My puppy has giardia. What are the best medications to treat it?

Yes, Metronidazole is safe to give pets that are less than 6 months old. In refractory cases, it is often recommended to also treat with a dewormer (i.e. Fenbendazole). I really like Foriflora probiotic, here is a link --> https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets/dp/50029 In cases where a pet is positive for Giardia but not symptomatic, we may not treat, so its best to ask your veterinarian for advice before moving forward. Also if your pet is constantly getting Giardia, then I would highly consider doing a bloodwork check to ensure there is no immune system issue that is making your pet more prone to infections. I wish you all the best in managing your pet Jackson's Giardia. Take care!

Giardia can only be treated with either Metronidazole or Fenbendazole at the appropriate dose for your cats weight. I would consult your vet for the appropriate dosage for your cat since they have examined him before. Veterinary client patient relationship act says that a pet has to be examined by said vet who prescribed that pet medicaiton. I hope this helps. Best wishes and take care.

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!

Giardia can be a little challenging to resolve, but I'm not sure why it would take months. It is possible for dogs to reinfect themselves, so that may be your veterinarian's concern if Kipper had a severe infection. Flagyl (which you spelled correctly) does not always work, so sometimes we combine it with Fenbendazole for better results. I am attaching a link to a handout below with more information about Giardia. https://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=2386 I sympathize with Kipper not being able to go to daycare. My youngest dog lives to go to daycare with his friends. I would ask your veterinarian why they think this will take months to resolve with the new medication and what testing you should be doing to make sure the infection is improving and that there isn't another problem going on. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Typically giardia is nothing fatal as long as it is treated. A typical treatment is flagyl for 7-10days. I do not see a problem with you bringing home the puppy as long as you continue with the treatment. Also pick up all poop in yard and throw away to prevent re contamination.

Yes, it is safe to give those medications together - and both are necessary if she has a bacterial cause of her cough in addition to a giardia infection. Medication is dosed according to weight, so the amount of medication she is receiving should be appropriate for her size. Hope this helps!

It would be best to consult with your veterinarian before changing treatment or giving other medications. Legally, we are prohibited from recommending medications or dosing information in the absence of a physical exam and a patient-veterinarian-client relationship. You can try withholding food for 24 hours. Allow small amounts of water or an unflavored electrolyte replacement beverage. Resume feeding a bland diet in small frequent amounts until symptoms resolve. Transition slowly to the regular diet afterwards. A stool sample should be submitted to diagnose intestinal parasites or bacterial overgrowth. A veterinary probiotic such as Prostora, FortiFlora or ProViable may promote gut health.