03/11/2021
Giardia, ewww. This is a positive giardia test. The top blue dot is a control spot and the dot on the right shows it's positive! Giardia is a simple one-celled intestinal parasitic that is zoonotic: meaning humans get it too! But don't worry, it's rare for a human to get infected with the animal strain, we have out own (fun!) .
Symptoms you may see are diarrhea, vomiting, sensitive abdomen and gas. Younger pets are more susceptible. It can be hard to detect on a f***l analysis, which is why we relay on Idexx snap tests to give us a clear answer. Treatments are normally oral and can be prescribed by your vet!
Here are more fun facts from the CDC on giardia:
Giardia can survive for several months in cold water or soil.
Giardia can survive much longer in soil at colder temperatures than at room temperature.
Giardia can survive longer in water at colder temperatures (for example, lake or puddle water during the winter, refrigerated water) than at warmer temperatures (for example, tap water, river or puddle water during the summer or fall).
Giardia survives much longer in moist, cool environments than in dry, warm environments that have direct sunlight.
