Giardiasis in Dogs: Why Your Dog Has Smelly, Greasy Diarrhea
Introduction It is one of the more common forms of intestinal parasites caused by the microscopic parasite Giardia . Unlike worms which live freely in the intestines, Giardia is a single-celled organism that attaches itself to the intestines, preventing the dog from digesting and absorbing nutrients. Life Cycle of Giardia To prevent re-infection, an understanding of how Giardia works is important. The Giardia has two life stages : 1. Trophozoite (The "Motile" Life Stage) Once ingested, the cyst travels to the small intestine of the dog. Two trophozoites develop from the cyst and attach themselves to the villi inside the intestine. This leads to inflammation of the villi and prevents the uptake of nutrients. This organism undergoes binary fission and is responsible for causing diarrhea. 2. Cyst (The "Infective" Life Stage) After migrating in the intestine, the trophozoite moves deeper down. As they travel close to the large intestine, they cover themselves in a lay...