Giardia duodenalis is a possible cause of acute and chronic diarrhoea in both puppies and kittens, but infections are often asymptomatic.

• Diagnosis is by identification of characteristic flagellated organisms in faeces.
• Treatment for 1 week with metronidazole (up to 30 mg/kg orally twice daily in dogs: 8-10 mg/kg orally twice daily in cats) or furazolidone (4 mg/kg orally twice daily) may be useful, but treatment often fails.

Although dogs and cats may be a source of human infection, infection from the same source (e.g. contaminated water supply) is more likely.

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