Posted on February 28, 2010.
Giardiasis in dogs Giardiasis is an infection by Giardia what happens in dogs. Giardia is a protozoan parasite called a cell. This parasite infects the small intestine in dogs. There are many ways in which a dog can be infected by this parasite.
Transmission
One of the most popular methods of transmission by drinking water that has infected cyst. Dogs that are already infested by the parasite can pass on infected cysts through the feces. If your dog comes into contact with the chair, he quickly gets infected. These cysts are also transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food.
Symptoms
Infection with Giardia means problem in digestion. The dog eats the food is infected, but do not receive all the nutrients in these foods.
Because of this, the dog may appear to be lethargic and may even start losing weight. But the clearest sign of the disease is diarrhea. Even mild diarrhea may indicate an infection.
Diagnosis
While the dog may be diagnosed, the veterinarian must take a sample of his stool and analyze. Only you can take a stool sample to the vet with the dog.
The vet can also take stool swabs of the rectum. Sometimes, the tests can be inconclusive and therefore the test should be repeated several times. The test should be repeated a few days apart from the old. Sometimes, the veterinarian will diagnose a blood sample and analyze it.
Treatment
There are many appropriate drugs to treat this disease. Metronidazole is one of the most effective. This medication must be taken for five days. It will clean all the parasites of the intestine of the dog. Of course, there are other drugs too and hey can be very effective, but they can have side effects.