Cat Giardia
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Giardia is a common infection in cats. It is found in 15% of house cats and tends to be seen in younger cats. It is a protozoa that lives in the small intestine. The disease is spread when your cats mouth comes in contact with feces, from contact with other cats, or by drinking from streams. Cysts from the feces can attach themselves to cat hair making it easy for the disease to spread from cat to cat.
It is possible for some types of feline giardia to infect people, so be sure to wash your hands if handling an infected cat.
Symptoms of Cat Giardia
In most cases giardia will either cause no symptoms or diarrhea. The complete list of symptoms include:- weight loss
- diarrhea
- soft feces
- feces with foul smell, mucus
- feces that appear fatty
Diagnosis of Feline Giardia
Diagnosis is made through a diagnosis of a stool sample.Treatment of Feline Giardia
Three different drugs are commonly used for treatment:- Fenbendazole: 50 mg/kg SID for 5 days;
- Metronidazole: 25 mg/kg BID 5 days;
- Drontal Plus: SID for 3 days.
If metronidazole is prescribed ask your veterinarian about potential side effects such as liver disease and vomiting.
It is important to clean your cat's environment to avoid reinfection.
Since the disease is spread from cyst in the feces that can
accumulate in your cats hair, be sure to shampoo them thoroughly.
There is a vaccine for giardia, however it is not usually recommended
because symptoms of this condition tend to be mild.
You can also supplement your cat's diet with a natural homeopathic remedy that encourages resistance to parasites. We wouldn't use this as an alternative to conventional treatments, but as a precautionary measure. One product that cotains several herbs and is made specifically for feline parasite protection is PetAlive Parasite Dr. Capsules. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian so that he or she can monitor progress.
References:
Update on Giardia and Cryptosporidium in Dogs and
Cats
D.D. Bowman
College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.
The Merck/Merial Manual for Pet Health
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