Giardia in Dogs
Dog Health Guides · Parasites · Diseases
Giardia in Dogs: Symptoms, Poop Signs, Treatment and Cleaning
If you are reading about giardia in dogs, your veterinarian is the best first step. This guide explains what owners commonly see and what to do next. It does not diagnose or prescribe.
Giardia in dogs is an infection with a tiny single-celled parasite that lives in the intestine. It causes soft, greasy, very smelly diarrhea that can come and go, and is especially common in puppies and dogs from kennels, shelters and dog parks.
Giardia spreads through contaminated water, soil and poop, and dogs can reinfect themselves easily. Treatment from your vet works best when combined with bathing and careful cleaning.
Important: See a vet for diarrhea lasting more than a day or two, diarrhea with vomiting or blood, weight loss, or any diarrhea in a puppy. Wash your hands after handling poop: some types of giardia can infect people.
What Giardia Is
A Microscopic Parasite
Giardia attaches to the lining of the small intestine and interferes with digestion and absorption.
Cysts Spread It
Infected dogs pass hardy cysts in their poop. Cysts can survive for weeks in cool, damp places.
Some Dogs Have No Signs
Healthy adult dogs can carry giardia without symptoms and still shed cysts.
Giardia Symptoms and Poop Signs
Soft, Greasy Stool
Pale, soft to watery stool that may look greasy or shiny and has a strong, unpleasant smell.
Mucus
Mucus on or in the stool.
Comes and Goes
Diarrhea that improves and then returns over days or weeks.
Weight and Gas
Weight loss, gas and a poor coat in some dogs, especially puppies.
How Dogs Get Giardia
Drinking Contaminated Water
Puddles, ponds, streams and shared water bowls are common sources.
Contact With Poop
Sniffing or licking contaminated ground, or eating poop, at parks, kennels and daycare.
Reinfection From Their Own Coat
Cysts stuck in the fur around the bottom can be licked off and swallowed again.
Giardia Treatment and Cleaning
Vet Test and Medicine
A poop test confirms giardia. Your vet prescribes medicine and may recheck a sample after treatment.
Bathe Your Dog
Bathing, especially around the rear end, near the end of treatment removes cysts from the coat.
Clean the Home
Pick up poop at once, wash bedding, toys and bowls in hot water, and clean hard floors. Let surfaces dry fully; dry conditions help kill cysts.
What To Feed a Dog With Giardia
Your vet may suggest a bland or highly digestible diet while the gut recovers.
What To Do Tonight
Mild
Soft stool in a bright adult dog: water, bland food, and a vet poop test if it lasts more than a day or two.
See a vet
A puppy, watery diarrhea, vomiting, blood, weight loss, or diarrhea that keeps coming back.
Related Dog Health Guides
Back to Dog Health Guides →Giardia in Dogs FAQ
What does giardia dog poop look like?
Usually soft to watery, pale, greasy-looking and very smelly, sometimes with mucus. It cannot be confirmed by looks alone; your vet needs a poop test.
How do dogs get giardia?
By swallowing cysts from contaminated water, soil, grass or poop, or by licking cysts from their own coat.
How long does giardia last in dogs?
With treatment, most dogs improve within a week or so. Reinfection is common, so cleaning and bathing are important.
Can people catch giardia from dogs?
Some types can infect people, though most dog giardia types rarely do. Wash your hands after handling poop and cleaning up.
What should I feed a dog with giardia?
Your vet may recommend a bland or easily digestible food while the gut heals. Keep fresh water available.
Is this giardia in dogs guide a substitute for a vet visit?
No. It is educational only. Your veterinarian should examine your dog and guide any diagnosis and treatment.
Can I work out a medicine dose from this page?
No. Never work out doses from product strengths, other pets’ medicines or internet pages. The right medicine and dose depend on your dog’s weight, age, breed, health and other medicines, so they must come from your veterinarian.