[Stressedgoldenmom]

Wrigley has been a finicky eater for the past couple weeks ... He would eat, but putz around ... Still ate treats, loved his stuffed kong ...played like a fiend, ran like the wind .. Pooped, peed ... No worries as far as I was concerned. Hubby was getting stressed, so I took him to the vet yesterday. He Put on 8 lbs last month ... He's at 50 now ... 6 months old. Took in a poo sample from his morning walk ... Vet said he looked great and that he was probably transitioning to adult food and just too busy to eat a full meal in the morning ... Teenage stuff.

This morning, got word that he has giardiasis! ... No loose stools either. Had to give hima bath before I gave him his meds ... Good times.

Sigh

 

[Sally's Mom]

They should only put on about 8 lbs/month. Many dogs taper off on their eating as they get older.

 

[Stressedgoldenmom]

Thats wha the vet said ... The diagnosis blew my mind.

 

[iansgran]

I thought I read some place that giardia and coccidia which are internal parasites were in many dogs without symptoms. Just puppies little immune systems can't handle them.

 

[Stressedgoldenmom]

I'm sure you are right. He was such a good boy in the bathtub!!!

 

[A1Malinois]

Im not sure I would treat unless symptoms were present. Ive had my Rottie come back positive for Giardia and he had no symptoms his whole life.

 

[Sally's Mom]

Ian'sgran, you read correctly.

 

[CathyDoggins]

According to the Dog Health Guide, giardia in dogs is usually asymptomatic and shouldn't affect appetite. If anything, it results in weight loss, since the giardia colonize the small intestine, reducing the ability of the body to absorb nutrients.