It’s Corgi Corner time! This is a series that’s posted on the first Saturday of every month! These posts help spread education and awareness on topics like general dog care, corgi specific things, medical care, health facts, etc. This month’s Corgi Corner post will be all about Giardia! We’re discussing Giardia this month because it seems to really be going around in our region lately and we’ve had several of our foster dogs test positive for it. Giardia is a microscopic, single-celled, parasitic organism that causes an intestinal infection in animals called giardiasis. The Giardia organism has 2 forms. One form is a fragile feeding form, or trophozoite, that lives in the gut of the infected animal. The other form is a hardy cystic form that is shed in feces and can survive several months in the environment, especially in water and damp environments. A dog becomes infected with Giardia when it swallows the cyst stage of the parasite. When the cyst passes into the dog’s intestines, it transforms into the trophozoite form and attaches to the intestinal wall to feed. The trophozoites reproduce by dividing, and some transform into the cystic form. Eventually, the dog passes infectious cysts in its stool. The time from ingestion of cysts to passage in feces is 5-12 days in dogs. Then the cysts can immediately infect another animal. It can be transmitted by eating or sniffing the cysts from contaminated ground or drinking contaminated water. Dogs are more likely to develop disease when large numbers of cysts are present in the environment due to fecal contamination. It is commonly found in densely populated environments like dog parks, daycares, pet stores, or animal shelters. Giardia causes intestinal issues that results in diarrhea and vomiting. However, most infected dogs do not show any signs of illness. Most cases are presumptively diagnosed based on medical history and clinical signs. Giardia can be diagnosed through a routine fecal flotation test, but these sometimes fail to detect the tiny Giardia cysts since they can be shed inconsistently. If a veterinarian suspects a Giardia infection, they can request a stool sample to be analyzed for Giardia-specific antigens.  Luckily, with proper treatment, most dogs fully recover from Giardia. The goal of the treatment is to resolve the diarrhea and other clinical signs, while also killing the organism. Vets usually prescribed an antibiotic and a deworming medication to be used together for 7-10 days. They may also prescribe a diet that supports digestive health to help resolve diarrhea. The home, especially the dog’s bedding, bowls, toys, and crate, should be cleaned to kill the Giardia cysts and move any feces. When the dog goes to the bathroom, all feces should be removed and disposed of promptly. Giardia cysts in grass can only be killed by direct sunlight drying them. The best way to prevent Giardia is through proper feces disposal, not allowing your dog to come into contact with other dogs’ feces, keeping your dog away from other dogs if they do test positive, and preventing dogs from drinking from unknown water. Always be mindful of where your dog is sticking their nose and paws, especially in public and shared outdoor areas. This includes dog parks, pet stores, parks, heavily trafficked grassy areas, doggy day cares, and kennels/boarding facilities. It’s also imperative to choose establishments that require up-to-date vaccinations, health examinations, good hygiene, and isolation of sick puppies and dogs.