The current study aimed at diagnosing the Giardia parasite that parasitizes dogs, based on a number of morphological and standard characteristics of the trophozoites and the cycts, using different techniques for microscopic examination. The results of the current study showed that the total percentage in dogs amounted to 73.4%. With regard to the rate of infection with Giardia parasite using different techniques of positive samples for microscopic examination, the results showed significant differences. Whereas, the concentration-deposition and flotation technique with zinc sulfate recorded the highest infection rate of 44.5%, followed by the flotation technique–Sodium chloride and flotation technique - Sucrose at 25% and 19.4%, respectively. And the zinc sulfate technique by adding Lugol′s iodine recorded the highest infection rate of 43.8%, and the direct technique by adding Lugol′s iodine recorded the highest infection rate of 50%. The results showed that the intestinal mucosal scrapings stained with Giemsa stain recorded the highest infection rate for diagnosing Giardia parasite, with a value of 100%. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the age group of less than one year–More than a year .

The results of the current study showed that the different techniques of microscopic examination recorded the highest rate of infection and diagnosis of Giardia in dogs with significant differences at the level of probability p<0.05 It reached 73.4%, followed by the rapid test technique and indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with a rate of 14.2% and 12.2% respectively. With regard to determining the sensitivity and specificity of the rapid test and microscopic examination, a sensitivity of 19% and a specificity of 100% were recorded. The results, using the indirect ELISA showed an infection rate of 12.2% of the total samples. The results showed that the number of positive samples with this technique amounted to 12 samples positive for Giardia lamblia out of the total samples positive for microscopic examination. To confirm the diagnosis of giardiasis, the results using the direct immunofluorescence technique using acridine orange fluorochrome showed the appearance of a glowing brilliance, as the cysts appeared oval green glowing and the trophozoites appeared glowing green pear.