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Old 08-25-2009, 01:18 PM   #1
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Default Stella has Giardia!! What do I do?

Hey everyone, Stella was diagnosed with Giardia on Friday. I went immediately and picked up her medication and have been giving it to her since. She will be retested on this Friday to see if the medicine worked. I actually am worried the medication is not going to work b/c Stella has just recently taken to eating her own poop! So basically she is reinfecting herself. Does anyone have any idea on what I can do to stop that? Its only a problem when I work and can not keep an eye on her and pick it up right away. Also, I am a germ phobic so the fact that I can catch Giardia is disturbing. I clean and disinfect my bathroom with bleach every day (where I keep her during the day) and I wash her every day (including wipe her off with wipees after every trip outside). This process takes me about an hour to an hour and half when I get home from work. She makes a MESS by tearing up her puppy pad or dragging her poo around. I am exhausted. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to make this easier? I am at my wits end and am sooo tired. I am in the process of moving too so I am really afraid that when I move in the next day or two that she will get thrown off and start having accidents on the new rug. This puppy business is waaay harder than I thought! HELP
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Old 08-25-2009, 01:23 PM   #2
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Originally Posted by NikkiSpice2 View Post
Hey everyone, Stella was diagnosed with Giardia on Friday. I went immediately and picked up her medication and have been giving it to her since. She will be retested on this Friday to see if the medicine worked. I actually am worried the medication is not going to work b/c Stella has just recently taken to eating her own poop! So basically she is reinfecting herself. Does anyone have any idea on what I can do to stop that? Its only a problem when I work and can not keep an eye on her and pick it up right away. Also, I am a germ phobic so the fact that I can catch Giardia is disturbing. I clean and disinfect my bathroom with bleach every day (where I keep her during the day) and I wash her every day (including wipe her off with wipees after every trip outside). This process takes me about an hour to an hour and half when I get home from work. She makes a MESS by tearing up her puppy pad or dragging her poo around. I am exhausted. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can do to make this easier? I am at my wits end and am sooo tired. I am in the process of moving too so I am really afraid that when I move in the next day or two that she will get thrown off and start having accidents on the new rug. This puppy business is waaay harder than I thought! HELP
She will be fine. My Peanut had Giardia as well..Just make sure you clean up her poo really well...Dont touch it, dont let her touch it or get into it. What med's is she on?
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Old 08-25-2009, 01:25 PM   #3
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Peanut was on Metronidazole... After he finished his med's he had to go back and take another fecal sample to make sure it was gone
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Old 08-25-2009, 01:26 PM   #4
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First - take a deep breath!!!!! That being said, sounds like you're off to a good start. Continue disinfecting everything she comes in contact with. Continue using baby wipes after every poo/pee you see. Remember her toys, bedding and food dishes need to be disinfected daily as well.

Keep in mind that rarely will giardia go away with the first round of treatment. It is just a stubborn thing to treat. I highly recommend metronidazole in a liquid form if that is not what she is getting to treat it. Also, once they have had giardia, stress can easily bring it quickly back on. So even after you get the all clear, if she starts with mucousy loose stools, take her immediately in.

Although humans can catch giardia, it is pretty tough if you are keeping up on disinfecting.

It is also a great time to start her on a daily probiotic. Giardia can wreak havoc with their intestinal system and leave scarring behing. A daily probiotic can help to ensure her digestive tract stays healthy and she does not have any risidual health issues down the road.

Sending my good thoughts and prayers your way (been there, done that - twice)!!!!!
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Old 08-25-2009, 01:34 PM   #5
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Thanks for the quick response. Stella is on Panacur (fenbendazole). Perhaps if she needs a second round I will suggest the other medication yous suggested. So I did read that Stella will always have Giardia and that it can flare up at times of stress. I heard they borrow into the lining of the intestine so you cant get rid of them completely...I was hoping that part wasnt true!! Does that mean she will always be able to infect me and other dogs she comes into contact with? I am really worried about her and me and everyone that comes into contact with her. Also, what is a probiotic? I am going to have to google it...is it a supplement or a type of food? i want to get her started on that immediately
Thanks again! Its also good to know others have gone through this!
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Old 08-25-2009, 01:45 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by NikkiSpice2 View Post
Thanks for the quick response. Stella is on Panacur (fenbendazole). Perhaps if she needs a second round I will suggest the other medication yous suggested. So I did read that Stella will always have Giardia and that it can flare up at times of stress. I heard they borrow into the lining of the intestine so you cant get rid of them completely...I was hoping that part wasnt true!! Does that mean she will always be able to infect me and other dogs she comes into contact with? I am really worried about her and me and everyone that comes into contact with her. Also, what is a probiotic? I am going to have to google it...is it a supplement or a type of food? i want to get her started on that immediately
Thanks again! Its also good to know others have gone through this!
There are two schools of thought - one that you can totally get rid of giardia, the other that you can't. I'm not sure which one is true, but I know my Sissy had it twice about 5 months apart. The first time, it took over a month of meds to clear it up, the 2nd time it cleared with just one treatment and she hasn't had it since. However, she was diagnosed with early stage Protein Losing Enteropathy (an intestinal disease) almost a year ago and there is much thought that her issues all stem originally from the giardia.

The difficulty with pancur is it is usually given in a powder, so unless Stella is eating canned food, it is difficult to administer and make sure she is getting her complete dose. Most everyone I've talked with had great success with Metronidazole after pancur not working. Many times, the vet will only give the meds for 5-7 days, when they really need a solid 10 day treatment as well. Generally, they won't re-test until a week after meds have been stopped.

A probiotic is the health bacteria you want in the intestinal system. Any type of antiobiotic kills healthy bacteria, so making sure she has a good supply and keeping it that way will go a long way for her health. I get mine from Holistic Veterinarian Pet Nutritionist Holistic Pet Care. It comes in a capsule form and Sissy gets 1/2 capsule (opened up and mixed with food) each day. She will get this for the rest of her life. You can get probiotics at any health food store and many vets carry them, but the version sold by askariel.com is the only one I've seen that can make the claim that they tested and exposed to high heat for several days without any molecular change.

Stella can only infect others if she is in an active state of giardia. However, all birds are carriers of this, so bird poop of any kind - even old and dried - is a contaminate source. Keeping up with baby wipes on feet and underbelly after every single outside is a great idea because of this. Giardia also can be found in most standing water, so if you yard contains anything like this, steer clear. After our 2nd bout, we became indoor washable pee pad users only as I was so paranoid about her getting it again. Even though it is contagious, my other two dogs did not get it either time Sissy had it.

Feel free to PM if you have any questions....
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Old 08-25-2009, 01:54 PM   #7
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Your message was heart rendering because you are doing everything in your power to keep everything...clean, clean, clean. I don't have my puppy yet but as an R.N. I am horrified of having a poop eating dog. I am seriously considering a cat litter box that has an automatic cleaning devise. I know there are remedies that you can find on the internet and home remedies as well. Don't give up. There's a light at the end of the tunnel and pray it's not a locomotive. Ill be on YT, begging for support the end of Sept. when puppy arrives. You'll probably be passed the crisis by then and can offer me advise.
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Old 08-25-2009, 02:03 PM   #8
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Your message was heart rendering because you are doing everything in your power to keep everything...clean, clean, clean. I don't have my puppy yet but as an R.N. I am horrified of having a poop eating dog. I am seriously considering a cat litter box that has an automatic cleaning devise. I know there are remedies that you can find on the internet and home remedies as well. Don't give up. There's a light at the end of the tunnel and pray it's not a locomotive. Ill be on YT, begging for support the end of Sept. when puppy arrives. You'll probably be passed the crisis by then and can offer me advise.

I hate to tell you this - but I call yorkies "little poop eaters" cause every at 3 & 4 years old, mind will still eat it daily given the opportunity!!!!!
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Old 08-25-2009, 02:39 PM   #9
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Wow, I hope it does not take up to a month to go away! I cant keep this up. I get home from work at 4.30 and am just now getting done with cleaning/walking/feeding/re-cleaning stella and its 6.30. Well, good to know that its normal that Stella is eating her poop. I researched it online and found some home remedies but didnt want to use them until Stella is off the medication so it doesnt affect it. Her medication is powder form..but she seems to eat most of it. Whatever is left behind I add more food and then wet it so she has to lick it all up. I just hope this medication works but I am afraid also that my vet is not being serious enough. The meds are only for 5 days and then she will be retested 2 days later. My fear is that it comes out negative but its a false negative. I may see if they can put her more medication no matter what to be sure. I am not sure why I am so exhausted by all of this...I see lots of people with dogs that don't seem nearly as frazzled as me. LOL. I am a 'single mom' to stella (meaning its only me and her) and I wonder is anyone else on here a 'single mom' to their dog? I feel like this is way hard and wish I had someone to share the burden with. Thanks to you all again! I so appreciate it!
Oh, and I hope that I can offer advice and get through this sooner rather than later...for my sanity
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Old 08-25-2009, 04:09 PM   #10
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Wow, I hope it does not take up to a month to go away! I cant keep this up. I get home from work at 4.30 and am just now getting done with cleaning/walking/feeding/re-cleaning stella and its 6.30. Well, good to know that its normal that Stella is eating her poop. I researched it online and found some home remedies but didnt want to use them until Stella is off the medication so it doesnt affect it. Her medication is powder form..but she seems to eat most of it. Whatever is left behind I add more food and then wet it so she has to lick it all up. I just hope this medication works but I am afraid also that my vet is not being serious enough. The meds are only for 5 days and then she will be retested 2 days later. My fear is that it comes out negative but its a false negative. I may see if they can put her more medication no matter what to be sure. I am not sure why I am so exhausted by all of this...I see lots of people with dogs that don't seem nearly as frazzled as me. LOL. I am a 'single mom' to stella (meaning its only me and her) and I wonder is anyone else on here a 'single mom' to their dog? I feel like this is way hard and wish I had someone to share the burden with. Thanks to you all again! I so appreciate it!
Oh, and I hope that I can offer advice and get through this sooner rather than later...for my sanity
Really, try to relax. Giardia is very hard for humans to catch. There are some schools of thought that say that it has mutated so over the last several years that the current form is not catching to humans. I've been through it three times with two dogs and my sister's pup Cavalier King Charles had it and my boyfriend's Havanese had it. All were treated with panacur and/or metranidazole and have tested negative. Definitely disinfect doggy bedding, bowl, and use the wipes after the dog poops. I personally do not think you have to come home each day and bleach your bathroom. I would be exhausted also. Good luck and try not to worry, it's just another of those puppy milestones to get through.
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Old 08-25-2009, 05:31 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by NikkiSpice2 View Post
Wow, I hope it does not take up to a month to go away! I cant keep this up. I get home from work at 4.30 and am just now getting done with cleaning/walking/feeding/re-cleaning stella and its 6.30. Well, good to know that its normal that Stella is eating her poop. I researched it online and found some home remedies but didnt want to use them until Stella is off the medication so it doesnt affect it. Her medication is powder form..but she seems to eat most of it. Whatever is left behind I add more food and then wet it so she has to lick it all up. I just hope this medication works but I am afraid also that my vet is not being serious enough. The meds are only for 5 days and then she will be retested 2 days later. My fear is that it comes out negative but its a false negative. I may see if they can put her more medication no matter what to be sure. I am not sure why I am so exhausted by all of this...I see lots of people with dogs that don't seem nearly as frazzled as me. LOL. I am a 'single mom' to stella (meaning its only me and her) and I wonder is anyone else on here a 'single mom' to their dog? I feel like this is way hard and wish I had someone to share the burden with. Thanks to you all again! I so appreciate it!
Oh, and I hope that I can offer advice and get through this sooner rather than later...for my sanity
Hi there,
I am sorry your puppy has been sick. Your doing all the right things though. keep up with the meds.
My Suzi is 18 months and is finally getting over a bout of diarreah. Se had this for days . I also have a 3 1/2 month old shih tzu. the puppy would step in the runny stools before I got a chance to clean the mess, therefore had a bigger mess, anD , had to keep cleaning up the puppy too. I was exhausted. I understand your frutration! It's rough. However, once the they start finally feeling beeter, it's all worth the time and effort. Hang in there!
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