- Reports of giardiasis believed to affect dogs frequenting Tokai Forest have been circulating.
- local vets reportedly assured there is no cause for concern linking directly to the forest.
- Giardiasis is caused by an intestinal parasite called giardia and symptoms in pets include diarrhoea, gas, abdominal discomfort, nausea, and vomiting.
Reports of giardiasis believed to affect dogs frequenting Tokai Forest have been circulating. Their owners prompted warnings to avoid its waters that have become stagnant during the summer months. However, local vets reportedly assured there is no cause for concern linking directly to the forest.
In a Facebook post on Saturday 23 March, Parkscape warned locals “that dogs that have been swimming or playing in the river at Tokai Forest are coming down with giardia. This happens when the river starts to dry up and become stagnant.”
Giardiasis is a common parasitic infection that can cause diarrhoea in dogs, according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. It is caused by an intestinal parasite called giardia, which can be found in faeces-contaminated soil, food and water. Symptoms in pets include diarrhoea, gas, abdominal discomfort, nausea, and vomiting.
The Parkscape admin, however, noted they were attempting to get confirmation from local vets.
This was responded to in a comment by Lora Moss from the Steenberg Veterinary Clinic.
Moss said: “After having consulted with the partner vets, no official alert has been put out by Steenberg Vet regarding the water in Lower Tokai Forest and whether there is giardia in the water or not.”
Moss explained that this information was “probably mentioned in passing” to a few clients about the possibility that ingesting the stagnant water could have made their animal sick.
“Whilst we see a fair number of animals suffering with gastrointestinal issues, including vomiting and diarrhoea, these can be from a number of different causes and we cannot link these to a certain common event or location.”
However, Moss acknowledged it is common knowledge that stagnant water can harbour harmful micro-organisms including bacteria, viruses, and parasites which can cause various health issues including gastrointestinal problems.
“Therefore it is wise to keep animals and humans away from stagnant water for their own safety,” she added.
Following discussions with the local vet, Ward 71 councillor Carolynne Franklin confirmed that “it is no worse than the usual annual giardia incidents”.
More about giardia
The Cornell College of Veterinary Medicine continued that some dogs infected with giardia may not show any signs of infection, but younger dogs or dogs with weakened immune systems are more likely to experience symptoms.
“It is very easy for dogs to reinfect themselves with giardia, so successful treatment relies on effective anti-parasitic medications, cleaning and managing the surrounding environment – both indoors and outdoors.”
Prevention of giardia includes:
- Practice good hand hygiene.
- Disinfect the environment.
- Dispose of faeces promptly.
- Bathe the dog at the end of treatment to reduce the spread of giardia cysts.
- Prevent dogs from ingesting potentially contaminated water, food or soil.
