My kitten has giardia

fefuerzaamor

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 I adopted an 11 week old kitten from a shelter where the animals stay in foster homes.  My kitten stayed in a home with 10 other cats.  This should have been a red flag right there.  I was told so many times that she is healthy, has all her shots and dewormer and is good for a year.  I took her home and she started having diarrhea and also found out she had a temp of 40.1 when I brought her to the vet.  She was put on  amoxicillin and metronizadole (dosage was for 14 days).  I thought it was weird that my vet didn't ask for a stool sample so I asked for one the following week when she didn't improve as I too have a resident cat at home (9 years old).  I was also given a probiotic to give my kitten for 10 days.  After the stool sample was positive for giardia she was then put on panacur for 6 days (approx. 9 days into the antibiotic treatment).  Tomorrow is the last dose of panacur, as well as her 2 antibiotics but she is still having diarrhea so I am so frustrated with this process.  Has anyone ever seen diarrhea continue once giardia is gone or is it more likely that she still has it?  I too am really worried about sanitizing as I don't really know what to do since my kitten is also in a carpeted room.  If I do put her in the bathroom, I would feel awful since I live in a very small apartment and the bathroom isn't that big.  As well, it is our only bathroom for the apartment.  Knowing she may have to be quarantined for another 7 to 10 days if my vet has to retreat her with a second round of meds, I don't know if I have the heart to put her in the bathroom for that long.

In regards to sanitizing, I place all food and water dishes in boiling water after every use and also clean her litter box out with boiling water that has a hint of bleach.  I really don't know when is the best time to sanitize the bedroom (carpet steaming and such).  Should I do it now or wait until all meds are done.  I don't have the capabilities to rent a steam cleaner every few days to continue doing it.  Does anyone have any other suggestions on how I can disinfect and primarily kill the little giardia bugs in the room?  And do you think steam cleaning my mattress will rid them from my bed?  I am desperate for any suggestions as my resident cat is going through her own health issues since  the passing of my other cat one month ago.  Her inflamed bladder is due to stress that she has been experiencing.  She has high anxiety since my other cat's passing and is not doing great with the continued quarantine of the kitten so I am also very worried about her.  
 
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jcat

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This CDC article gives cleaning/disinfecting tips: Giardia and Pets
Hopefully some of our members can give you precise answers to your questions.

I've steam cleaned everything a number of times when our pets have had infections, meaning during and after treatment, but we have a steam cleaner and don't have to worry about renting one.
 
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fefuerzaamor

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Well she successfully made it through the first infection of giardia but only to have it return 2 weeks later.  My doc put her on another round of metronidazole for 10 days and panacur for 7 days.  I asked if he will consider doing a 3rd round of meds and he will only do a 3rd round of metro but not panacur.  I do not have the means to continue caring for her if for any reason it returns and I'm worried that just metro alone for the 3rd round of meds may not be enough.  Any suggestions or ideas?  
 

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I am currently experiencing the same problems with some of my cats in a feral colony. I am planning to try the holistic method which is to feed digestive enzymes to an empty stomach 1 hour before a meal (the theory is that the enzymes eat the giardia protozoans). The met/panacur isn't a permanent fix.

I also have had giardia in years past - it doesn't really go away - the giardia goes dormant into cysts insides the intestines and can flare up during stress. I couldn't do the met (Flagyl) but atabrine worked for me, except for giving my skin a yellow hue.  It has been years since I had a flare up, though.

Sending mega prayers and vibes for both your kitties 
 
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fefuerzaamor

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That is a good idea.  Where do you find it at?  I guess I'm just trying to figure out if I should have my vet do a 3rd round of treatment in hopes it could help for good.  I've read some really great stories that some have not had to deal with it again and I'm just praying that I can be one of those stories.  
 

stephenq

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Hi

i'm going to offer a different perspective that may help you keep your kitten and get through this.  I've treated hundreds of cats with giardia and never caught a case myself, and i follow simple precautions, basically I wear gloves and/or wash my hands after having contact.  Yes it is potentially contagious to humans, and if you stick a fecal contaminated finger into your mouth you will catch it, but if you're careful you won't.

If you keep the cat isolated in a small room like a bathroom, and you wash your hands after cleaning the cat's litter, you should be fine.  Once treatment is finally over then bleach the bathroom and consider it done.  But the repeated stem cleaning and bleaching of your home sounds like overkill, and there is no reason to give the kitten the run of the house during treatment.

Stephen
 
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fefuerzaamor

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Thank you but that is what I did during the first round of infection which is why I stepped it up during the 2nd round.  
 
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