Husband suggested you mention this, especially since so many puppies have recently been adopted from IMHS, and because it is summer. Our puppy had it a few years back.
Giardia is a protozoal parasite that affects dogs as well as people. It is a contaminate often found in slow moving water. One of the sources of contamination is feces from animals getting into the water, so ponds, lakes and streams throughout Colorado can be a source. Once ingested the giardia set up housekeeping in the animal's intestinal track. Most commonly dogs will get diarrhea although stomach upset and vomiting can also be seen with the diarrhea in some dogs. Giardia is diagnosed through a fecal test and can be treated with specific antibiotics and/or dewormers. If untreated or a milder case the dog typically gets recurring bouts of diarrhea. At one time there was a vaccine for giardia, but due to its poor level of protection and some other factors it was not on the market this spring/summer. The best prevention is to limit your dog drinking from slow moving water and water that has sat for a while (puddles, etc). It is also beneficial to limit the amount of random items your dog eats including deer and elk feces while hiking.
One final note: it is spreadable between dogs if there is fecal contamination or they have the bad habit of eating poop.
Thanks for the great topic.
Leticia German, DVM, MS, CVA
