Giardia

Giardia is a protozoan parasite of worldwide distribution that infects most mammals and causes significant gastrointestinal disease. Giardia is found in soil, food, water or surfaces that have been contaminated by infected humans or animals.

Giardia is a health concern for both animals and people.

Acute small-bowel diarrhea is the most common clinical sign of Giardia. Small-bowel diarrhea is characterized by liquid to semi-formed feces, a moderately increased frequency of defecation and normal to increased fecal quantity. Because these clinical signs are non-specific, its diagnosis depends upon the detection of Giardia in an animal’s feces.

Giardia
Giardia is a common intestinal parasite of dogs and cats. Infection prevalence can vary to more than 50%, depending on the population, and up to 100% in shelters and kennels. A recent national study determined the prevalence of Giardia in symptomatic dogs to be 19% and 11% in cats.1

Giardiasis is commonly under diagnosed and misdiagnosed due to intermittent shedding and difficulty identifying cysts and trophozoites.

When approaching cases with diarrhea, a comprehensive fecal-testing protocol is recommended because it improves accuracy rates and leads to a faster diagnosis. This protocol combines traditional in-clinic microscopy with in-clinic rapid assay testing. The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) recommends using a combination of:

  • Fecal floatation with centrifugation
  • Direct smear
  • A sensitive, specific Giardia ELISA
    (a Giardia-specific ELISA detects cyst wall proteins that are excreted into the feces in large amounts during the encystation phases)

 

Other diagnostics available:

  • Real-time polymerase chain reaction
    (available as IDEXX RealPCR Giardia test and in IDEXX RealPCR Diarrhea Panels)

 

Giardia Parasite Detection Protocol—in accordance with CAPC Guidelines

View/print the Fecal Tests brochure. (PDF)

 

Giardia life cycle

Detecting Giardia Infection: A Comparison of In-House Methods vs. Reference Laboratory Methods

   

Reference
1.
Carlin EP, Bowman DD, Scarlett JM, et al. Prevalence of Giardia in symptomatic dogs and cats throughout the United States as determined by the IDEXX SNAP Giardia Test. Vet Ther. 2006;7(3):199–206.

Giardia infections are commonly treated with metronidazole, fenbendazole or albendazole.

 

The whitepaper Gastrointestinal Parasites: The Practice Guide to Accurate Diagnosis and Treatment (PDF) discusses treatment options.