Parasite prophylaxis in the dog and cat: biology clinical signs, diagnosis and therapy of Giardia spp. and Tritrichomonas foetus

In this overview, important intestinal parasites (Giardia spp. and Tritrichomonas foetus) of dogs and cats, their transmission routes, diagnostic methods and clinical importance, are described. Giardia spp. affecting dogs and cats can cause zoonoses in humans and therefore they are of medical importance. Symptomatically, animals infected with Giardia or T foetus suffer from diarrhoea. Immediate reinfection with the cysts in a contaminated environment often leads to unsuccessful treatment and persistent disease. For the diagnosis of Giardia cysts, ZnSO4 flotation, the SAF method, ELISA for the detection of coproantigen, and PCR can be used. For the microscopic detection of T. foetus, cultivation is essential. Another highly specific method for the diagnosis of T. foetus is real time PCR. Fenbendazole is licensed for the treatment of Giardia infections in dogs; however, metronidazole or other substances can be used off-label. For the control of T. foetus in cats, ronidazole is the substance of choice.