My cat has giardia. What are the best ways to care for him at home?

I am sorry to hear about your issue! I would also recommend bathing your cats, as the spores can cling to the fur and cause reinfection, especially with cats grooming themselves. Also washing any of their bedding. You can read more about Giardia and treatment at https://www.vin.com/veterinarypartner/default.aspx?pid=19239&species=All&id=4952529

Hi, I'm Dr. Johnson. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear that Loki has giardia. Sometimes it can be frustrating to treat. I am assuming you know Loki has giardia because your Veterinarian checked a stool sample. If that is the case then your Veterinarian will prescribe the appropriate drugs to help clear the giardia infection. There are no over the counter drugs that are recommended. Definitely consult your Veterinarian if you haven't already. There are some cases where giardia can persist despite the appropriate treatment and longer courses of drugs or different medications are prescribed. Some times we need to wait for the puppies immune system to mature. At home you should be preventing Loki from re-infecting himself: immediately clean up all stool, use disinfectant cleaners, do not allow him to eat his stool, if he walks through his stool wash his feet well, do not allow his stool to contaminate his drinking water and take him outside to a designated area of the yard on a leash to do his business. Giardia is also what we call a zoonotic disease, meaning humans can contract it as well. Humans, cats and other dogs get it from ingesting fecal material or drinking fecally contaminated water. When you clean up his stool either wear gloves and/or wash your hands immediately. Do not allow children or immunosuppressed family members to handle the stool. Your cat would have to ingest Loki's stool or drink water that had been contaminated with Loki's stool. You could always have your cats stool checked to be sure. I wish you luck! I hope Loki clears the infection soon! They usually do!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Sunday. Your vet is right, good hygiene is key. When you clean the litter box, wear gloves, then throw the gloves away and wash your hands. I would scoop the box at least once a day, and clean it once a week. You can touch and love them. Again, wash your hands afterwards. I hope this helps!

I highly recommend treating both kittens at the same time. Once you start treatment, clean and change the litter box. Then 2 weeks after the medication is done have your veterinarian send the stool sample to the lab. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hi there. So sorry that Indie is having this issue. There are new treatments for giardia that may be helpful. Your vet may not be aware of these so have them research the following drugs: Furazolidone Nitazoxanide Tinidazole They will likely have to be compounded by a pharmacy so your vet will need to check into that. In the meantime, I would practice serious hygiene in the environment like cleaning the litter box DAILY with 1:10 dilution of bleach. Keep the floors where the litter box is very clean with the same dilution of bleach solution. Wherever you use the bleach solution let it sit for 10 minutes before wiping it down. I would also recommend you increase fiber in Indie's diet. The best way to do that is with a prescription canned food you can get from your vet called Hill's w/d. The extra fiber will help remove any giardia trophozoites from the intestinal lining. Adding a probiotic like Fortiflora to his diet would be beneficial especially if he has to have a long course of antibiotics. Fortiflora is the best probiotic and you don't need a prescription to buy it: http://www.vetrxdirect.com/product/view/fortiflora-for-cats-otc/variation-2771 Finally, if Indie will let you I would recommend you bathe him 2-3 times a week with a medicated shampoo containing Chlorhexidine. This can eliminate any giardia cysts that may be on his coat - while grooming he may be ingesting these causing re-infection. Lather, let it sit on his coat for 5-10 minutes and then rinse throughly. A shampoo like this one is best: http://www.vetrxdirect.com/product/view/chlorhexidine-4-medicated-shampoo-for-dogs-cats-otc/variation-10419 Giardia can be frustrating and difficult to get rid of :( I hope this helps. Best wishes!

Hi from Bangladesh! Don't worry, it may take a few more days to see improvement. You may also try a bland diet of boiled chicken, rice, and plain canned pumpkin (not the pie filling) to help firm up the stool. Using a probiotic for cats and dogs can help as well. Hope this helps!!

Hi. Guardia can be very difficult to treat. Pets can reinfect themselves as well. I would take to your veterinarian about trying the next course of medications and include a probiotics. In addition, pick up feces right away, clean the feet with a pet wipe and clip the hair around the anal area to help decrease reinfection. In the meantime, feed boiled chicken and rice for 3-5 days to help rest the GI tract. I also would have another fecal test done. Maybe it's something else? Good luck.