Efficacy of secnidazole in the treatment of giardiasis in a cat

A 6 month old, 2-kg, female cat was referred to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Mehmet Akif Ersoy in Burdur province with bloody diarrhea and dehydration. The cat had a history of more than 1 week of disease. Faecal sample was taken for parasitological examinations and analyzed by zinc sulfate (%33 ZnSO4) centrifugal flotation and native techniques. Giardia duodenalis (G. lamblia) cysts and trophozoits were detected from cat faeces. Motile trophozoites were seen with native technique. Additionally, trophozoites were stained with Giemsa solution. The cat received a single oral dose of 30 mg/kg secnidazole diluted in 1 ml water. For the evaluation of drug efficacy, faeces were re-examined at day 7 after treatment. The aim of this study is to examine parasitological findings of simultaneous infection by Giardia duodenalis in cat, and treatment of the disease by a single dose of secnidazole. It is also the first case report about secnidazole treatment in cats with giardiasis in Turkey.