Giardia Cysts in our puppy


  • Hello all,
    Chance went in this past weekend for his 2nd set of puppy shots and I decided to bring in a stool sample to have some tests run. I just wanted to make sure our little guy got a clean bill of health. To our surprise the vet called me this afternoon telling me that our 11 week old puppy has Giardia Cysts in his intestine. :eek:
    There weren’t any real physical signs that he was ill (yet). This parasite is caused from when another dog eats an infected dog’s stool. This parasite can also be given to humans. Lucky for us we caught it and are taking care of it. Chance was put on Metronidazole for 5 days and then another stool sample. It is quite common for dogs under the age of 1 to get this, especially if they are with multiple dogs.
    The little guy really isn't feeling well today :(
    Things to look out for…Light colored stool, diarrhea, and loss of appetite. The vet also told me to keep our little guy away from children, other dogs and handle his stool with caution.


  • Aw….yeah, Giardia is not uncommon dogs can get it from drinking standing water too...and the momma dog can pass it to her babies. Let your breeder know, so that she can tell the other puppy people, and check the momma.


  • The vet told me that it can be hard to ditect and that you need a few samples.


  • diahrea is a common sign.

    My guys both received oral dewormer meds as a standard Banfield Vet procedure for their wellness plan.

    This is not uncommon.

    Caesar was always leash walked as a puppy and he still got it. Dont let your basenji eat grass or drink water off out of anything but your water bowl.

    I have found that the vaccines for Giardia have never worked for either of my basenjis. It is typical for my guys. I didnt catch it at first because I thought Caesar's diahrea was from the training treats.

    You are a great basenji mommy for bringing yours in for testing!

Suggested Topics

  • Puppy Heat

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    9
    0 Votes
    9 Posts
    792 Views
    B
    much better!!!
  • Puppy Vaccines ?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    22
    0 Votes
    22 Posts
    2k Views
    tanzaT
    @jengosmonkey - NuHeart only does Heartworm, Heartguard Plus has meds for roundworms & hookworm. And people that give heartworm for 6 months are typically people that live in climates that have a cold winter, ie: when the ground freezes. We do not have that in this part of No. California so I give it year round.
  • Puppy Smell

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    3
    0 Votes
    3 Posts
    2k Views
    O
    Maybe that is it...the bedding from in his crate!
  • Linatone (or similiar) for puppies??

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    4
    0 Votes
    4 Posts
    3k Views
    DebraDownSouthD
    Pat.. you know I saw your post and thought HUH? Then reread and saw I TOTALLY missed the itching sentence. No, I'm not tired! :) Agree with Pat, could be fleas, could be other things. I'd flea comb the base and see if you find flea dirt, fleas, scabs etc. If the coat in general is good, and you find nothing combing and bathing doesn't help, rubbing a little anti-itch med into the base and distracting til it dries might help.
  • Puppy growth question

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    6
    0 Votes
    6 Posts
    2k Views
    B
    @dmey: Do you have pictures???? This is him about 3 weeks ago but he's only gained .5lb It seems I can't upload a picture right now, will try again later today.
  • Colitis or Giardia?

    Basenji Health Issues & Questions
    16
    0 Votes
    16 Posts
    5k Views
    barklessk9B
    @lvoss: The Panacur that I use is a powder so it is meant to go on the food. Mine are not picky eaters so have no problem with them eating their dinner with the panacur on it. I have been feeding homecooked dinners for them since late June. Thanks! It is good to know that it's a powder - it may not go over well with her. I'm willing to try though if the vet will let me.