Giardia is a parasitic infection that can affect multiple cat and dog households. It is transmitted through ingestion of Giardia cysts from contaminated surfaces like litter boxes or fur. Cysts can survive for months outside the body. Symptoms in cats include loose stool, diarrhea, frequent stinky stools, and weight loss. Diagnosis is made through fecal samples tested for Giardia cysts or antigens. Treatment involves fenbendazole or metronidazole for the cats along with thorough environmental cleaning and disinfection of surfaces to eliminate cysts. Proper litter box hygiene and regular treatment and cleaning can help control Giardia in households with multiple pets.

1. GIARDIA INFECTION The POOP nightmare for every multiple cat and/or dog household 1

2. If there’s any doubt… Loose Stools we don’t want to see! Nice firm turds are what we DO want to see! 2

3. Definitions Diarrhea…Excessive and frequent evacuation of watery feces, usually indicating gastrointestinal distress or disorder. Loose Stool…Refers to watery feces with no solid form. (Loose stool would be classified as "diarrhea" if the passage of stool was frequent or excessive in volume.) Tenesmus…A painfully urgent but ineffectual attempt to urinate or defecate 3

4. The Poop Patrol by Terri Jorgensen 4

5. COLOR Yellow or Greenish Stool = Rapid transit Black Tarry Stool = Bleeding in upper digestive tract Red Bloody Stool = Bleeding in the lower bowel (colon) Pasty, Light-colored Stool = Lack of Bile (liver disease) Large Gray, Rancid-smelling Stool = Inadequate digestion, Malabsorption Syndrome (often with oil on hair around anus) 5

6. Consistency Soft Bulky Stool = Overfeeding or poor quality food high in fiber Watery Stool = Bowel wall irritation with rapid transit and decreased absorption Foamy Stool = Suggestive of bacterial infection 6

7. ODOR The more watery the stool, the greater the odor! Foodlike smell or sour milk smell = both incomplete digestion and inadequate absorption Putrid smell = infection or blood 7

8. FREQUENCY Several small stools per hour with straining = colitis 3-4 large stools per day = malabsorption or inflammatory bowel (Note: any pathogen or parasite that would trigger rapid transit of food through the bowel would also result in malabsorption) 8

9. What Exactly is Giardia? Giardia are protozoans (single celled organisms) This microscopic parasite clings to the surface of the intestine, or floats free in the mucous lining the intestine. The motile feeding stage occurs in the small intestine. The non-motile cyst stage occurs in large intestine. 9

10. LifeCycle and Transmission Giardia is transmitted during the cyst stage when it is excreted in the feces. Cats pick up cysts from the litter, floors, or fur. They usually ingest the cysts while cleaning themselves. 10

11. The Cysts are the Big Enemy! Cysts can live outside of the body for months in favorable (moist & warm) environments. Cysts are very hard to kill. Cysts are very easy to pick up and contaminate water supplies like streams and wells. 11

12. Symptoms Symptomatic cats are “sick” Asymptomatic cats are “carriers”. No symptoms. Can excrete cysts in feces. Stressful conditions such as changes in food, moves, overcrowding, breeding, showing, new cats, etc. can bring on a “break”. Loose stools, diarrhea Frequent stinky stools Weight loss 12

13. Giardia Flagellated attached to intestinal wall This is the stage that creates the sickness, Giardiasis. The Giardia attach to the intestinal wall and interfere with the cat’s ability to absorb nutrients. This creates the weight loss. They usually don’t lose appetite. 13

14. Diagnosis Fecal Loop Inserted into rectum to get FRESH fecal or mucus sample that hopefully contains Giardia (if there is an infection). Stool Samples need to be FRESH and MOIST Cysts are shed in stools sporadically Need several samples over at least three days Cysts & flagellet die in dry & hot conditions. ELISA test better than fecal exam You CAN get false negatives! 14

15. As the Litter Box Turns FLAGELLET Mostly found in LOOSE stool Don’t survive outside of body for long CYST Mostly found in FIRM stools Survive outside of body for months 15

16. TREATMENT The great Big FUN FUNFUN topic, especially for multiple cat/dog households! 16

17. Fenbendazole “Panacur”—anti-parasitic Safeguard (for goats) is a fenbendazole 10% solution, 100 mg/ml. Can be purchased at Coastal Farm Supply or Winco Farm Supply Dosage is 50 mg/kg of body weight or 25 mg/lb of body weight. Dose by mouth once daily for 5 to 10 days…some advise 14 days. 17

18. Metrondizole “Flagyl”– anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-parasitic. Helpful to calm the bowel. Often given in conjunction with fenbendazole. About 70% effective in treating Giardia. Can be toxic to the liver and cause vomiting. Dosage is 15 mg/kg body weight (My 5-6 lb cat was given 63 mg once daily) Dose one time a day for 7 to 10 days. 18

20. Bleach litter boxes and scoops every time litter is changed.

21. Steam clean your house if you can, including hard floors

22. Steam clean your carpets and upholstery

23. Machine Wash in hot water 19

25. Sweep up cat litter and waste from floors frequently

26. Change cat litter more frequently

27. Use different scoops for each group

28. BLEACH

29. Trim hair from “perianal” area

30. Use baby wipes to wash their butts for them several times a day

31. Wash their feet if litter is sticking to them

32. When treatment is done, dump litter, bleach boxes & scoops, and bathe your cats20

34. Treat entire population

35. Treat on regular basis, like every 6-12 months

36. For cleaning, you should put animals in a “clean area”,

37. disinfect living quarters,

38. let dry for 3 days

39. return bathed pets to quarters

40. Treat ALL new cats during quarantine as if they have Giardia!21

41. Wash Your Hands EVERY Time You or a Child in Your Home Touches Your Cats or Litter Boxes 22

43. http://cats.about.com/od/gastrictractdiseases/p/giardia.htm

44. http://www.vetinfo.com/23