Giardia

Giardia, a protozoal organism, can cause diarrhea in pets and can infect people and pets that drink the contaminated water. Young and weakened pets are at higher risk to be affected by this and can have severe dehydration and diarrhea. However, pets suffering from this disease ay not show any symptoms.

The diagnosis of the Giardia can be a challenging task as the feces may not always contain the organism to be detected. This requires multiple stool checks before affirming the diagnosis. Treatment involves the increased uptake of the fluids to rehydrate the body and eating easily digestible food along with oral medication to treat the infection. To avoid the infection, any organism present on the fur should be removed by bathing the pet and all the pets should be treated. Feces should be picked up carefully as soon as possible to curb the spread of the disease as some strains of Giardia can be transmitted to people too. In case of symptoms of Giardia in your family member, you should contact your physician immediately.