. From what I have read, many times it takes three sessions of the drug to get rid of it.

I am so upset that my sweet little Lacy has to go through this, I just want her to be happy.

No Sharon, it's not what we expect (especially when the pup comes from a reputable breeder), but my vet says it's a lot more common than most people realize. Many dogs carry the parasite without ever getting sick or having symptoms, so they're never diagnosed or treated and the parasite doesn't always show up in regular fecal tests. My little gal was about 16 weeks old when we got her, and she'd been vetted, completed her vaccinations, and even had a fecal test the day after we got her. A week later she became very lethargic, had vomiting and diarrhea, and our vet immediately suspected Parvo even though she'd completed all her vaccinations. The blessing was that she didn't have Parvo, she had Giardia. Even vaccinated pups can get Parvo, and many do not survive, but it's rare for one not to survive Giardia. So that is our blessing - that we only had to deal with Giardia.

The constant cleaning and washing and bleaching is a hassle, but with basic precautions your family is not likely to catch it from her and your pup will be fine as well. Once we got past the nasty diarrhea, it was pretty routine. Our pup was already well on the way to being potty trained, and I had been using a little ex-pen in the backyard for her to do her business, so she was already isolated from our other dogs at potty time. I took her out frequently, picked up immediately after bowel movements and kept a spray bottle of bleach/water solution handy and sprayed down the area each time she had a bm. I washed my hands frequently with antibacterial soap. And I kept the hair on her bum and feet trimmed really short and used a wipe on her after every bowel movement. She was completely potty trained before she ever cleared the giardia. Between BM's she had the freedom to run around in the house with supervision and played often with our other dogs and no one got sick. Yes, Lacy CAN re-infect herself or other dogs or humans, but it's really not that likely if you are using normal cleaning precautions as you would with a puppy anyway. The only real difference for me was spraying down the area where she had bowel movements with a bleach/water solution.

Make sure she gets her meds, have regular fecal tests done every few weeks for a while after she clears the parasite, and try to relax and enjoy your puppy. They only stay tiny for a little while so don't let this ruin the great experience of bonding with your girl.

Diana

What great advice Diana, thank you! I am feeling better already, hearing that.

I know my breeder was not aware that Lacy had giardia. I was just curious as to how many breeders test their pups stool for giardia before selling them, and if they didn't, I was curious as to why they didn't. I know absolutely nothing about what breeders should or shouldn't do before selling puppies. I am just trying to become more aware of the process of selling and buying puppies, as I want to buy a brother for Lacy in a few months.

I really take my hat off to all the great breeders around, as I think being a breeder is difficult and very time consuming. That is one job I would never want to have. Good breeders are worth their weight in gold!

Like Yavenay, I had a pup with similar symptoms. It turned out to be a liver shunt. I would have a Bile Acid test done on Lacy just to rule out the probability that it could be liver issues.

You know, everyone, even though the path to finally getting Lacy home as my pup was difficult, after losing out on Cosmo, and then the sister and brother, then getting Lacy and finding out she has giardia. But I truly believe that three months from now, I will be posting to the list about what a wonderful and fabulous pup little Lacy is. And I guess that is all that really matters in the end, that we get a puppy that is a wonderful pet and companion. I think Lacy is going to be a very special dog. So, even though I think my breeder has made some major mistakes, I do think she raises great dogs.

I do test my dogs fecal matter before they leave here.

Consider Changing to Tap Water, Not Bottled Water
 

Pitfalls And Perils Of Drinking Bottled Water | Nutrition & Dieting articles | Well Being center | SteadyHealth.com
In much of the world, tap water is unsafe. Unfortunately, bottled water is not necessarily better. People who live in advanced nations generally fail to appreciate the value of safe, germ-free drinking water straight from the tap. The fact is, it's OK from a health standpoint to drink water staight from the tap most of the time in the United States, in Canada, in Australia and New Zealand, in the European Union, in many parts of the Caribbean, in Korea, and in Japan.
http://www.safewater.org/PDFS/resour...tled_Water.pdf
The Canadian Bottled Water Association defines bottled water as water that meets all federal and provincial regulations for potable water, is sealed in a sanitary container, and is sold for human consumption. Potable means that the water is safe for human consumption. However, the regulations for bottled water are not the same as those for tap water. The quality of tap water follows the Canadian Drinking Water Quality Guidelines, but they are only guidelines, not enforced by law.
NRDC: Bottled Water
FDA Rules for Bottled Water Are Generally Less Strict than Tap Water:
Even water defined as "bottled water" is not specifically required to meet treatment, contamination, or testing standards as strict as those applicable to city tap water.
EPA's Information Collection Rule has required that, over the past couple of years, big cities that use surface water (systems which serve the majority of the U.S. population) generally must test for common parasites such as viruses, Giardia and Cryptosporidium. By contrast, FDA rules do not specify that any water bottlers are ever required to do such testing.
•There are no treatment requirements to remove or kill bacteria and parasites in bottled water.
•There are no Cryptosporidium and Giardia testing for bottled water.
•Weaker standards for some chemical contaminants in bottled water
Fresh Water Systems Expands Promotion of UV Systems for Water Safety | Reuters
GREENVILLE, SC, Aug. 21, 2015/PRNewswire/—Fresh Water Systems Inc. (FWS), is one of the largest independent providers of water filtration systems in the US. According to FWS president Steve Norvell, "a week does not go by where we don't see numerous regional boil alerts from all over the country, and even contamination of bottled water with dangerous microorganisms such as Giardia (the most common), E. Coli, and Salmonella."
https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyc...a1,q7a4_c,q8a2
Both bottled water and tap water are safe to drink if they meet the standards set by the EPA and the FDA. Some bottled water gets more treatment than tap water. Other bottled water gets less treatment or is not treated at all. Bottled water that contains sparkling water, seltzer water, tonic water, or club soda is considered a soft drink. It is not regulated under FDA regulations for bottled water. Mineral water comes from an underground source and contains at least 250 parts per million of dissolved minerals. Spring water comes from underground water that flows to the earth's surface. It can only be collected at the spring. Artesian water comes from underground water that is under pressure. That pressure pushes the water to the surface after a well is drilled.
Bottled water can be tainted with E. coli bacteria. Proof positive that your bottled water may be tainted with E. Coli comes from Niagra Bottling, who issued a voluntary recall June 20, 2015. E. coli bacteria is of particular concern to people who have a compromised immune system. The following waters were recalled for the E. Coli scare: 7-11, Acadia, Acme, Best Yet, Big Y, Nature's Place, Pricerite, Shaws, Shoprite, Superchill, Morning Fresh, Niagara, Wegman's, and Western Beef Blue.
Sources of Infection & Risk Factors | Giardia | Parasites | CDC
The risk of humans acquiring Giardia infection from dogs or cats is small. The exact type of Giardia that infects humans is usually not the same type that infects dogs and cats.

SharonSnowbird: I'm confused; if she was diagnosed on Tuesday, why did you wait until Friday to treat Lacy with the Panacur?

Is she on a 7-10 day dose? One of my puppies got sick and they thought it was Giardia. They think he drank water from outside or ate bird/cat feces (most likely cause) and picked it up. I was lucky and he went through one dose and was free of it. I did clean up all poop for several weeks and threw it away and was able to be rid of it. I had the puppy for almost 2 months when this happened so I am sure he got it while under my care. The other 3 dogs in the house did not get it. I was very lucky and I also took him to the vet the first day he showed signs of being sick. It was amazing how quickly he went downhill just from waking up in the morning to seeing the vet in the afternoon. However he only took a few days to show improvement, although he did have some issues for a few days, but he was active and appeared to be feeling better. I did the dose of panacur and he was better.

I hope she gets better quickly and that this is gone in no time so you can be enjoying her more.

hmmmmm

I am even more confused or LOL perhaps I am not. What is your interest in this puppy purchase? Seems you have a lot of "reasons" for what is going on with this purchase.
Are you the breeder or a friend?

Now I Am Worried About Lacy—Maybe The Worry Is Catching—LOL
 

As I went to bed last night, I thought "poor Lacy." Quite a startling thought since I have a lot on my own plate with 2 Yorkies and 1 Biewer, ranging from 2 to 7 pounds (all full grown).
Reflecting back on the thought this morning, I realized that poor little Lacy has been through so much in only a few short weeks. Just to cover a few events: Transfer from people-mom, puppy-mom, & siblings to new people-mom, new home, & no siblings; flying on an airplane; multiple vet visits; new schedule of eating, sleeping, playing; new pen, new bed, all new smells. Whew! I think I'd scream and howl if someone wanted me to play with toys or do anything but just BE.
There's a really nice post about raising a puppy and expectations at this link:
Raising a puppy: Expectations - DogForum.net | Dog Forums and Community
Many new-puppy guides advise "try not to overwhelm your new puppy with too much activity during this initial adjustment period"—by meeting family, friends, and taking him/her places—because it could be too stressful for your new puppy.
For over 40 years, I've had Westies, Yorkies, and Biewers—mostly Yorkies (and usually 2 and 3 at a time), only 3 would've made excellent, certified therapy dogs; almost all would've been good volunteer hospital/retirement-home visitors (where therapy-dog certification is not required)—and several did just that.
We can hide our frustrated, angry, disappointed feelings from friends and family, but not from our furry kids; they sense our feelings and react to these feelings in all different ways—may be "act-out" would be a better word to describe their responses.
We don't know who Lacy will be, but she will be GREAT...she will be LACY! If we let her BE.:animal-pa

Yep, 'tis a shame the OP was apparently not given all this advice at the time of purchase. Perhaps would have saved a bit of stress for all.

Also, too bad the breeder denies any giardia. It can happen and the stress of traveling to a new home may have brought it out...but it was clearly from the kennel she came from. I seriously doubt this has not happened before with other of this breeder's puppies. ;)

LadyJane: Thanks for asking. I became intrigued due to the "Am Worried About Lacy!" posts. Not ashamed to admit I care more about animals, than people—LOL; so I got sucked in to the poor-little-Lacy story, then went through and read all the posts. I do know of quite a few Yorkie and Biewer breeders, and related websites. My heart melts especially with these little ones. I just felt that Sharon was and is asking for information, and I thought I knew several sources for information or how to get it—just trying to be helpful.:aimeeyork

LadyJane: I am finding some of the Giardia information challenging. The following information is from a Sheltie breeder website:

"However, as careful we are with our puppies, it must be understood that an infestation of Giardia (or Coccidia) can occur after a mere 48 hours in the puppy's new home that was NOT initiated here. That is why there is a 48-hour waiting period on the health insurance... if a puppy gets sick within 48 hours of going to his new home, the puppy came in contact with the illness while under the breeder's care... if the puppy gets sick after 49 hours or more, the puppy would have picked up the disease after leaving the breeder's care and property."

Some are saying that even after 49 hours, the puppy would have had the parasite while with the breeder. (I am not alleging that this comment necessarily applies in Sharon's case—but, rather, to other information posted here.)

Zachary, this is a good (but technical) article on Giardia from vet med.

Untitled Document

Diana

I really appreciate this link, Diana. Thank you. I was looking for a more definitive statement like this. I am still a bit confused since some "official" references state an incubation period of 48 hours or less. Maybe it's complicated because there are two variants: "Type A" and "Type B."

Zachary, I would examine the source for those official references to an incubation period for giardia being 48 hours. Incubation period for giardia is 7 to 15 days, and even then the pup may not show signs of illness at that point. Giardia also may or may not show up in a stool sample, depending on what stage the cysts are in at the time the sample is checked.

I took in a little rescue toy poodle a couple of years ago. She was a pup that was brought across the border from Mexico and only at the rescue for a few days. She was vet checked by the rescue and deemed healthy. I brought her home and kept her isolated from my other pups. My vet saw her the next day. She had blood work done and also a fecal. Deemed healthy and no parasites but my vet advised me to still keep her isolated from my other dogs for a week or so since she'd come from Mexico. So she was kept in a small pen inside, and used a small ex-pen outside for potty. Near the end of that week, she got very sick. Lethargic, diarrhea, and vomiting. Back to the vet, where she had plenty of giardia cysts in the sample. She could have picked it up at the rescue, or more likely she came across the border with it.

It took three rounds of Panacur to finally get rid of it. It also took about 3 or 4 months. We did a round of Panacur. A week later the sample was clear. Two weeks after that, the cysts were back, so we did the Panacur again. Same thing, so we did a third round. My vet wants to see three clear stool samples before committing to it being gone. One a week after the meds, then two weeks after that, and three weeks after the second clear sample. Giardia can be very hard to isolate in a stool sample, depending on the stage of the cysts when the sample is checked. Even after three rounds of Panacur and all those clear samples, my vet says there is the possibility that she still has cysts. We have her checked at her annual, and she does some different "float" test looking for the cysts. So far, so good. Its been about two years now.

It's a nasty parasite for sure and my vet said she had a pretty nasty case, but she's worth every dime I spent on bleach and vet bills! And she was only actually "sick" with it for a few days. After that, she was an active, busy and playful little pup. We kept her isolated for potty trips out, were vigilant about picking up the poos and bleaching the area, and kept her very clean, but otherwise she ran around, played with our other dogs and no one - dog or human - caught it from her.

Diana

Yes it is a problem to get rid of....imagine it in a kennel. :eek:

I got Lacy from the breeder late afternoon on Monday. On Tuesday I got a stool sample and put it in the fridge as was instructed. (So I had her less than 24 hours at this point.) I took the stool sample in on Wednesday morning. They called me on Thursday afternoon to tell me that she had Giardia and that she needed to be on medication, which I picked up the next day, as I could not get to the vet before closing that day. THAT is why she started Panacur on Friday!

As someone else also commented, you seem to be posting a lot of excuses and rebuttals to everything I say. And you say you just got caught up in the "Poor Lacy" story? Really??? Are you SURE you are not the breeder or a friend of the breeder posting under an alias? The breeder TOLD me she had read my posts, but she is not replying under her breeder name, so that leads me to wonder why?

And when I google "Zachary Duke of Yorkies", I can't seem to come up with ANY information.

I love Yorkie Talk. Some days I learn things...others I am amused. Today, both.

I don't even want to imagine it in a kennel.

Diana

And Zachary, you have only been a member here for a very short time, and I checked out your posted messages, and it appears that you have posted EIGHTEEN messages and EVERY SINGLE ONE of them is in response to different posts that I HAVE POSTED about Lacy. So, you have posted replies eighteen times to my messages, and you have not posted A SINGLE REPLY to anyone else's messages.

Hmmmmmm ........... doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure this one out.

You say you got caught up in the "Poor Lacy" story, but you have also responded to my following posts:

Am worried about Lacy
Question about Bewiers
Question for all breeders on this list
Definition of true love

I find it very difficult to believe that you have just become interested in all OF my posts concerning Lacy, especially when you are a very new member. You seem to have a HUGE interest in all of this, and are trying to find excuses for everything that has happened. And also trying to suggest that I did not give Lacy her medication soon enough. If you are Kathy, why don’t you post as Kathy?

Just a short while ago, I posted this following message:
I wondered why all breeders don’t put together an information booklet that includes all the important info. like what to feed, how much, when next shots are due, and all the important info a new owner should know.

And just a few minutes ago, you emailed me and said quote “When I gave you the health record for Lacey , it was written when she needed her second and third shot. Also when she was wormed.” Unquote

So you are obviously reading all of my messages on YT.

And yes, you are correct about that, I sincerely apologize, I missed seeing the two dates on the record for when her next two shots are due, and so did the vet, as the vet said she only needed one last shot.

You know, if you are Kathy, I sure wish you would post as Kathy. You have not been upfront with me at all from the beginning, and now it appears you are posting messages under the name of Zachary. You told me at the airport that you had read my messages, so why not reply to them as Kathy and not as someone else?

Any my last question for you is, WHY on earth would you not tell me about feeding all the pups chicken feet and telling me that is what my little girl died from, UNTIL AFTER you gave her to me at the airport? And why would you bring the little boy that was supposed to be mine to the airport when he was obviously very sick??? Both of those are unconscionable. If you had told me how my little girl had died, and knowing my little boy was very sick, and that Lacy #2 had eaten chicken feet also, I may not have wanted to buy her. Is that the reason you kept it all secret from me until I flew to the airport and got her?

The reasons I was so worried about Lacy on Friday when she got extremely agitated, is because I thought it was either from the meds or possibly she had some chicken feet lodged in her intestines also. When I told the vet about the chicken feet, he said we could do an X-ray, at the cost of around $600. or so. So maybe I should get that done to ensure I won't have a problem with her in the future. It already cost me over $300. for the emergency vet visit on Friday. But I love Lacy and I will do everything possible to keep her safe and healthy.

Sharon,

I do have about a 30 page booklet that I give to my puppy buyers. Every breeder is different as to what they give their puppy buyers.

I have never in 11 years of breeding heard about the 48 hour incubation for Giardiasis. I will say I have heard that stress can bring it on. Also never heard that insurance keeps you waiting 48 hours.

Hopefully the Girardia is only temporary.

Thanks, Dee, that is awesome that you give all new owners a booklet, I sure wish all breeders would do that, it would be extremely helpful to those of us who have absolutely no experience raising a puppy.

And Lacy was not stressed on the plane ride back home at all, or that night. The middle seat was empty, so I put her crate up on the seat, unzipped the top, and was petting her the entire way back. She seemed perfectly content. And when we got home, I cuddled her for a couple of hours and the last half hour, she was licking my face and seemed very happy, safe, and content. We bonded very fast. And not once did she cry the entire night, and has not cried once at night since I got her, which tells me that she feels safe and certainly has shown no signs of stress in the least, other than when she was put on the Panacur meds.