Giardia in Dogs: Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Parasites can be a pain, and while these little critters are small, the damage they do can be disastrous! This blog will look closely at one of the smallest (microscopic, even) parasites that can impact your dog - Giardia. 

Unlike fleas and worms, Giardia (Giardia duodenalis, Giardia intestinalis or Giardia lamblia) is a parasitic protozoan (single-celled microorganism) that can be found worldwide. The parasite thrives in poor water quality or sanitation areas, making it a top contender for dogs that drink from whatever body of water they can find.  

Much like worms, Giardia is spread through infected faeces, contaminating other animals, vegetation, and water sources. Before they're expelled from the host body, Giardia cells protect themselves by creating cysts around themselves like a shell. According to the CDC, these cysts allow the parasite to survive in the environment for weeks (or even months) before being picked up by a new host. Once ingested, the shell of these cysts dissolves, and the parasite is free to start its life cycle again.

Giardia in dogs often displays as digestive trouble, like diarrhoea and greasy stools. While it's rarely fatal for healthy adult dogs, if left untreated, Giardia can cause secondary health complications such as:

• Dehydration
• Malnutrition (especially in puppies and senior dogs)
• Poor growth and development (in puppies)
• Chronic digestive trouble due to damage sustained to the gut microbiome

Giardia is highly contagious between dogs, especially those living in close quarters, but in rare instances, Giardia may also be passed from dogs to humans.

As we've mentioned, Giardia is predominantly spread through the stools of infected animals, but how does that translate to your dog contracting the parasite?

Below, we look at the most common ways pets can contract Giardia from their environment:

Dogs with Giardia are likely to experience digestive problems, particularly diarrhoea.

Because of this, many vets recommend feeding your dog a highly digestible diet while undergoing treatment, such as boiled chicken and rice. Your vet may also recommend a dog probiotic supplement, like the Protexin® Pro-Kolin Probiotic Digestive Support Paste, to help ease your dog’s discomfort and promote better stools.  

If you don’t want to give your dog additional supplements alongside medications, add natural probiotic ingredients (such as pumpkin, cottage cheese, kefir, broccoli, banana, or sweet potato) to your dog's chicken and rice. 

There are a few steps you can take to keep yourself and your dog protected from Giardia, including:  

• Ensuring your dog doesn’t eat or drink anything they shouldn’t (this is where having a strong “leave it” command under your belt is very handy) 
• If your dog cannot be trusted not to drink things they shouldn't, keep them on a lead when walking near water. Instead, bring a portable dog water bottle with you. 
• You should regularly clean your dog’s living spaces, such as bowls, crates, beds, and toys, with a pet-safe disinfectant.  
• Bathe your dog regularly to remove any Giardia cysts from their fur (yes, Giardia cysts can get stuck in it) and pay close attention to their paws.  
• Clean up as quickly as possible after your dog – this will also help prevent infections in other people and animals if your dog has been diagnosed with Giardia. 

While following these steps won’t eliminate the risk of your dog getting Giardia (because parasites can be tricky creatures), it will lessen their odds.  

Giardia in dogs can be a problem, but with the right care, treatment and preventative measures, your dog will be back to themselves in no time! Make sure you're protecting your pet from parasites with our extensive range of flea and worming treatments availale from industry-leading brands at Pet Drugs Online.