Parasite?

[SplishSplashCrash]

I thought I had seen in a previous thread that someone on here was a vet. Anywho, any advice can help.

So Brazen, my new mal is very skinny, you can see all of her ribs. Since she has been in my home she has had 4 large meals and I have not even seen the slightest change in her belly, not even right after she eats. She has HUGE poops and lots of them, it seems as if the food is going right through her. She also seems pretty lethargic for a mal pup, but that could be stress or other things.

I have not seen worms in her stools but it has been hard to get a good look at them out in the rain.

Think it might be a parasite?

[Miriam]

Yes, it is most likely a parasite like Ghiarrdia (?sp) which can come from water that has been pooped in by birds. Pond water can be bad and so, I would get her to the vet for a fecal. If your dogs areon Heartworm control then they will not get other worms like hooks, rounds and whips. Tapes they get from fleas and they look like rice in the poop.
I am not a vet but worked for one and live rurally. The only gut problems my kids get are from the pond. Good luck!

[SplishSplashCrash]

Thanks I am going to try and get her to the vet ASAP.

[Labpaw]

Hi there,

I would definitely have her checked for intestinal parasites, along with a thorough physical examination. And, because in fecals we are looking for eggs that are shed by parasites every so often (usually every 2-3 weeks), one negative parasite test does NOT rule out parasites as a cause. I check my patients for Giardia, not only under the microscope, but also with an ELISA test, which is FAR more specific for Giardia than microscope examination (it is a very small parasite that can easily be missed). In many cases, even with a negative fecal result, I will prophylactically deworm my patients rather than wait another few weeks to check another sample.

And although Heartgard Plus does not control all intestinal parasites (no product does, unfortunately), it does actually control some round worms and some hook worms. It does not, to my knowledge, control whip worms. Having said that, if the infection is in a high quantity (called a high worm burden), it may not be 100% effective with intestinal parasite control even with round or hookworms. :(

It goes without saying that it could be other things as well. There are many conditions that can cause lack of weight gain or weight loss that are not infectious in nature.

I hope this helps, although it sounds as though you are already on the right tract! I hope you puppy is feeling better soon and that everything is OK. Take care! :)

Forgot to mention it, but I am a veterinarian. I suppose that is obvious. ;)

[SplishSplashCrash]

Thank you so much guys.

I got pretty worried about Brazen last night as she was REALLY lethargic. So I took her to the emergency vet and she does have Giardia. So she is on meds and a bland diet and I will be bringing her into my vet for a thorough check up this week.

[Labpaw]

I'm so sorry she wasn't feeling well, but I am glad that it is something treatable and hopefully she is on the mend as we speak. She has a good Mommy! :) Here is a copy of the handout I give to my clients who have dogs infected wtih Giardia. Take care of that adorable girl! ;)



GIARDIA IN DOGS


What are Giardia?

Giardia are sometimes confused with “worms” because they invade the gastrointestinal tract and can cause diarrhea. Giardia are one-celled parasites classified as protozoa.

Most dogs that are infected with Giardia do not have diarrhea or any other signs of illness. When the eggs (cysts) are found in the stool of a dog without diarrhea, they are generally considered a transient, insignificant finding. However, in puppies and debilitated adult dogs, they may cause severe, watery diarrhea that may be fatal.

How did my dog get Giardia?

A dog becomes infected with Giardia when it swallows the cyst stage of the parasite. Once inside the dog's intestine, the cyst goes through several stages of maturation. Eventually, the dog is able to pass infective cysts in the stool. These cysts lie in the environment and can infect other dogs. Giardia may also be transmitted through drinking infected water.

How is giardiasis diagnosed?

Giardiasis or infection with Giardia is diagnosed by performing a microscopic examination of a stool sample. The cysts are quite small and usually require a special floatation medium for detection, so they are not normally found on routine fecal examinations. Occasionally, the parasites may be seen on a direct smear of the feces. Commonly we do an ELISA test on a feces, which is testing for a protein of the organism, thereby being a very specific test for the diesease.

How is giardiasis treated?

The typical drug used to kill Giardia is metronidazole, an antibiotic. It is normally given for 8 days to treat giardiasis. Other drugs are also used if diarrhea and dehydration occur. If metronidazole is not effective, other medications may be recommended.

Can humans become infected with Giardia?

Giardia can also cause diarrhea in humans. Therefore, environmental disinfection is important. The use of diluted chlorine bleach at 1:32 or 1:16 dilutions (one cup in a gallon or 500 ml in 4 liters of water) is effective in killing the cysts. Giardia cysts are very susceptible to drying. We recommend thoroughly cleaning the pet’s areas and then allowing it to dry for several days before reintroducing pets.

[SplishSplashCrash]

Labpaw:

Can she recatch it? What I mean is if I do not clean out her crate properly can she be exopsed and re-catch it?

What are Crash's chances of catching it even though he is vaccianted?

She is on meds as of late last night, when should I start seeing a change?

Is it possible it is Giardia and something else?

Sorry for all the questions, you shouldn't have told me you were a vet! :)

[huklbre]

I hope Brazen is feeling better soon.

Alisa is a great vet. As a matter of fact, my dogs voted her online vet of the year. :)

[Labpaw]

Hey there,

Can she recatch it? What I mean is if I do not clean out her crate properly can she be exopsed and re-catch it?

Unfortunately, it is one of those parasites that can be extremely difficult to get rid of. It almost seems as though there is a "dormant stage" and can rear it's ugly head from time to time. Usually once she is healthy and her immune system is stronger, they can fight it off properly. But yes, she can definitely become re-infected. There is no lasting immunity to it, even if she has already had it. Also, remember that as long as her crate is dry and clean, the cysts will not survive in that environment. They like moist, gooey, muddy, gross environments! :D

What are Crash's chances of catching it even though he is vaccianted?

The vaccine is up for debate about it's efficacy, and I happen to fall on the side that thinks it isn't terribly effective. But, having said that, it may help Crash fight it off (that is my problem with it... very unpredictable and works for only a small percentage of animals). Crash would have to ingest a cyst to get it, and cysts are not very hardy in the environment. In most cases, dogs get it from other dogs while grooming and accidently ingesting fecal matter, or by stepping in fecal material outside (or wet, moist soil) and cleaning their paws. I would isolate where the new goes to the bathroom and not let Crash near it. ;)

She is on meds as of late last night, when should I start seeing a change?

Some dogs respond right away, and others can take a few days. If you don't see a change in the right direction by tomorrow or Tuesday, she may need a recheck. Sometimes, I have had to put my patients on more than one medication at a time because they were so sick. :(

Is it possible it is Giardia and something else?

Absolutely. I think most cases are a combination of Giardia and either a virus, or stress-induced colitis, etc. But, the good news is, what you do to treat Giardia is usually effective for treating other gastrointestinal problems. If other symptoms show up, or she isn't getting better, then I would consider having some further tests run to make sure other issues are not present as well.

Sorry for all the questions, you shouldn't have told me you were a vet!

Not a problem. I wouldn't have said I was if I wasn't willing to help out a fellow dog lover! That's what we do for each other... right? And what comes around goes around! ;) If you have other questions, feel free to wirte more. I know you must be worried sick and if I can do anything to help, I certainly will!

[Labpaw]

I hope Brazen is feeling better soon.

Alisa is a great vet. As a matter of fact, my dogs voted her online vet of the year. :)

Thanks Matt! :) Give your hansome boys a kiss from us!