At the end of May 2010, I purchased Rusty, an Exotic longhaired cat sired by a grand champion of Dreamquete, from Dreamquete Cattery in Northwest Indiana. Rusty seemed like a perfectly healthy kitty and was a very mellow kitty. Once Rusty was adjusted to living we us, he really was the most lovable little kitten. He was such a gorgeous red tabby/white bicolor Exotic longhair.
We had Rusty neutered in June shortly before Smokey joined us. Shortly after little Rusty was neutered, I received a telephone call from the veterinarian that performed the procedure. The doctor called to inform me that the blood work that was done on Rusty had shown that he tested positive for Giardia, but that none was found in his stool sample. According to research that we did, we discovered that the Giardia was acquired from either contaminated water, uncooked food, and then transmitted via litter pans with infected fecal matter. Additionally, it was noted that the Giardia parasite can live in the environment for a long time after contamination. When we completed the purchase of Rusty from Dreamquete, I was told that Rusty had been on a diet of PMI Exclusive and Blue Ridge Beef which is a raw food diet.
Unfortunately, Rusty became very ill and was put to sleep on November 1, 2010. On November 13, I brought another Exotic shorthair into my home to be Smokey’s companion. Both Smokey and Lucky were fine and showed no signs of parasite infestation. On December 30, 2010, after several weeks of odd fecal issues, I took both cats to the Glenview Animal Hospital for further analysis as the fecal issues were getting worse. Under a normal microscope, they were not able to see any parasites. However, they sent the specimens I brought to them to a laboratory for further analysis. I received the results on December 31, 2010 that both my cats had been infected with the Giardia parasite. I coordinated the collection of the medication with the vet’s office and began treatment.
The care that both my cats received from the Glenview Animal Hospital was outstanding. I have lived here for 6 years and wished that I had taken them there sooner. It is so reassuring that quality care is literally around the corner from my house.
In summary, it’s really hard to know if the Giardia was acquired from the cat from Dreamquete or the raw food. I hope this information helps those that are contemplating a purchase of a kitten from an in-home cattery or a raw food diet.
I'm experiencing giardia with my cat now. I'm curious about the treatment they prescribed for your kitties. What medications were they prescribed and for how long? I was under the impression that giardia did not show up in blood work and could only be detected in stool samples. My cat was sick for 28 days. 4 ER visits and 2 veterinarian visits later... Did Rusty come down with inflammatory bowel disease too? My cat did but I don't know if the giardia caused it or if coincidence. I believe the giardia caused so much damage that it created the IBD. I don't know if this is permanent or will resolve in time. How long was Rusty on medication? Any info you can share is helpful. Thank you and I'm very sorry for your loss but happy to hear others are doing well.
ReplyDeleteRusty never actually displayed symptoms of the parasite but his blood had tested positive that shown he had been exposed to it. Both cats were treated with metronidazole (Flagyl) for 10 days. Two 10-day rounds administered since they had a recurrence and have been fine since the second round. I don't know if IBD can be caused by the Giardia or it just robs them of the nutrition. I don't think Rusty had IBD though.
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