Cleaning up after Giardia?

[Directorthiang]

So Dash and Powder are on antibiotics for Giardia, and as soon as I got back from the vet with the confirmation, I scrubbed down the entire cage, accessories, and threw away any chewables that couldn't be washed. But now that they're back in the cage, pooping all over the place, I'm curious--do I need to be disinfecting the cage over and over again these first few days of treatment?

And are there any other special things I need to do in the next 10 days to prevent another occurrence of Giardia? I have no clue where they got it; I use purified water in their bottle and feed quality had and pellets. My only guess is that they had it before I got them from the rescue and the symptoms didn't appear until now. But I want to be extra careful since I've read that once a chin has gotten Giardia, they are likely to get it again.

 

[macygray]

Are they housed together? I would say you should seperate them and wash you hands etc. and handle them only when you have to, to aviod passing it back and forth to each chin. If they are housed together wouldn't that be pass it on to the almost healthy chin again?

 

[eroomlorac]

Not if they are on a round of antibiotics together. The bacteria would be killed in both at the same time. After a certain length of time on the antibiotics, in humans with Strep it is 24 hours, they are no longer considered contagious, though the antibiotic should be taken for the full length the doctor prescribed.

 

[macygray]

Seriously! So this cannot be picked up again as contagious as it is? Sorry...This does occurr with other infections though?

 

[tunes]

No. If they are both on antibiotics, then that should be a barrier against them redeveloping the illness as long as the antibiotics are taken properly.

I would thoroughly clean the cage with bleach and hot water, then put it in the sun for a while if you can. Take everything out that's in it that can be washed and wash it in hot water and dry it on hot heat. If there are wood products, boil 'em and bake 'em. Even better, after that, throw them in the sun. The sun kills lots of abacteria that may otherwise be missed. Try and keep their cage as clean as possible so you may want to consider some fleece liners that you can change out daily to keep the poop (that may be shedding the giardia) out of their reach as much as possible.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

Not if they are on a round of antibiotics together. The bacteria would be killed in both at the same time. After a certain length of time on the antibiotics, in humans with Strep it is 24 hours, they are no longer considered contagious, though the antibiotic should be taken for the full length the doctor prescribed.

Giardia is not a bacteria rather a parasite.

 

[AZChins]

The medicine that they prescribed is much more gentle on the digestive system than a harsher antibiotic would be. Albendozole, Metrodozole (or however that is spelled, too lazy to look it up) and Flagyl all work pretty well. I have used the Albendozole with success with chins that have had these types of parasites. They use Albenza in humans and it is very safe.

Keep everything as clean as you can. I'd do a couple weeks of treatment and then a couple weeks later do another course of treatment. This may be something that comes back, be prepared for that.

 

[tunes]

Keep everything as clean as you can. I'd do a couple weeks of treatment and then a couple weeks later do another course of treatment. This may be something that comes back, be prepared for that.

Ya, it can be a total PIA. You'll have to have running stool cultures done as well, to be sure it's gone. You should do it in stages, 2 weeks out, 1 month out, 6 months out. And yes, absolutely, 2 on, 2 off, 2 on. That seems to wipe out a parasitic infection pretty thoroughly. Been there, done that.

FYI, giardia is said to be found in all chins digestive tracts, but it takes a trigger to set it off. Stress, illness, an attack by another chin, etc. It's not only an issue caused by water, which is where giardia is commonly found. There are chins who will constantly have flares if the environment is just right (or wrong) and they may need treated many times in their lives.

 

[Directorthiang]

We have an appointment for when the 10 days are up to have another stool culture done, but what if my vet doesn't think another round of antibiotics is necessary after a two week waiting period?

Of course, I'm looking at the bottle she gave me, and I may have enough left over at the end of treatment to do it anyway....

 

[AZChins]

I'd ask about it. The nice thing about that medication is that it can be used as a preventative. So, let's say there are some giardia cysts (or whatever they are called, spores?) around that were somehow not wiped out with your cleaning efforts in a week or two. Another course of the meds will prevent them from getting ill again. Also, those cultures, floats and wet mount fecal tests may not show everything that could still be in the digestive system.

I'd definitely ask the vet about it and see what she says. As far as I know it would not hurt the chin in any way to go a second course of meds for another two weeks in a month or so.

Everyday I would try to make the chins take an entire capsule of probiotic to get that digestive system populated with good bacteria. The good bacteria will help crowd out the bad and help to crowd out parasites as well. Mix an entire capsule of the probiotic with enough water to make it liquid, suck it up with a syringe and get it right between the chin's molars so that he has to swallow. (Don't get too mad at me, sometimes you have to force the chins to swallow things like that!)

Is she giving you another antibiotic besides the antiparasitic medication?

 

[Tanya]

I've read that chins normally harbor giardia species in low numbers, but when a chin has lowered immune system or stressed, then parasite uses the 'opportunity' to multiply. (So it's not necessarily contaminated food, hay, water). But this parasite is most commonly spread through infected water sources.
Fenbendazole (Panacur®) seems to be the most reliable treatment and has less side effects.

I would wash chins hands and coop cups often, bedding should be changed every day. It's also recommended to wash perianal regions ( you can ask your vet about this) and I know that some vets even recommend to bathe a chinchilla , as cysts may be in the fur and if licked off, animal will be reinfected.
It's important to change clothes after handling a sick chin, as it can be transferred to healthy ones or reinfect. Cysts can live for several months in cool damp conditions.
It's important to leave only those items in the cage that can be changed/cleaned daily.
This thread has also some good info, it's long, but worth reading.
http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4783&page=2
Sending my best wishes for a complete recovery!

 

[Directorthiang]

Is she giving you another antibiotic besides the antiparasitic medication?

No, just the metronidazole; I've been giving it to them daily at 10 am and 10 pm and then giving them bene-bac and a quarter of an acidophilus tablet at 3 pm to try and keep the good bacteria counts up.

 

[AZChins]

That's good! The more probiotic that you can get in them the better.