While you may take precautions against several parasites that can affect your pet, such as ringworm, fleas, ticks, or tapeworm, you may not be aware of giardia. Giardia can cause troubling and potentially serious symptoms, so it's important to know the signs that your pet may be infected. Here are some of the symptoms of a giardia infection, how it is treated, and how you can prevent it.

What Is Giardia?

Giardia is an intestinal protozoan parasite that is fairly common across all species of animals including birds, reptiles, and fish. Giardia is shed through the feces and is hardy enough to remain in the environment for weeks. It is also resistant to many substances that would normally kill most other parasites.

What Are the Risk Factors of Giardia?

Animals that are very old, very young, have weakened immune systems, or share a litter box or kennel area are at higher risk. Animals that spend a lot of time outdoors could pick up giardia cysts from contaminated soil or water.

What Are the Symptoms of Giardia?

Many animals will not show symptoms until a certain threshold is reached. Animals that are seriously infected with giardia will have diarrhea and potentially a high fever. Your pet will likely be very lethargic, could become dehydrated, and may experience serious weight loss. Sometimes, these symptoms get better only to flare up again later.

How is Giardia Treated?

Your veterinarian will prescribe medications and require future fecal tests until your pet is considered free of the parasite. You may also want to bathe your pet to reduce and eliminate shed giardia cysts and prevent future infection.

What Are Some Ways to Prevent Giardia?

The best way to prevent giardia is to limit your pet's exposure to feces and to make sure he or she has access to clean water. If possible, don't let pets share water bowls or drink out of ponds and puddles. If you have multiple pets, you should also treat them as well to prevent reinfection. Also, clean up any feces and dispose of them properly.

The good news is that giardia can be easily treated once it is detected. Also, your pet's giardia will likely not infect you. Many veterinarians check for this condition regularly with a fecal sample so that it can be caught and treated early. A severely infected pet will appear to be seriously ill. If your pet is extremely lethargic, has a high fever, or is very dehydrated, then it could be considered an emergency and you should visit an animal hospital, such as Norwin Veterinary Hospital, for immediate treatment.