Does Your Dog Have Giardia?

Tiny Giardia Can Make Your Puppy Very Sick

Mila & Loki

A few days ago, we received a call from the vet saying that our new puppy has Giardia, a yucky intestinal parasite that is spread through fecal matter. It’s hard to tell where she contracted it from, but now I am waiting to hear whether our kitten, previously clear of all parasites, has also been infected. In the meantime, we have to keep the two separated (they aren’t very happy about this arrangement!).

Where does Giardia in dogs come from?

Giardia are protozoans (tiny, one-celled parasitic life forms) that live in the small intestines of dogs and cats, with the potential to cause serious illness. They may be contracted from contaminated water in streams, ponds, and swamps, and they are also spread through feces. My puppy may have already had Giardia when I picked her up, but it is more likely that she contracted it from a neighborhood dog. There are lots of dogs in our apartment building that eliminate on the lawn where I bring my puppy (and she likes to eat things off the ground). Not good.

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