Diarrhoea leaves a bad smell when giardiasis is suspected
Felix Paige
"Giardia is an internal parasite, a protozoa, that can live in the small intestine of dogs, cats, people and many other animals. It is found throughout the world and commonly encountered in Hong Kong," Kenda says.
He adds that while it is generally believed that infection with giardia is quite common, clinical signs of infection, giardiasis, are not so common.
Kenda explains that animals, such as a dog, can become infected with giardia by ingesting the cyst form of the parasite, passed on via the faeces of an infected animal. Once in the small intestine, the cyst hatches and releases an active form called a trophozoite. These have hair-like structures (flagella) that whip back and forth allowing them to move in the intestines, where they attach to the intestinal wall and divide in two. After many divisions the bug develops a wall around itself, becoming a cyst which is passed into the environment via the faeces, the vet says.
"The giardia in the faeces can contaminate the environment and water going on to infect other animals and people."