Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi all, haven't kept leos in well over a decade, and picked up a trio 1.2 just over a week ago.
Neither of my two females have been observed eating, have consistently remained in their hides, and have very loose stools. Weights are still good, but wanted to head off any problems.
My vet identified the culprit as giardia in the fecal. I thought this sounded unusual. I was suspecting coccidia (which I'm glad it isn't) Can anyone enlighten me as to whether Giardia is something they have experienced in their collections?

I haven't but I believe it can cause problems in leopard gex, misplaced my book Understanding Reptile Parasites but I think it is in there. I believe it is usually treated with Flagyl. I'm sure your vet gave you meds. I believe it is much less problematic than coccidia.
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Sarah Stettler aka Starling
Sarah@stargecko.com
StarGecko.Com COMING SOON! Star Quality Leopard Geckos
Specializing in Hypotangerine Tremper Albinos

Thanks for the response StarGecko. Yup, treatment is Flagyl every 48 hours for 5 doses. Hope to get them on track. Undecided if I want to try and breed them this coming season, or hold them back till next winter. They are approximately 10 mos. old.

Are you referring to the Klingenberg, Herp Library Press parasite book? I looked cover to cover and didn't see Giardia mentioned specifically - but knowing that it is a protozoan I suppose makes it susceptible to Metronidazole. Thanks again for your input.

It's one of the numerous flagellate species out there. Causes diarrhea in kittens. And that's pretty much all I've found so far, but I'm still looking! lol
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chickabowwow

3.2 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)
and 3 eggs a' cookin'

Giardia
Protozoa flagellates, endemic in US among gay men
Reservoir host including aquatic mammals (i.e., water beavers). Longer association with organism than human (evolutionary adaptation with reservoir host). The more virulent an organism, the more recent the organism has developed in that species.
Cyst is infectious. When organism gets out of the hostàdevelops into a cyst form that survives outside the host in food and wateràingestion of contaminated food and wateràGiardia gets into GI Tract
The site of infection is the small intestine, not colon
High rate of replication/multiplication profuselyàmillions of Giardia in small intestineàinfective dose is very high
Does not produce a toxin but because of high density, possess a disc in anterior part of organism for attachment. Attach to the surface epithelial cells of the villi of small intestineàmechanically block all the available surface of the villiàproduce different metabolic products including lipidsàlipids releasedàinflammation and irritation of the surface epithelial cellsàdiarrhea
Drug of choice –metronidazole, flagel
where I found this info

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chickabowwow

3.2 leopard geckos (Rosie, Locke, Lisa, Caesar, Tommy)
and 3 eggs a' cookin'