What is Giardia?

 I had an interesting appointment recently. A new client came in with an adorable puppy, but the puppy had a history of soft stools progressing to diarrhea. “She was diagnosed with Ghirardelli,” the new owner told me. I am a sucker for dark chocolate Ghirardelli, especially the salted caramel squares, so you can imagine my excitement. I chuckled at my private joke, but I knew that he meant Giardia. And Giardia is the opposite of dark chocolate wonderment.
Giardia is a protozoan parasite that can infect the intestinal tract of most domestic animals, including dogs and cats. Unfortunately, humans can get it, too. Giardia produce cysts that are shed when an animal defecates. That cyst has to be eaten (by an animal or a human-ew!) to spread Giardia. This is considered a fecal-oral transmission. This is why it is so important to pick up your dog’s poop and wash your hands well.
Giardia cysts thrive in cool, wet environments. This means all the rain we had this winter and spring brought a lot more Giardia cases. We know dogs can pick up Giardia by eating poop, but they can also get infected by drinking water from ponds, streams, and even sprinkler water.
Most cases of Giardia do not cause any clinical signs at all, although some animals may get soft stool or diarrhea, especially in very young and very old animals. This makes it even harder to catch. We recommend checking a fecal sample once a year to look for any intestinal parasites.
Giardia can be an especially difficult parasite to get rid of. Some animals need multiple courses of medication and it is very easy for them to get re-infected in their environment.
Be sure to have fecal samples checked by your veterinarian if your animal is having any diarrhea. Together we can treat Giardia and go on to enjoy Ghirardelli instead!
Stevenson Ranch Veterinary Center is located at 25832 Hemingway Ave. in Santa Clarita.  For more information, please call 661-799-0655 and visit www.srvc.com.