Ruby had her annual vet check-up on Saturday, and we left a stool sample because it had been a year since they checked it.
We just got word from the vet and were shocked to hear that she tested positive for Giardia. She has NO symptoms: her stool is very normal (we call it "tootsie-roll-like";), and other than a bout of severe diarrhea a few months ago (it cleared up in 24 hours), we've not seen any indications of an infection. Once in a while (every couple weeks or so), she'll have softer stool (usually has grass blades in it), and even less frequently than that, she'll puke up some bile and grass blades (this time of year, she really likes the fresh grass that's newly sprouting). I'm guessing she got it from eating some other animal's poop when we walk in an empty lot near our house (although we try to watch her like a hawk, she has eaten deer poop).
The vet said that since she's not showing symptoms, her body is probably fighting it okay on her own, and so she's not advising treatment. She would begin treatment if we notice any vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, etc.
I've got to do some research now because we never experienced this with Tonka, but does anyone have any input or thoughts about what we should do, where she could've contracted it, what the risks are to ourselves, other human and dog friends she interacts with, etc.? Yikes - this freaked me out!