CatDog - All Things Cats and Dogs - Giardia and your Puppy

Giardia is microscopic parasites that form cysts. These cysts cling to the surface of the infected dog, or they can float free in the mucous lining and pass from the dog when he eliminates (poops). Once passed, the cysts can survive for several months outside the animal if sufficient moisture is present.

How could my puppy come in contact with these cysts?

If your new puppy shared a kennel with another dog that was infected with Giardia, chances are he ingested the cysts by licking the coat of the infected dog, the floor or surrounding area where the infected dog was kept, or he might have actually ingested the feces that contained the Giardia cysts. Once ingested, the cysts break open, in the new host, thus repeating the infection cycle.

Can my new puppy get Giardia even if he has not been around an infected dog?

Yes. Giardia can also be found in streams or other water sources, and a dog left in unclean conditions can actually re-infect itself causing a vicious cycle.

What type of treatments are available for Giardia?

If you suspect that your new puppy may have Giardia, it is always best to schedule a visit to your veterinary clinic. Be prepared for your visit by collecting a fecal sample to take with you. Using the sample you supply, your vet can perform the necessary tests to determine if your dog actually has Giardia, or some other disorder.

My dog is not infected now, but how can I prevent him from coming in contact with Giardia?

The best way to prevent contact, and the spread of Giardia, is to be sure your new puppy does not drink from possible contaminated water sources such as: rivers, streams, and or stagnant standing water. Another way to help eliminate the risk of Giardia is to keep your pet away from pets that you don’t know, that could possibly be infected. Popular places like dog parks, dog beaches, and other pet meeting areas can be fun, but is it worth the risk of your puppy’s health?

Comments

Only CatDog members can write comments. Join today, it's FREE!

Next >

[ Back ]

CatDog Articles Quick Jump

The Chewing Dog

For dogs, chewing is a natural and normal animal behavior. You should not let you dog chew up all your belongings: your furniture, your shoes, your stuffed animals, or your remote controls. I once had the pleasure of…
Read more...
Selecting a Furniture for Your Dog

Dog owners consider their dogs as part of the family. They let them have access to places or areas in house. Some may find it annoying finding your dog always on your couch. Whatever the case may be,…
Read more...
Cat Diabetes: How To Treat It

If your cat has diabetes then cat care is important to your pets health. You will need to take the appropriate steps to make sure your pet can lead a normal life. It is unfortunate that pet cats…
Read more...
Small Dog Beds

Choosing a right kind of bed is extremely essential for the entire well-being of your dear dog. It is your responsibility to bring a bed to your pet that is as per his size, as well as sleeping…
Read more...
Seven Steps to House Train a Dog

Basically all you need to do to house train a dog or a puppy is to teach the dog to do his business outside the house instead of inside. This can be achieved in seven easy steps...
A Healthy Dog is a Happy Dog

Knowing your dog well and recognizing any signs that your dog is a little off color will help you to detect, at an early stage that your dog has a sickness. Not only is this better for your dog…
Read more...
Speaking The Same Language As Your Dog

The great thing about dogs is that they don't hide their emotions. Their emotions and reactions are real, direct and open. It's just us humans that don't understand them. We might understand the classic excited dog play bow as…
Read more...
Cat Health. How to Reduce Your Number of Trips to the Vet

The last few years have seen a huge shift towards disease prevention in humans. Keep fit, eat sensibly, get regular check-ups etc. etc. and you'll be healthier and less at risk from disease.Exactly the same is true for cat…
Read more...
Understanding Pet Astrology

While the concept of pet astrology may seem odd to many people, there are many people who believe that the date of birth of your pet, related to astrological signs of the planets, the sun, and the stars,…
Read more...
Eight Foods Your Cat Should Never, Ever Eat

Most of us know that there are some human foods our pets shouldn’t eat. Keeping our cats away from alcohol, for example, is a no-brainer. But did you know that onion powder can cause anemia in cats and…
Read more...
Tips on Photographing your new Puppy

So, you have just added the lovely puppy to the household - it's so cute you just want to hold it, and play with it and cuddle it all the time. Now wouldn't it be nice to get…
Read more...
Cat Adoption: A Check List

Cats can make wonderful pets, but before you go ahead with cat adoption, there are a number of important things to think about. A lot of people who haven't owned cats think they're very independent and need much…
Read more...
Cat Ear Mites and Other Ear Problems

Ever noticed your cat shaking it’s head or scratching madly at its ear? Well it might be time to check your pet’s ear to make sure that they don’t have any unwanted visitors like the ear mite.
Read more...

Quick Menu

CatDog Featured Listing

Browse by Category & State

Visit Our Sponsor

Popular Listings

Newest Listings

CatDog Members Login

World Cat & Dog News by Google

ARCHIVES: All Pet Articles

RSS - CatDog News To Your Desktop

3.23 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

CatDog Articles Quick Jump