DIY fecal exams.

[Lyrognathus]

Does anyone know how to do them? I just want to be able to rule out certain parasites if I ever have to take my guys to the vet. Preferably if I could use only a microscope and a slide.

 

[AnObeseHippo]

By going to veterinary/tech school

 

[AngelDeVille]

Should be easy to do yourself...

 

[InvertAddiction]

I never knew such a thing existed....Then again I never knew anyone who took their spider to a vet before either

 

[Lyrognathus]

I never knew such a thing existed....Then again I never knew anyone who took their spider to a vet before either

This isn't about spiders.

 

[schmiggle]

The easy part is taking the samples--slice the stool really thin and put it under a slide. You might also want to look at it under a dissecting scope.

The hard part would be identifying what you're looking at past class. If you're just trying to rule things out, though, seeing anything multicellular would be considered a positive and you should bring the animal to a bet.

 

[The Snark]

I wouldn't even considering doing this and I was trained way back when. Stains, appropriate smears, correct magnification, and that wonderful semester spent being able to tell eggs, larvae, nymphs, zygotes, cysts etc from what other material that will be encountered.

What is the big deal about taking a stool sample to a local hospital and requesting a parasite check? It's not that expensive and doesn't require physicians orders. Certain clinics also offer the service, and some universities. You get back Positive, Negative or Suspect and follow it up from there as required.

 

[Lyrognathus]

I wouldn't even considering doing this and I was trained way back when. Stains, appropriate smears, correct magnification, and that wonderful semester spent being able to tell eggs, larvae, nymphs, zygotes, cysts etc from what other material that will be encountered.

What is the big deal about taking a stool sample to a local hospital and requesting a parasite check? It's not that expensive and doesn't require physicians orders. Certain clinics also offer the service, and some universities. You get back Positive, Negative or Suspect and follow it up from there as required.

I'm just wanting to know how to identify something before it happens. If the animal looks off obviously I'll take it to the vet, but I'd like to be able to rule out intestinal parasites if possible beforehand.

 

[The Snark]

I'm just wanting to know how to identify something before it happens.

It's called screening. A good idea to do initially with new animals, and then periodically depending on what they are being exposed to. For example, San Diego zoo does continuous screening to be able to jump on an infection or infestation before it establishes itself and gets handed from animal to animal. (Nightmare scenario). In the outlying areas I assist the health services here to do screenings. We use the test results to build disease awareness and abatement statistics like sewage contamination in villages and livestock disease transmission probabilities.

 

[AnObeseHippo]

100% sure if you tell your vet clinic you did an at home fecal exam by yourself based off stuff you learned on the internet, they will pee their pants laughing

 

[spookyvibes]

Get floatation solution (diy flotation solution is either a hit or miss, usually a miss), mix it with the feces (there’s a certain ratio, you’ll have to look it up though), wait a few minutes, take a sample from the topmost part of the solution, look at it through a microscope... What animal are you trying to conduct a fecal for?

 

[AnObeseHippo]

Get floatation solution (diy flotation solution is either a hit or miss, usually a miss), mix it with the feces (there’s a certain ratio, you’ll have to look it up though), wait a few minutes, take a sample from the topmost part of the solution, look at it through a microscope... What animal are you trying to conduct a fecal for?

He’d need a centrifuge for anything but a dry smear so he can’t do any of that

 

[InvertAddiction]

This isn't about spiders.

Ah, I see the category now lol my mistake.

 

[Beedrill]

I mean, it's a good idea in theory. There are a few common parasites that are large enough to see using home microscopes, but a lot of parasites are microscopic and would require very specific techniques and equipment to view accurately. I've done an intro to parasitology, focusing on humans mind you, and I'm fairly certain the only thing you would be able to see with a home microscope would be worms. Everything else is either much too small, only visible through staining, or both. If you are dead set on the idea, It would be in you best interest to do as much research as possible on common parasites for reptiles and see if you can narrow down the ones that would be possible to screen for at home. I don't have any specific sources, but I have found info about common parasites online before. After that, see if it would be worth it to buy the kind of microscope necessary. After all that, you still have to accept that whatever a home screen would indicate would not be as accurate as a professional job and you will likely still need a veterinarian to do a screen for microorganisms. It would be nice, but I'm just not sure how practical it would be for the everyday hobbiest. Hope this helps.

 

[Galapoheros]

Another approach is to make a list of the most common parasites and if there is an over the counter treatment or preventative, just use it now and then, for example https://www.chewy.com/8in1-safe-gua...MI4Km5746O3QIV3LbACh1nDQEIEAQYASABEgI9HPD_BwE Much of the negative talk of internet info and doing research on the internet is pushed by people that lose money when people do. Doctors, lawyers, AC repair, etc., they will all make fun of people doing research on the internet because they lose money if you don't pay them for the services. I've fixed washing machines, dryers, central air conditioners, gotten rid of psoriasis and have even gotten rid of basal cell carcinomas by finding info on the internet all on my own. Of course you don't want to do heart surgery in the garage by yourself, that would probably leave a scar.