Giardiasis

[Originalyellowbelly]

3 of my cats have been diagnosed with Giardiasis, does anyone else have any experience of this please. My usual vet originally said it was IBD but after 6 months of no improvement I asked another vet who did more tests and we were given the verdict.

No idea where they have picked this up but I am wondering how successful the treatment is. Can anyone help?

No actual experience yet thankfully but we are getting a cat who had previously been diagnosed with and successfully treated for it. The shelter said that it is really hard to fully get rid of, but can be kept low and under control. He recommended a carbfree diet, so she can’t have dried kibble, only wet food with a very low carb content. I am thinking about fresh meat in her diet.
She will need to be dewormed and also treated for it regularly, even if symptomless. Some cats get diahorrhea etc but most are symptomless.
You would have to wash everything the cats were in contact with, at at least 70 degrees Celsius. Also wash their bowls with boiling water, and bedding too on 90 degrees.
It can also be picked up from contaminated water so if one of your cats had it first he may have transferred it via the water bowl. Or a shared water bowl outside.
Hope they get well and the treatment is successful.

stella1know Thank you for your reply. Yes, my cats all had diarrhoea and were sick quite often but after changing vets who did more detailed tests were correctly diagnosed and began treatment. I must admit I was a bit disheartened after reading your reply as we are now on the last day of medication which has had remarkable results but realising this may not be a permanent cure is very depressing.

I am guessing they may have picked it up from drinking water outside as being cats they prefer rain water to tap water so we left a bowl outside and as we live rurally it could have become contaminated by other cats or wildlife.

We have replaced all food bowls, litter trays etc and wash with a diluted bleach solution and rinse well, wash bedding regularly and just hope that these measures will keep them symptom free for as long as possible.

I wish you good luck with your new cat and hope you have a long, healthy and happy life together.