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What is Giardiasis?
Giardia
lamblia
is a protozoan (single celled organism) parasite which is
found in the small intestine of vertebrates including
mammals. Infection with Giardia lamblia causes giardiasis.
Giardia causes
severe diarrhoea, dehydration & stomach cramps.
How do
cats become infected with Giardia?
The most
likely transmission in cats is direct animal to animal (fecal-oral
route). Cats can also become infected by drinking water
containing the infective cysts. Once inside the intestine
the cyst opens releasing two trophozoites.
There are two
stages to the life cycle. Trophozoites are the active motile
(swimming) form & it is in this stage that lives in the
intestines feeding & reproducing. The trophozoites have
flagella, which are long hair like structures which enables
toe protozoa to move around. During the feeding stage,
the parasite replicates in the small intestine by binary
fission (this is the asexual reproductive process where one
cell divides into two cells.
The
trophozoites move towards the colon where they produce a
cyst wall. The trophozoite within the cyst divides once, and
this mature cyst now contains two trophozoites. This cyst is
carried away by the passing fecal stream & leaves the body.
[1] These cysts
are extremely hardly and can survive for long periods in
water.
What are
the symptoms of Giardia in cats?
The parasite
has a one to two week incubation period. Most cats are
asymptomatic, although they may keep passing on cysts for
months or years. Clinical signs are most likely to be seen
in younger animals from multi-cat households/environments.
If large
numbers of trophozoites develop the cat will develop
symptoms which include;
-
Foul smelling
stools, often yellowish, foamy/frothy.
-
Vomiting
-
Weight loss
-
Flatulence
-
Abdominal
distension
How is
Giardia diagnosed?
Fecal
flotation (zinc sulfate solution) may be used to detect
cysts. Cysts may not be present in the stool of a cat with
diarrhoea. Fecal smears may detect the active
trophozoites. These are more likely to be seen moving around
in watery stools & cysts are more commonly found in firm
stools. A negative sample doesn't necessarily rule out
giardiasis. Three stool samples should be studied over a
period of 7 - 10 days before a definite diagnosis is made.
ELIZA is
another method of testing for giardiasis. This may either be
performed in your veterinarian's office of sent off to a
laboratory for testing.
How is
giardiasis treated?
-
Metronidazole (trade name Flagyl) is an antibiotic used to
treat giardiasis.
-
Furazolidone
is another antibiotic which is used to treat protozoal
infections too.
-
Fenbendazole
which is a drug used to control certain worms is
another drug which may be prescribed to treat giardiasis.
Your
veterinarian will prescribe whichever drug they feel is best
to treat giardiasis in your cat.
Can I catch
giardiasis from my cat?
This answer is
still not entirely known so it is safe to err on the side of
caution & presume it is possible to catch giardiasis from
cats & practice strict hygene.
References:
[1] The
Cornell Book of Cats (page 311).
Please note:
The medical
articles on this site have not been written by a
veterinarian & should not be considered a replacement for a
veterinarian visit. The articles are provided for
informative purposes only.
Always seek
immediate veterinary advice for any problems (health or
behavioral) in your pets.
While great
care has been made in the creation of these articles, we
cannot guarantee the accuracy or omissions on these pages.
If in any doubt whatsoever, seek professional medical
advice. |
