If your fur nose suffers from intestinal problems, it could be Giardia.
This gut disease is coming in 70 percent of all puppies and young dogs and around 10 percent of older dogs.
In this article you will find out how Giardia symptoms appear in dogs and what you can do in an emergency.
Giardia symptoms in dogs: what are the typical signs?
Above all Puppies, young dogs and older dogs with weakened immune systems show symptoms of Giardia such as vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
In addition, the droppings can be bloody or yellow in color and the four-legged friend may suffer from loss of appetite, fever and weight loss.
Other signs of Giardia can be tiredness or exhaustion and listlessness.
vomiting and diarrhea
If your fur nose suffers from vomiting and diarrhea, this can be one of the typical signs of Giardia.
Your four-legged friend may have an appetite despite the parasites and pounce on his food. But no sooner has he swallowed it than he vomits.
If that happens once, you don’t have to worry too much. It often happens that dogs eat too quickly, do not digest and then vomit it all up again.
But this happens a second time on the same day and if your dog is also weaker and withdrawn, you should go to the vet.
Diarrhea should always be treated by a vet as it can cause your pet to become dehydrated or develop an intestinal obstruction.
stomach cramps
Giardia can often be recognized by stomach cramps. You can tell from their behavior whether your furry friend is suffering from stomach cramps.
For example, if she is restless, has trouble sleeping and refuses her food, you should pay attention.
In addition, your four-legged friend could suffer from stomach cramps if he adopts a cramped posture, eats a lot of grass or constantly licks his lips.
Stomach pain is usually not serious, it could also be caused by your darling eating too quickly or something wrong.
Bloody and yellow feces
If your fur nose suffers from bloody or yellow stool, you should go to the vet to be on the safe side. The causes can be harmless, but also a disease.
Bloody stools indicate that the cause of the intestinal problems may be in the back of the digestive tract, especially if the blood is fresh.
It may be that the entire feces is bloody, but individual streaks are not uncommon. However, these are often overlooked.
So if your furry friend has to go to the toilet more often than usual, looks tired and exhausted or vomits, take a close look at the chair.
Yellow poop also has many causes, some harmless and others dangerous. If your darling has just received new food, you should wait.
It takes dogs up to a week to get used to a new food and it is normal for the stool to change color.
If the droppings are still yellow after a week or if there was no change of food or carrots, you should urgently go to the vet.
Because in addition to Giardia, it can also be a sign of problems with the gallbladder, pancreas or liver.
Especially if your four-legged friend behaves differently than usual, you should keep an eye on the droppings. Make sure he drinks enough to avoid dehydration.
loss of appetite
If your fur nose refuses its food, you should be alert. Most dogs are omnivores and take it as a precaution to eat a lot.
If that suddenly doesn’t happen, your darling is either physically or mentally bad. Stomach pain, diarrhea and constipation are usually behind it.
These can be triggered by the wrong diet, eating too quickly and deficiency symptoms, but also by gastrointestinal diseases.
Apart from illnesses in the gastrointestinal tract, the refusal to eat can also be of a psychological nature.
Fever
The normal temperature for dogs is between 37.5 and 39° Celsius, for puppies a little higher.
If the temperature rises above 41° Celsius, it can be dangerous for your darling. Then the risk of further diseases and death increases.
If your fur nose has warm ears, pants a lot, trembles a lot and is tired and exhausted, it indicates that it is suffering from a fever.
Other signs include a warm nose, shortness of breath, and loss of appetite and listlessness.
weight loss
If your fur nose is ill, especially with gastrointestinal diseases, it often refuses food or eats less.
This can lead to weight loss and cause other illnesses and deficiency symptoms. If your dog is losing weight unintentionally, you need to see the vet as soon as possible.
When should I go to the vet and what are the treatment options for Giardia?
It’s inevitable that you drive to the vet immediately if your furry friend shows several of the symptoms mentioned above.
You can only recognize a Giardia infestation if you have a test done by the vet. That’s the only way to get security.
Only when your doctor has tested your darling can he treat him properly. The protozoa are very stable and antibiotics do not work.
According to the Ismaning veterinary clinic, only the preparation fenbendazole is approved for treatment. This drug is prescribed only if proven.
The examination consists first of a conversation about the symptoms. If Giardia is suspected, three fecal samples from the dog are examined.
Has your dog ever suffered from Giardia? how did you react Share your experience with us in the comments!