The Dog

[Oma]

Storm has had a iffy tummy for a week or two everything coming out the back end runny , DD took him to vet and she took a sample and put him on Antibiotics said could be a bug or a food allergy so for past two weeks he's been on a chicken and rice diet ,
Yesterday vet ran to say he had a very nasty bug called Giardia it can be picked up in parks or muddy puddles anywhere other dogs have been so he could have drank the water or picked up another dogs toy that had the bug in or on them or licked something another dog had licked etc , luckily she took him when it started as if left can damage there health , he's now on a course of treatment for 5 weeks then another check to see if it's gone , Vet said it can be difficult to treat if it gets to far , Cats can get it too , I have never heard of it before , DD has to carry fresh water when he is out in park and not let him get to any puddles or toys but I can imagine that's going to be difficult as he loves puddles , Just thought I would let everyone know who has pets as we knew nothing about it till now

[Gemini]

Poor Storm, I hope he is better soon. At least they know what it is now.

[Oma]

You just don't think of these things do you when you take them to the park or if your cats are out and about , he's very healthy apart from that so Vet said treatment should work quickly fingers crossed

[Plantaholic]

Hope he gets better soon Oma, poor Storm not able to play in puddles, very difficult this Winter

[Daisy]

Oma - many thanks for telling us about that. I haven't heard of Giardia either! Thank goodness your DD took Storm to the vet sooner rather than later. I hope the meds clear it up quickly for him, poor lad.

Where we live we get Alabama Rot and we're paranoid about checking Eva's legs and face for grazes or abrasions when she's been for a walk.





Eeek - I've just Googled "Giardia' - and humans can get the infection as well!

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Giardiasis/Pages/Causes.aspx

[Oma]

Yes they can I ALWAYS wear disposable rubber gloves when I clear his mess up and hose down the grass if he's done it in garden then I double bag it , just as well I do , I won't let Brian clean after him just incase . DD has washed all his toys and steam cleaned the carpets not that he has accidents in the house but better to be safe , The medication is like a paste and he loves it must taste good after just chicken and rice all the time 😊

[Daisy]

After 2 weeks of chicken and rice, I bet most things taste good to him! Just as well - it's no fun trying to get medication into a dog if he really really doesn't want it! lol

[Oma]

Daisy he was good taking his antibiotic tablets too , The cats are a different kettle of fish try get anything down there throats and you take your life in your hands if you put it in their food they will just eat around it , so SIL has to wrap them in a towel so they can't scratch and get it down that way they have been known to as soon as he let's go actually bring a tablet back up 😊

[MillieB]

You can get a pill giver for cats! When I worked at a vets they were in great demand. It has a gripper end where you put the tablet and a long thin handle with a trigger. You put it in the cat's mouth(still a two man job)then release the tablet with the trigger. Takes a little practice but saves fingers!

[Nanto2girls]

Iv'e never heard of Giardia either.I'm going to tell my niece about this. Their dog Chip, is always drinking from puddles.
Thanks Oma, for telling us about it.

[Daisy]

Daisy he was good taking his antibiotic tablets too , The cats are a different kettle of fish try get anything down there throats and you take your life in your hands if you put it in their food they will just eat around it , so SIL has to wrap them in a towel so they can't scratch and get it down that way they have been known to as soon as he let's go actually bring a tablet back up 😊

Oma - some years ago, I was looking after a friend's two cats while they were on holiday, and one of them got a tick. So I went round to their house armed with a tick hook and a large towel. I managed to lure her into my arms (no easy task), and even wrapped her in the towel, leaving access to the tick, and started to 'operate'! She wasn't keen but I hung on firmly. Then there was an almighty screech and intense pain all up my legs as their other cat attacked me! LOL

Millie - the pill giver sounds a good idea for some dogs, too!

[Mimi]

I've never heard of this either, dogs usually love to run around in the mud and puddles and I would think hat most dog owners are not aware of this. I wonder if all this constant rain has made this worse, the puddles haven't had time to dry out so perhaps the ' bug' has had plenty of opportunity to 'breed' .
I hope poor Storm gets better soon

[Glammanana]

Thanks so much for the information Oma I had never heard of this before either,Poppy loves to try and splash through puddles and we try to steer her clear most times but she does manage to sneak through some if she is on a long lead.I am so pleased your chap is feeling better and he sounds so good taking his medicines we have to wrap any tablets etc up in ham/cheese for Pops
this past week she has been off colour but we think she has gone through a phantom season she is now the last few days been wanting to go out all the time I wonder if the little madam is looking for a mate ??

[Libra Gran]

Oma you told me about this when we were chatting the other evening on FB,I hadn't heard of it either. Shiloh heads like a heat seeking missile for any puddle,the bigger and stinkier the better.As I posted on FB yesterday was the final straw when I fell flat on my face in mud and god knows what else at the park .Plus I was fed up of constantly bathing the dog and mucky towels from rubbing him down. The local park is being given a miss until spring comes and it dries out.We went to another local park today and we both came home mud free-bliss. You never know what is in the rank water they can pick up. Poor Storm hope he's on the mend and his work top surfing the other night didn't have a bad reaction. After you posted about this bug I have since machine washed his toys much to his chagrin as his favourite monkey had to go through as well. Pets eh,don't you just love em.

[Glammanana]

I do to my disgrace forget sometimes to put Poppies babies through the wash even though I wash her bedding on a regular basis her favourite is the PG Tips Monkey which is light enough for her to carry about all day long and as you say Libra I am the "wicked witch" when he is washed,better to be safe than sorry with all these horrible germs about which can seriously harm our precious friends.