Dogs getting giardia?

**VictoriaM** · 07-31-2006, 15:18

I took my dog out hiking with me the other day, and let him drink form a couple of natural water sources. That was last Wednesday. On Sunday, I woke up to discover that he had pooped in hs crate overnight, and since then he has had nearly liquid stools. Is it possible that he's sick from the water? I can't think of anything else it could be, but I'm not positive. My in-laws dogsat on Saturday, so he could have caught something there, maybe from their cat. I'll be taking him to a vert soon if it doesn't stop, but I'm wondering if anyone else has had a dog get sick from drinking from a stream. Did you have to get the dog treated, or did it just stop?

**SGT Rock** · 07-31-2006, 15:21

Take your dog to a vet and find out.

**VictoriaM** · 07-31-2006, 15:25

I don't want to go yet, because he's had diarrhea lasting more than a day before. He's a puppy and eats things off the ground. Just wondering if anyone else has had an issue with natural water before.

**Amigi'sLastStand** · 07-31-2006, 15:30

Giardia can affect dogs. Take your dog to a vet with a fresh stool sample. Disinfect his cage, kennel, sleep area, eating area, or anywhere your dogs butt ends up. No joking. You can use a bleach solution in a spray bottle, or lysol if your concerned about colors.

**Phreak** · 07-31-2006, 15:32

You mention the liquid stool -- Is it pale? Have a bad odor? Appear greasy? These are the typical symptoms of giardia in dogs.

Since the dog was exposed to several potentially contaminated water sources, I'd make it a point to get your dog to a vet and have some blood work done. Remember to take a sample of the loose stool for testing as well. And make sure you let the vet know the dog was hiking and drank from several water sources on the trail.

**plydem** · 07-31-2006, 15:41

Not to be overly dramatic but if he's a puppy I would also be concerned about Parvovirus. This is a deadly disease and not to be taken lightly. It can kill young puppies in 48 hours. As noted by others the safest thing to do is to get a stool sample and the puppy to the vet ASAP and disinfect all areas he has been. If it's Parvo, it can stay active for months if you don't bleach it out.

**VictoriaM** · 07-31-2006, 15:44

He's 11 months old, and is up to date on all his shots, including parvo. I'll be taking him to the vet on Wednesday (I have class tomorrow, so I just can't) if it doesn't clear up by then.

**The Solemates** · 07-31-2006, 16:31

Originally Posted by Phreak

You mention the liquid stool -- Have a bad odor?

No, it smells like roses.

**gumball** · 07-31-2006, 17:15

Seriously, dogs can definitely get giardia, and it can dehydrate a puppy faster than you can imagine. It is wise, as mentioned above, to let your vet know he drank out of a stream and that you were out in the wilderness--giardia can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. You may want to call your vet and get some advice on a dosage of Pepto, to help alleviate the symptoms and reduce his chances of dehydration--please don't give it to him/her tho, without asking for the appropriate dosage by weight and age.

**weary** · 07-31-2006, 17:40

Originally Posted by gumball

Seriously, dogs can definitely get giardia, and it can dehydrate a puppy faster than you can imagine. It is wise, as mentioned above, to let your vet know he drank out of a stream and that you were out in the wilderness--giardia can sometimes be difficult to diagnose. You may want to call your vet and get some advice on a dosage of Pepto, to help alleviate the symptoms and reduce his chances of dehydration--please don't give it to him/her tho, without asking for the appropriate dosage by weight and age.

Giardiasis takes more than a day or two to develop. Though I forget just how long, I doubt if that is the problem with this dog. However, dogs are subject to Giadiasis and there is considerable evidence that they serve as the major vector for spreading the parasite along trails.

I suspect more hikers get the disease from allowing friendly dogs to lick their faces and hands than from drinking untreated water.

Weary

**Phreak** · 07-31-2006, 17:45

Originally Posted by The Solemates

No, it smells like roses.

Thanks for your contribution to this topic.

**The Solemates** · 07-31-2006, 18:01

Originally Posted by weary

I suspect more hikers get the disease from allowing friendly dogs to lick their faces and hands than from drinking untreated water.

Weary

Interesting point, but I doubt it is true.

As a side note, my coonhound drinks from streams every time we go, and he always licks me and Ive never gotten diseases.

**gravityman** · 07-31-2006, 18:15

Our dog often has digestive problems on the trail. We usually tie it to some long dead animal that she found beside the trail and scarfed down before we can get her to drop it. Giardia is nothing compared to that...

Personally I would wait a few days and see what happens...

Gravity

**Ridge** · 07-31-2006, 18:21

[quote=VictoriaM]I took my dog out hiking with me the other day, and let him drink form a couple of natural water sources. [quote]

Haven't you heard of not letting your dog drink from the same place that hikers get their water? You are supposed to take the dog its bowl, or let the dog use your own. You can filter the dogs water. I guess you let the dog swim around in the water also? Typical dog-hiker!!!

**generoll** · 07-31-2006, 18:22

i am told that Giardia has gotten into all of the mammals in the back country which is why ANY water source is suspect. given what most carrion eaters make a meal of, i don't think that it troubles them, but they can certainly serve as vectors.

**Ridge** · 07-31-2006, 18:26

Originally Posted by The Solemates

...... my coonhound drinks from streams every time we go.....

Thanks too for being the typical dog-hiker who lets his dogs get into the same water source that other hikers get their water. Typical dog-hikers are so hypocritical and full of BS.

**VictoriaM** · 07-31-2006, 19:24

Ridge, get a freaking life. I really doubt that hikers and dunking their bottles in a little trickle of water that you have to step through as you walk along the trail. Besides, my dog didn't take a crap in the water, he stuck his tongue in it...and I'd be willing to bet that his tongue is a whole lot cleaner than yours (and definitely cleaner than the bottoms of hiking boots that go tromping through that little trickle every day). Now please stop stirring **** and get out of the dog forum, since clearly your whole reason for being here is to cause trouble.

**Ridge** · 07-31-2006, 19:25

Originally Posted by VictoriaM

Ridge, get a freaking life. I really doubt that hikers and dunking their bottles in a little trickle of water that you have to step through as you walk along the trail. Besides, my dog didn't take a crap in the water, he stuck his tongue in it...and I'd be willing to bet that his tongue is a whole lot cleaner than yours (and definitely cleaner than the bottoms of hiking boots that go tromping through that little trickle every day). Now please stop stirring **** and get out of the dog forum, since clearly your whole reason for being here is to cause trouble.

You are stupid!!

**Fiddleback** · 07-31-2006, 20:23

QUOTE:

Dog Forum: This is not a debate forum. Read before posting.

Notice

This forum was created for the purpose of discussing how to responsibly hike the trail with a dog. The purpose of the forum is not to debate the whole topic of dogs on the trail. If your aim is to do so, please go to The general forum or poll forum or something. Otherwise stay away from these threads.

That said, if you disagree with dogs on the trail, it is probably because of unaware or irresponsible owners. The purpose of this forum was to try to fix that. The hope is dog hikers can pass on to each other the things that make the rare, good trail dogs a good trail dog. If more trail dogs benefit from good owners, then maybe there will be less problems in the long run.

If a dog owner that plans to bring their dog to the trail comes here and learns all the informal rules; the health, safety, and first aid issues they must consider; the impact a hike can have on a dog, the impact a dog can have on a hike; the equipment and pack weight issues to consider; effects of secondary predation, disease, and other impacts of wildlife on the dog and the dog on the wildlife; and the overall impact of the dog hiker on other hikers and even other dogs - The hope is that a dog owner can participate in the forum and learn all the informal rules and how hard it can really be to hike with a pet responsibly, and then allow them to make a personal, informed decision to either not hike with a pet or to go on the trail armed with the skills, knowledge, and attitude to do it correctly.

All that said, this forum came about this way because it had to. Every time the topic of how to act responsibly, the thread deteriorated into another battle against dog lovers against the supposed "dog haters". So if you plan to post here, post advice about how to backpack responsibly with the pet as a response to the question or topic. Due to past experiences the threads will be monitored closely for failure to comply. Abusers will loose the ability to read or post on this forum.

__________________
SGT Rock :END QUOTE

So...how much time does Ridge have left?

**SGT Rock** · 07-31-2006, 20:48

None. I just got in though to check the forum, I'll leave the posts up, but he won't be posting on this forum anymore.

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