Giardia problems please Help. - Page 4

I just found out my 9 wk old puppy has Giardia and Canine Coccidiosis!  After reading the comments on Giardia I feel frustrated already.  We just started the medication and I am not sure what to do next.  The puppy is crated at night but during the day goes where I go which is on carpet and tile flooring.  How do you disinfect carpet?  I have asthma so I can't use bleach on the tile.  I usually use vinegar & water to mop with.  The puppy has used the front and back yard so I guess they are both contaminated (plus deer use the front yard all the time and they probably have parasites too!)  How do you get rid of parasites in a yard?  Does this mean my 2 year old niece can't come visit?  What about 70 year old Mom?

Thanks for any advise in advance.

Joycelyn

Having a small kennel of 20 dogs I have researched this extensively and still know very little since it seems that the experts tend to disagree.  but here is a few things that may or may not be helpful.  10% of the worlds human population is infected with it.  It is worldwide and is more prevelent in areas that do not have freezing temps.  So contray to what someone suggested, experts do agree that frezzing for a period of 24 hours will kill the cyst.  Check out this link:

http://lomaprieta.sierraclub.org/pcs/articles/giardia.asp

Cysts are 8 - 12 microns long by 6 - 9 microns in diameter, so a million could fit under a fingernail.  Cysts can survive for as long as 2 to 3 months in cold water, but they cannot tolerate drying or freezing.^{12, 13, [15], [16], [17], [18]}  They are also destroyed by UV radiation, heat and biocides such as bleach.¹⁵

a recent study authored in Korea suggest that fenbendozole is the most effective on dogs, although not on all dogs. 

I just attended a Continuing education meeting with a GI gurue and the current recommendation is Panacur for 5 consecutive days.   It can also be used in conjunction with Flagyl.  There is also a test to see what strain of Giardia the dog has. 

Panacure and Safequards active ingredient is of course Fenbendozole.  Purchase it at Jefferspets.com and go to the livestock section and get the Cattle drench 10% Fenbendozole.  Some claim that a much larger dose is needed in dogs than in cattle and horses.  Investigate to make sure of proper doseage.

This guy that I heard speak, did not think that the vaccine was very effective either.  If the dog has been treated for Giardia and still has soft stools the dog should be checked for other bacteria as well.  Cryptosporidiosis and Clostridium are two big ones. 

Know too, that there is the human variety of Giardia and the canine variety of giardia.  The Canine Variety, from what this guy said is not a threat to humans.  The test to see what kind of Giardia your pets have is expensive, but it might be worth it in the long run to find out if it is a threat to yourself.  If they keep getting sick, they may also have something else in addition to the Giardia.  Someone else mentioned Tylan Powder which is quite effective against other types of bacteria. 

You really need to find out if it is just Giardia that you are dealing with.  If it's just Giardia, treatment of all your pets at the same time should clear it.  What have they been treated with?

just wondering, does anybody think there could be a link between giardia and bloat? nenz died of bloat on valentine's day and after reading this thread and doing a yahoo! search i think he probably had it, and i just did not know what was wrong with him. just curious as to what anybody else thinks.

Geez, I just realized that this thread was started so long ago.  Wonder if the problems ever resolved.