A Giardia infection is not always easy to spot. Some dogs have clear digestive problems, while others seem completely normal and still pass infectious cysts. Here you will learn how to spot Giardia, what your vet does and why targeted hygiene and disinfection in advance can make sense even when there is no acute Giardia case.
What is Giardia in dogs?
Giardia are tiny single-celled parasites that you can only see with a microscope. The species found in dogs is called Giardia duodenalis and is also known as Giardia intestinalis.
The parasites settle in the small intestine, multiply there and can upset digestion. The illness they cause is called giardiasis. Giardia exist in two forms:
- Trophozoites: the active form, which lives and multiplies in the small intestine.
- Cysts: the tough form, which leaves the body in faeces and matters for spreading the infection.
The cysts are infectious straight away when they are passed, and in good conditions, especially in a damp environment, they can survive for a long time. This is why Giardia is not only a matter for the veterinary treatment, but also for hygiene in your home.
How does a dog get Giardia?
Dogs get infected via the faecal-oral route. An infected dog passes Giardia cysts in its faeces, and if these cysts get into another dog through its mouth, that dog can get infected. Typical ways to get infected are:
- contaminated water from puddles or other water sources
- objects and surfaces that may have touched faeces
- shared lying places and pet accessories
- contaminated food or water bowls
- licking dirty paws or fur
Where many dogs come together, for example in dog boarding kennels, animal shelters and other places where animals are in close contact, the risk of spread can be higher. But infectious cysts can also spread in your own home.
A dog does not have to look ill to pass Giardia cysts.
What symptoms do dogs with Giardia show?
The signs can vary a lot. Some dogs have no symptoms at all, while others have digestive problems that keep coming back. Possible signs are:
- diarrhoea that keeps coming back or lasts a long time
- soft to watery faeces
- mucus in the faeces
- wind and bloating
- less appetite
- vomiting now and then
- weight loss
- tiredness or less activity
A typical pattern can be ups and downs: the faeces get firmer for a while, and then the diarrhoea comes back. However, these signs are not specific to Giardia, because other illnesses can cause similar symptoms. So if your dog has diarrhoea again and again, have a vet find out the cause.
Ask your vet: if your dog has heavy diarrhoea, blood in the faeces, clear weakness or signs of dehydration, it is especially important to see a vet soon. In this case, call your vet's practice straight away.
Why are puppies affected so often?
In young dogs, Giardia are among the common gut parasites. Puppies and young dogs are more likely to get ill, because their immune defences are still developing. On top of this, young dogs often have close contact with other animals and explore everything around them with their mouths.
Digestive problems can occur soon after a puppy moves in. This does not have to mean a Giardia infection, but diarrhoea that lasts or keeps coming back should be checked.
What should you do if your puppy has diarrhoea?
If a young dog has clear diarrhoea, do not wait longer than needed, because puppies can get health problems from losing fluid sooner than adult dogs. Contact your vet and ask whether you should bring a faeces sample. If other dogs already live in your home, keep shared contact surfaces hygienic from the start.
How is Giardia in dogs diagnosed?
The vet makes the diagnosis by testing a faeces sample, for example with antigen tests or under a microscope. One special point about Giardia is that infected dogs do not pass the same number of cysts every time they poo. This is why testing faeces samples from several days in a row can make sense, because a single negative result does not always rule out an infection for certain.
Can a Giardia rapid test for home use help?
With the ViPiBaX® Giardia Rapid Test (2 tests) you can do a first check at home. The test is a screening tool and can point to a possible Giardia infection.
Important: the rapid test does not replace a diagnosis by your vet. Have a positive result checked by your vet, and if the problems continue, a vet check is important even when the test is negative.
How does the veterinary treatment of Giardia in dogs work?
Your vet decides whether your dog needs medicine. To decide, the vet looks at things such as your dog's symptoms, age and general health.
A positive Giardia result does not automatically mean that veterinary treatment is needed. But dogs with matching stomach and gut problems may need targeted veterinary therapy. In that case, follow the veterinary treatment plan your vet gives you, and do not change medicines or doses on your own.
Why can Giardia come back after the veterinary treatment?
If your dog has problems again after a veterinary treatment, or tests positive again, there can be different reasons. One reason can be that your dog takes up infectious Giardia cysts from its surroundings again. Other infected animals in your home can also help spread the parasites.
This is why the veterinary treatment and suitable hygiene steps should go hand in hand. Your vet decides whether and when a follow-up test makes sense, based on how your dog's case develops.
What can you do at home when your dog has Giardia?
Alongside your vet's care, steady hygiene helps you lower the spread of infectious cysts. These steps matter most:
Remove faeces as soon as you can
Pick up your dog's faeces soon, on walks and in the garden. Throw it away hygienically and then wash your hands.
Clean food and water bowls hygienically
Clean the bowls regularly. If you want to disinfect them, check that the product is suitable for items that touch food or drinking water.
Wash blankets and covers hot
Wash suitable fabrics at 65 °C or more if possible, as long as the care instructions allow this temperature. This also goes for the blanket from your dog's bed.
Disinfect the contact surfaces that matter
Most important are suitable hard surfaces that are used often or may have faeces on them.
Think of the other dogs in your home
Talk to your vet about whether your other pets should be tested.
You can find a detailed step-by-step guide in the article “Disinfecting your home properly when your pet has Giardia”.
Get the free printable hygiene plan
Can disinfecting in advance help your dog avoid Giardia?
Targeted disinfection in advance can help lower the risk that Giardia spreads via suitable contact surfaces. This matters not only when your dog already has Giardia, because in normal daily life, too, germs and dirt can get into your home on paws, objects or pet accessories.
So hygiene in advance is especially useful where many animals are in contact or new animals arrive often, for example:
- homes with several dogs
- homes with a puppy that has just moved in
- transport boxes that are used regularly
- shared pet accessories
- busy areas where dogs are kept
Does acting in advance mean you have to disinfect your whole home every day?
Hygiene in advance does not mean using as much disinfectant as possible.
It is more important to know the real contact and risk areas. The basics are removing faeces regularly, washing your hands and cleaning often used objects hygienically. Extra disinfection of suitable hard surfaces can make sense when there is a real need and you use a product that is suitable for it.
But disinfection does not replace general hygiene, and it cannot rule out a Giardia infection for certain. In particular, disinfecting at home cannot fully stop infection through contaminated water or contact with infectious faeces outside your home.
ViPiBaX® Giardien EX®: which product is meant for which surfaces?
The ViPiBaX® Giardien EX® disinfection products can be part of a hygiene plan when your dog has acute Giardia, and you can also use them in advance to disinfect suitable contact surfaces in a home with pets. What counts are the areas of use on each label and the documented statements about what the product does.
The ready-to-use ViPiBaX® Giardien EX® Hygiene Spray is meant for disinfecting the hard surfaces and objects listed on the label. You can build it into a targeted hygiene plan for suitable contact surfaces that are used often.
Hygiene Spray 500 ml
Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
The ViPiBaX® Giardien EX® Floor Concentrate is meant for disinfecting larger suitable surfaces that can be mopped. You can use it when there is a higher need for hygiene, and also for surface disinfection in advance, as needed.
Floor Concentrate
For both products, follow the dose or the instructions for use, the required contact time and the notes on which materials can take it. The disinfectants are meant for the intended surfaces and must not be used directly on your dog's fur, skin or paws.
Important: using a product in advance does not guarantee that your dog will not get Giardia. Also, not every disinfectant automatically covers Giardia cysts. What counts is the proof for each product.
Do home remedies help with Giardia in dogs?
On the internet you will find various home remedies for Giardia, for example coconut oil, carrot soup or apple cider vinegar. Such remedies do not replace a check by your vet or any veterinary treatment that may be needed.
For disinfecting contact surfaces, too, do not rely on home remedies when there is not enough proof that they work on Giardia cysts. Which methods make sense, and why ViPiBaX® does not recommend steam cleaners for Giardia disinfection, we explain in the guide “Giardia disinfection: chlorine, steam and home remedies compared”.
Frequently asked questions about Giardia in dogs
How long is a dog with Giardia infectious?
A dog can pass infectious Giardia cysts even when it no longer shows any visible signs. The passing of cysts can stop for a while and start again, so you cannot tell how long the risk of infection lasts just from the faeces or from how your dog seems. Your vet decides whether more tests are needed.
Can other dogs catch it?
Yes. Other dogs can get infected if they take up infectious Giardia cysts through the mouth. If several dogs live in your home, keep in mind which objects and lying places they share, and tell your vet about all your animals.
Can my dog go to dog school with Giardia?
During an active Giardia infection, avoid close contact with other dogs as far as you can, especially if your dog has diarrhoea. Ask your vet when it makes sense again to go to dog school, boarding kennels or other group activities.
Can people catch Giardia from dogs?
It is possible in principle, but it is thought to be fairly rare. Washing your hands well and handling dog faeces hygienically are especially important. You can read more in the guide “Giardia: understanding infection in animals and people”.
Can regular disinfection stop Giardia completely?
No, there is no way to rule out an infection for certain. But as an extra hygiene step, targeted disinfection of suitable surfaces can help lower the risk of spread via these surfaces. This requires a product that is proven to be suitable for the purpose and is used correctly.
Does Giardia make dogs itch?
Itching is not one of the typical signs of giardiasis. If your dog scratches a lot, there may be other causes, which you can have your vet check if needed.
What can my dog eat with Giardia, and what should it avoid?
ESCCAP, the European expert group for parasites in dogs and cats, recommends lean, easily digestible food with few carbohydrates and plenty of protein during treatment. ESCCAP says that a lot of carbohydrates can help Giardia and gut bacteria multiply, so it is better to avoid food that is rich in carbohydrates. Sheep's cheese is not part of the ESCCAP advice. Talk to your vet before you change your dog's food.
How much does a Giardia test at the vet cost?
In Germany, the fee schedule for vets (GOT) sets 30.78 euros for an immunological rapid test and 23.62 euros for a general examination of a dog with advice. Depending on the effort, the practice may charge one to three times these amounts, so 54.40 to 163.20 euros before VAT, or 64.74 to 194.21 euros with 19 % VAT. Used material and further tests can be charged on top. A rapid test for home use is a screening and does not replace a diagnosis by a vet.
Summary: spotting Giardia in dogs and lowering the risk through hygiene
Giardia can cause diarrhoea that keeps coming back and other digestive problems in dogs, and puppies are affected especially often. If you think your dog may have an infection, have it checked by a vet. As well as any veterinary treatment that may be needed, hygiene in your home is important to lower the spread of infectious cysts.
It is also worth looking closely at hygiene in a home with pets before there is a problem. Targeted disinfection of suitable contact surfaces can be a sensible part of this, not only once Giardia has been found. With the ViPiBaX® Giardien EX® Hygiene Spray and the Floor Concentrate, you have disinfection products for the uses each one is meant for.
Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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