Following are selected posts to the Holisticat (TM) Mailing List on the subject of giardia and coccidia. There's a lot of information here, and the posts are arranged in ascending chronological order. If there is a particular word you're looking for, it's probably best to utilize the "Find in Page" function in your edit menu!

Happy hunting :)

<6/4/98 From: Lee Re: Giardia>

Kate:

Actually, I believe I do have something.  I used it to cure my cats of clostridium, another bacteria that effects the intestinal tract like giardia. It is actually bowel nosodes.

I used "Bowel Pathogen Nosode Drops" made by Professioanl Health Products, Homeopathic Division, Sewickley, PA.  It has in it the pathogen giardia lamblia.  Nosodes, according to MacLeod, can be used either prophylactically or therapeutically, which is what I did.  This particular brand includes many different pathogens, including the clostridium that my cats had.

Some people do not agree with the use of nosodes, as you will probably hear from the members of the list.  I believe they do have to be used very carefully, as they are deep acting remedies.  If you want to know more about how I used them, let me know.

Lee

Kate:
Phone for Prof. Health Products is (412) 741-6351.  I have never called it because I find the product at a homeopathic pharmacy.

MacLeod says about bowel nosodes (in part) "The low to medium potencies, e.g. 6c. - 30c. are more suitable for this purpose than the higher ones and can be safely administered daily for a few days.  Bowel nosodes are deep-acting remedies and should not be repeated until a few months have elapsed since the first prescription."  The potency of the remedy I got is 12x for giardia.

This remedy includes several other pathogens, such as for bochilism and e. coli.  The way this should work is that it will act therapeutically on the bacteria your cat has (giardia) and act as an oral vaccine for the ones he doesn't.  However, if the company makes a nosode for the giardia only, you may want to go for that.

The bottle says to use 10 -15 drops 3 times a day for adults, but MacLeod says once a day so I went with that.  However, it also says that with children under 12 or sensitive individuals, the remedy should be used topically.  Since cats are so small it makes sense to treat them as children/sensitives.  I took 3-5 drops and rubbed it into bare skin (tummy, paw pad, in front of ear).  Be sure to rub and not just place on the skin or hair, since homeopathics  are absorbed usually thru the mucous membranes of the mouth, and need help to be absorbed thru the skin. (BTW, this method was also suggested to me by a homeopathic vet when my cat wouldn't take drops by mouth.)

I would suggest not using this remedy for more than 4-5 days.  If you notice any symptoms unrelated to the giardia, I would stop.  When I stopped the remedy there was still a tiny bit of odor from the bacteria, so I then used grapefruit seed extract to finish off the bacteria.

You may want to start with the GSE and see if it works by itself.  I'm sure it will be cheaper and easier to find than the nosode, also more of a "Known quantity" among the listers here.

I hope this info helps and your baby gets better.  Let me know if there's anything else I can help with.

Lee

In a message dated 7/30/98 6:09:38 PM Pacific Daylight Time, alles@ writes:
<< I guess I didn't introduce myself very well the last time  I asked my question. >>

You did fine, Rosemary.  We just don't always have it together - my email wasnt' working right, and everyone else was probably moaning in jealousy over you being in Hawaii - just wait till winter, it'll get worse!

Mele Kalikimaki - that's the only Hawaiian I know and I probably didn't even get that right!

Anyway, on to the coccidia. Do you know much about homeopathic nosodes? I have a product called Bowel Pathogen Nosode Drops, made by Professional Health Products Homeopathic Division, Sewickley, PA 15143.  (you can get there phone # from information).  A nosode (at least in this case) is a homeopathic preparation that has in it a tiny portion of the bacteria (or whatever) that
caused the problem you are trying to treat.  I used this remedy for my cats when they had a clostridium infection, and it seemed to work.  This remedy has Enterococcinum, which I believe is the name for coccidia.  You should telephone the company and ask them if this is true.

Anyway, according to George McLeod, nosodes can be used prophylactically (to prevent) or therapeutically.  I used this, I believe successfully, for the clostridium.  Of course, bacteria is different from parasites, but they are both in this remedy.

If you decide to get this, I'll share my experience with dosing.  My other suggestion would be to find a homeopath who can make you an isode, which is a homeopathic remedy taking a tiny bit of the actual problem from your cats (the oo-cysts) and making a remedy out of it, same principal as the nosode except from the specific animal.  Remember, in homeopathy like cures like, that's the whole idea behind this stuff.  I'm explaining because I don't know how much YOU know.

I don't know about carriers and such, but I would NOT give up one of your kittens, at least until you have tried absolutely everything.  One of the problems with antibiotics is that they encourage new strains of bacteria or bugs that are resistant to the antibiotic.

Good luck and let me know if this info is useful!

Lee, Cleo, Keoki, Kelly and the Peach

In a message dated 1/7/99 2:32:06 PM Pacific Standard Time, mhajek@writes:
<< Does anyone out there know of a natural remedy to treat internal worms  such as tapeworm, hookworm, roundworm and cocidea?  Thanks.  >>

I have always used black walnut, in extract form.  Takes care of the problem very quickly.  Occasionally, I add several capsules to the general food for everyone, just to make sure.  There are several things which will get parasites, but I have always had good luck with the black walnut.

Elaine Crews, N.D.
Up With Herbs

<<Corky, my 10-month-old brown tabby, has been having bouts of  diarrhea on and off, for several months now.  The diarrhea may or may  not be accompanied by vomiting and sneezing.  This last bout had her  first vomit, then pass a very liquidy, mucousy diarrhea.  She vomits  the raw food (which I've been feeding her since she was 3 m.o.) but keeps down the Nutro dry food.  She's also been sneezing every couple of hours, last night she sneezed >>

Poor Corky!:(  Can cats get stomach flu the way humans do?  What color is the diarhea?  Are u feeding her beef in the raw food, by any chance?  Or  maybe she is allergic to the meat that is part of her raw diet, or evengrains for that matter.

<<I looked in my books for these symptoms and the most likely  candidate seems to be Giardia, a protozoal parasite that lives in  cysts  embedded in the lining of the intestines.  Every few weeks the cysts  pop and the parasites come out, causing the diarrhea.>>

Oh dear!  Looked thru all my cat books and not much info on Giardia.  How about a very very diluted dose of GSE in her food?

<<that the allo treatment of choice is Flagyl, but that berberine herbs  such as goldenseal will work (although not as effectively).  If I were to  give Corky goldenseal, what would the dosage be?  I have an alcohol-free  extract of Echinacea-Goldenseal from Nature's Answer.>>

1 dropperful each day of the diluted tincture would be my guess.  Be careful about berberine herbs such as Oregon Grape Root etc. in that give them only short-term as they can kill off the beneficial bacteria like antibiotics.  But w/ Corky 3-4 days treatment followed by acidophilus should be just fine.

Can u add Dr. Goodpet's enzymes to her food right now?  That should help too as well as Slippery Elm to soothe her digestive tract.

And of course, if nothing else, add my favorite thing - psyllium w/ lots of water.  Works like magic.  Good luck Donna, and hugs for poor Corky kitty.

Sandy, owned and operated by the psylium-eating mountain cats

Hi Sandy and list,

First off I want to apologize.  I really should have a fecal done first before I clutter up the list with my personal theories and  self-diagnosis. Right now I am keeping an eye on Corky so that when she goes to the litterbox, Mom will be ready with the plastic bag and twist-tie!  :-D

<< Poor Corky!:(  Can cats get stomach flu the way humans do?  What color is  the diarhea?  Are u feeding her beef in the raw food, by any chance?  Or  maybe she is allergic to the meat that is part of her raw diet, or even grains for that matter.>>

Corky and Sasha are both getting chunked chicken with ground turkey,  plus veggies.  No beef and no grains.  The diarrhea is light brown and  stinks to high heaven.  No blood that I can see.

<< Oh dear!  Looked thru all my cat books and not much info on Giardia.  How about a very very diluted dose of GSE in her food?>>

Ooh, that is a good idea, in my frustration I hadn't considered GSE.  I  do have some on hand.

<<1 dropperful each day of the diluted tincture would be my guess.  Be  careful about berberine herbs such as Oregon Grape Root etc. in that give  them only short-term as they can kill off the beneficial bacteria like antibiotics.  But w/ Corky 3-4 days treatment followed by acidophilus  should be just fine.>>

Thanks.  I will keep this in mind.  I have a diluted mix of 4 drops of  extract to 4 teaspoons of water.   Plus probiotics capsules in the fridge.

<< Can u add Dr. Goodpet's enzymes to her food right now?  That should help too as well as Slippery Elm to soothe her digestive tract.>>

The last time around I tried S.E. and it seemed to just make her diarrhea  even more mucousy :-P  After a couple of meals I stopped as she seemed to be in a bit of discomfort.

<< And of course, if nothing else, add my favorite thing - psyllium w/ lots of water.  Works like magic.  Good luck Donna, and hugs for poor Corky  kitty.>>

Yes, the weird thing is I add about 1/2 tsp of psyllium to their food  every day.  It's not a lot, but I figure it would help keep hairballs down.  Sasha has never had a hairball, but Corky did throw up some hair along with her food last night around 2 am.  That is the first time.

I have been wondering if it is some kind of blockage.  Corky does like to chew on milk jug rings (actually vitamin bottle rings).  Maybe she is eating some of the plastic?

Sorry again everyone, I am so frustrated and just have no idea what it could be.  I will get the fecal done and see if that shows anything.

Donna, Sasha, and Corky

In the Encyclopedia of Natural Pet Care, CJ Puotinen claims that both garlic and grapefruit seed extract can help the body fight microbes like Giardia lamblia.  For GSE, you can give a capsule of the dibittered extract per 10 lbs of body weight per day. Puotinen says you can give this until the condition clears (a few days to several weeks) and then switch to another infection fighter like
echinacea for a few days.

You could also give your kitty powdered psyllium seed husks mixed with lots of water for her loose stools. Here's how I do it: (This is a cut & paste from a previous post of mine)

Psyllium works particularly well for hairballs, diarrhea, *and* constipation. Psyllium aids digestion. This herb absorbs water, so in this way it can firm up the stools to help kits with diarrhea and it can make the stools more moist (for constipation). It's also extra fiber, so it helps the digestive tract in that way, too.

What I do is take some purified water--about 2-3 Tablespoons and stir in a bit of psyllium powder (1/8 or a bit more tsp). I stir this really well. It will start to thicken. I like it to be a runny (rather than thick) consistency because it's easier to stir into the food. If it's not runny enough, add more water. Water is good for your kitty, runny stools or not. Then stir some into your kitty's wet food. It's best to start out with just a bit and then work up because I know from experience the cats will refuse their food if I put too much psyllium (or any other healthy junk) in their food :) If you aren't using wet food, get some good acidophilus caps from your healthfood store (choose acid. which is refrigerated and in a dark bottle), and pill your kitty or sprinkle it on his food to see if he accepts it. You can do this in conjunction with the psyllium--should work really well. Or if your kit will just lick up a little plain yogurt with active cultures and isn't
lactose intolerant, you can try that instead of acidophilus caps.