Testing our Maine Coons for Parasites?

by Connie
(Michigan)

I am a little stressed on what to do about my Vet choice.

We have our 14 month old Nala & her little brother Gunny (same parents).

Gunny was going through his normal kitty check up & was tested for parasites. they found Giardia in him.

At first the vet didn't say anything about testing or treating his sister. They share a litter box. After conversation with the vet, I mentioned if I should have her tested.

She said oh yes probably should, like an after thought. I wasn't comfortable about having to suggest that myself. (When we were gifted our Nala she was 10 months old then, 6 weeks later we bought her little brother we were told of a vet that works with Maine Coons specifically).

I was concerned about how the vet responded. So I decided to talk with my old vet's office and brought a stool sample to the vet we had previously for our domestic kitties. I asked about testing their stool.

They did and said it came back negative. I asked if they checked for Giardia and they said no. Is it normal not to check for that particular parasite or do vets only check that in Maine Coons?

Am I missing something else they should be checked for? They tested for that, it came back positive.

I am getting different feed back on how to clean my home, my kitties etc with these parasites.

They are on the med that the 1st vet suggested. The 1st vet gave me this entire procedure on cleaning the kitties, and sterilizing my house, bleach the floors, etc.

I seriously don't know what to do about how to "sterilize" my house from these parasites with carpeting & furniture.

The 2nd vet said oh if everything is dry the parasites just die. Don't be so worried they are still just cats. Okay, these are my new babies.

I'm so stressed I can't sleep thinking about them being hurt or damaged from improper care on my part.

I clean their litter box twice a day. I don't know if I should stay with my first vet. Please help with any suggestions on what I should do? Thank you.



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Response to Giardia post
by: Connie

Thank you for your information. My hubby & I had 3 kitties from our local shelter, 11 yr old Nimshi, 21/2 yr old Naesan & 3 month old Neko.

We had them all for almost 15 years, Nim to 22 yrs old, Naesan to 17 1/2 & Neko to 15 1/2. Just lost our Neko this past August. We love our fur babies.

With our Nala & Gunny I was told they are a slow growing kitty taking 3-5 yrs to be fully grown.

Also to be careful with diet in their developing years... I don't want anything to happen to them that could have been prevented. So be it my concerns with them having Giardia.

Hopefully their treatment worked. They have another appointment on next Monday. I will see what happens at this appointment. Scary to find a vet that works & understands the Maine Coon kitties. Thank you again for the info.
Giardia vs Coccidia
by: Charles Dove

I adopted my Maine Coone September 28th. He was 12 weeks at that time. He started having diarrhea after having him for about 1 week. I took him to my vet that is a cat specialty hospital.

They took a fecal sample and checked him over and that was it. I waited for the results of the fecal specimen and after 10 days and no results from the vet He continued to have diarrhea and I got more concerned, so I took him to an emergency specialty hospital that I had been to before.

They checked him out - and said all vitals were fine, and I told them what I had done with my vet - and still waiting for stool sample results. The specialty clinic suggested treatments for parasitic infection.

They gave me Fenbendazole to give for 5 days in addition to Metronidazole to give every 12 hours until used up. Within 2 days, my little guy Sergiy was not having the diarrhea and was eating well.

The vet also gave me FortiFlora which is a probiotic to give him one packet each day for 30 days. He is fine and well. The FortiFlora is a good supplement - Sergiy is now 7 months old and is a very handsome boy.

I hope your little guy is doing well by this time.
Giardia Answers
by: Anonymous

The vet(s) you've seen clearly are not following protocol and no, this is not something specific to Maine Coons at all.

This should answer everything. Most important a fecal flotation test must be done.

It may not even be Giardia. Could be some other parasite such as Coccidia which also needs the same test to determine.

There are medications which will treat each of these easily available from a vet.

https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/giardia-in-cats

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