Fighting Giardia...again

[Grey_Moon]

Sully my male tiel is one of those tiels that has probably lived since chick-hood with Giardia and its only within the last year that he was diagnosed *sigh*. Since then, I've been back to the vet 4 times because its flared up again.
I followed the same course of treatment they gave me---metrozodinale (I know i didnt spell that right lol) and disinfecting everything with a bleach/water solution. He'd get better for a day or two...and then right back to where we started. Obviously this just *isnt* working.

Its flared up again and so I'm dreading going back into the vet knowing that ill be back in a month...there's gotta be another disinfectant I can use because with further research I've discovered bleach is pretty useless against the giardia parasite.

I've seen reports that GSE works well to fight this parasite and that when added in small amounts to the drinking water its cured some stubborn cases (I am well aware that GSE kills off good bacteria and as well as bad and parasites---but have pro-biotics standing by ) So this time I'm thinking of getting some GSE and making a disinfectant from it and some water, as well as adding it to my little guy's drinking water.
Any ideas? Suggestions?

[Dave]

metronidazole maybe? but I usually see it as flagyl
No good news from me. I hope others have better experience and ideas.
From what I have discovered, the avian giardia is different from the human strain. I have only come across it a couple times with other friends, but it was more of a treat it and live with it thing rather that a cure. Keep the bird as happy and healty as possible, and keep it strong, and the symptoms subside. The illness however did not.
There are other drugs beside flagyl, but then again, the side effects, such as liver damage, seem almost worse than living with the illness.
Again, I hope there are others with better ideas and more experience for you here.
Dave

[entrancedbymyGCC]

I personally would not use GSE as a disinfectant in this situation -- rather I'd ask my vet about a hospital grade product and be prepared to do the work well away from the bird. There are some indications that the only reason GSE is effective is because of the preservatives in it, and that when it is preservative-free it is ineffective. The evidence is good enough for me to add it to my sprouting routine, but I would not trust it for a severe health issue. Giardia encysts and can be really hard to kill... good luck to you and your birdie!

[Grey_Moon]

I'm hoping that maybe I can beat this thing lol---even thought its supposed to be the superbug that you don't cure but survive.

I did some more research and came across using apple cider vinegar in the drinking water to help---I'm going to do this and see if it will help (he's been sick his whole life, I've got nothing left to lose) instead of the GSE (came across the same stuff you mentioned entranced).

I did some more research and it turns out that either quaternary ammonia compounds or chlorine dioxide work well. Commercially, I can either pick up the oxyfresh cleansing gele (which is crazy expensive and needs to make sure that ive gotten every bit of poop or anything organic off or else it wont work) or mango pet focus (cheaper and the ammonia compound---also i can use it to clean and disinfect simutlaneously). Thinking of using the pet focus...any one have any thoughts?

I'd use a combo of the two (one, rinse thoroughly and then apply the other) but im terrified of the potential that ill miss some and the two will react---chlorine gas not good!

[entrancedbymyGCC]

--chlorine gas not good!

Now there is a noncontroversial statement!

[patdbunny]

Go here: http://www.exoticpetvet.net/

Dr. Wissman specifically has an article on giardia under "avian". She talks about the use of fenbendazole, paromomycin, and dimetridazole for giardia.