# Giardia (Beaver Fever) & strange behaviour



## farfrmnormal (Oct 26, 2010)

Hi All!

I'm hoping to get some information from you chi owners. I am a new owner of a 20 week old male chi named Guinness (http://www.chihuahua-people.com/newbie-corner/56209-guinness-my-baby.html).

I've had him 2 months and up until this past Tuesday he wasn't having any issues. Tuesday I noticed he had loose stools and very foul smelling (Sorry for the TMI). I called the vet on Wednesday and they said to monitor for the day and if things were still off to call Thursday. Thursday was even worse so I took a stool sample in which ultimately found that he has Giardia (Beaver Fever).

Has anyone experienced this with their chi's?

He is on an oral deworming med Panacur and is supposed to take the for 5 days.

Another thing I have noticed is he won't sit still or relax. Usually at night he will lay with me on the couch and last night he was uneasy, jumping up and down off the couch and running around growling... I'm not sure if this is normal chi behaviour as they get older but I do know he was a snuggler up until recently.

Also, I'm curious if any of your chi's suffer separation anxiety when you leave for work or even to just leave the room?


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## AC/DC Fan (Sep 15, 2010)

My youngest had giardia when she came to me at 8 weeks. An antibiotic cleared it right up. 
It's conceivable to me that Guiness might be having some intestinal cramping from the giardia. Perhaps that's why he's having a hard time being still--he's uncomfortable.
Mine do have their little spells where they'll race around the house at warp speed for seemingly no reason. I figure they're just burning off some energy. It only lasts a couple minutes.
Best of luck. Keep us posted.


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## woodard2009 (Aug 4, 2010)

Hope your baby gets to feelin' better soon! My chi-Midgie seems to have separation anxiety when I leave. She follows me right to the door waiting for her chance to get out & go with me, but once I leave, she settles down in the house waiting on my arrival. She is on my heals all day long, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I can't even go to the bathroom without her up my butt (haha). I'm flattered by it, but at the same time it can be a pain sometimes. The chis are known to attach themselves to their owners & some do more than others, that's why they're known as lap dogs.


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## cprcheetah (May 4, 2009)

My dogs haven't had Giardia, but I've had it in my dogs in the past. I would recommend adding a probiotic to his food, it will help restore the 'good' bacteria in the diet, you can either buy the probiotics otc (lactobacillus) or you can add yogurt to your dogs food. My dogs get to go to work with me so they don't have separation anxiety when I go to work, Ziva my min pin likes to be at my side at all times, so yes she does have some anxiety if I leave the room.


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## farfrmnormal (Oct 26, 2010)

Thanks for the information everyone - I'd still like to hear from others as well.

He does have probiotics in his food. I figured I take them why shouldn't a dog. I looked for something that had it in it naturally and in higher volumes so I have the probiotics covered. Thanks for the advice!


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## Babi.Greenwood (Sep 27, 2010)

My chi has separation anxiety when we leave. She barks and slobbers the whole time we are gone, whether 10 mins or 3 hours.


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## Reese and Miley (Jun 24, 2010)

My Reese had giardia when he was about 3 months old. He had no symptoms at all, but the vet found it when checking his stool sample. I cant remember what the medicine was, they gave him something to clear it up though. Sorry I cant be more of a help!
My three are all pretty good about us leaving. Someone is home with them most of the time, and when I do run errands I will bring Reese if I can. He can always tell when Im getting ready to go out, fixing my hair or changing clothes usually gets him a bit riled up. He whines and runs to the garage door and back, and he wont take treats, etc because he thinks youre trying to trick him into getting left behind. Leo goes in his pen and Miley goes in her kennel when we are out, and they both are fine, but Reese will shake and cry a bit. He does settle down once we are gone though, just curls up for a nap on the back of the couch, where he can see us coming up the street through the window. 
Separation anxiety is a common problem though, particularly with chis who are so bonded to us, Id do a search of the forum to see what others have tried/ suggested in the past.


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