Our Parasitic Adventure

Over the years that we've taken in dogs from shelters we've become pretty familiar with battling parasites - some with more staying power than others. We've dealt with fleas, ticks, diseases from fleas, mites and ticks, multiple skin fungi and yeasts, every worm imaginable (and some I never would have imagine) and lots of single-celled creepy crawlies inhabiting our foster dogs' intestines.

Our personal dogs are very healthy, eat nutritious foods and supplements and rarely pick up anything because their immune systems are very strong. The poor foster dogs bodies though have been through high stress and bad nutrition (and sometimes starvation) and their bodies are easily overcome by these nasties.

So recently when one of our foster dogs joined us they brought up the intestinal parasite Giardia. Symptoms of giardisis are diarrhea as well as burps that smell like diarrhea. It transfers from feces to mouth so poopeaters like Langley are usually the first to be infected.

The result has been utter chaos since along with 2 foster dogs with giardiasis, we also had 2 young foster pups who are highly suscesptible to the pest. To keep the puppies from becoming infected we've created this complex dance of leashed trips to different sections of the back yard, foot cleaning with antiseptic wipes after each trip outside, different poop scoops for the "sick" vs. "healthy" parts of the back yard and separating pups from adult dogs by crating and rotating. No one is happy about it, least of all Troy and I, but we don't have a lot of options.  Coho is now completely over her case and doing great. You'd never think she'd been through a thing. She's starting to put on a bit of weight and her coat is really shining up. 

Langley and Coho during their free time, checking to see if there are any goodies in the kitchen

With Langley it's tough to tell because feeling sick made him anxious, which also causes loose stools. He's also still recuperating from a holiday season full of lots of changes to routine so all is not well in Langley's world or his butt.  It looks like we've managed to move past the multiple middle of the night crate blow outs, complete with his anxious spinning and trampling of the poo. And he's actually enjoying a little time in the living room without too much compulsive behavior.  In fact today I found him sitting in his favorite bed when I came upstairs from the laundry room. I had put the bed up on the hearth to keep the puppies out of it but that didn't stop Mr. Longlegs from hopping into it. It's the first time I've seen him just sit and relax since November.

Langley balanced on his perch

The puppies are keeping busy in their penned area and Frodo makes sure to stick close during mealtimes to benefit from their messy eating habits.

Frodo helps himself to some puppy food

Coho and Tilly hang in the kitchen where they both have cozy beds and things to chew on.

So everyone is making the best of things and now that they've completed their Panacur treatment and antibiotics, we're crossing fingers that we're finally done with the mess. The sanitizing will continue as will the leashed potty breaks and careful scooping and hopefully that will be the end of our first run-in with Giardia.