Hi gsdmad,
First get the worms sorted with Drontal plus, some vets now recommend mibblemax, but if a dog is prone to siezures this can bring them on.
Then not sure what you are feeding but I would look for a food that as a single protein source and carb source that he hasnt eaten before, either fish or duck etc. and rice or potatoe and gradualy introduce that. There is something irritating his gut beside the worms as from what you have said he has intermittant bouts of diarhea for a while.
You can also use a probiotic yogurt to restore the gut flora to a natural balance. Hopefully with management he should lead a normal life without any major problems.
Re: steroids I wouldnt use them just for a few days as you would need the same amount of time again to wean him off them at a reduced dosage.

it says metronidazole-or have i misread??

thats an antibiotic i believe

hi just seen your post wildmoor- my vet has said not to change his diet AT ALL because he has been tried on the single protein diets- hills id and zd and actually got worse!
hes fed chappie at the moment-i no not the most ideal food but it is what he has been the best on sice it all started

Yes it is a specific thing that kills it and it is in one of the routine wormers...just can't remember which one...arghhhh.
I had a pup with it once...or at least it was suspected..it is also hard to get a definite diagnosis from a stool sample and once it is suspected they treat it and so you never really know, even if the results were negative, they could have been positive. I know a couple of people who have had it in their multi dog households and it can be one of those circular illnesses you know?!

so i should get my bitch treated aswel-she is up to date with worming but she can still get guardia?

Panacur, but I've only seen this for horses, never seen it as a dog wormer? I think the vet would have to prescribe a specific wormer if it IS giardia.

I remember once my dog was so very bad with hers, and I suggested this to my vet and he said it could possibly be that, but we took the EPI route instead, so I don't know how he would have tested or prescribed - sorry! You really must mention it to the vet and see what he/she reckons about this Giardia?! Good luck.

If she HAS got it, then the chances are she got it from a source somewhere abouts, and the chances of your other dog gaining access to that source is quite high I would have thought??

Having just read up on it again, I'm honestly thinking this might be a good diagnosis, the way it affects/inflames the bowels, the low absorbtion of food (just like the EPI I mentioned). Are you getting any blood yet? Is the diarrhea very watery now? That's how it goes with this I think, coz that's what made me think it was this with my dog.

Panacur is a dog wormer too.
http://www.intervet.co.uk/Species_Pa...og_Wormers.asp
It is the one.

I really wouldn't worry about Giardia too much. A lot of dogs carry it and chances are if your dog has it, it won't be having that much of an impact if his condition has been diagnosed by surgery for your vet to have gone down that road I am sure they will have ruled giardia out as the cause.

Hi Helena yes Panacur is also a dog wormer and can be used to treat giarda, Metronidazole an AB can also be used.