WHAT IS A FECAL EXAMINATION?

A fecal examination is the microscopic evaluation of feces. The test is indicated for pets with diarrhea, straining, lack of appetite or vomiting. Semi-annual fecal examinations are recommended on all animals as part of a yearly health exam and 6 month check. All puppies and kittens need to have several fecal examinations during the first year of life.

 

There is no contraindication to performing this test. Negative results help determine health or may exclude the presence of disease and gastrointestinal parasites.

 

Intestinal parasites are most often obtained by ingesting worm eggs. They are most common in puppies but can affect any age, sex or breed of dog or cat. Most cause either no signs of illness or gastrointestinal signs. Some worms, such as hookworms, ingest blood ,from the intestinal tract, so severely affected animals may become lethargic and anemic.

WHAT DOES A FECAL EXAMINATION REVEAL OR DEMONSTRATE?

Fecal examinations are primarily performed to detect microscopic gastrointestinal parasites, such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, Giardia, coccidia and tapeworms. Some abnormal parasites known as spirochetes or flagellates can also be detected.

 

Some gastrointestinal parasites are very small and the only way to diagnose them is by microscopic examination of feces for the eggs shed by the adult worms. Others are large enough to be observed in your dog’s bowel movements or after he vomits. Some tapeworms produce proglottids, which can be seen around the hair on the anus or in the stool, appearing as bits of moving “white rice.”

A positive test result indicates gastrointestinal parasitic disease. Negative results from one fecal sample may be misleading. Some parasites do not shed eggs consistently so some samples may be negative even though the animal actually has a parasitic infection. Repeated fecal examinations may be necessary to detect some elusive parasites.

How Is a Fecal Examination Done?

In order to perform a fecal examination, a fecal sample needs to be obtained. The easiest way to do this would be to pick up a sample of feces after the pet has eliminated. Fresh samples will give the most information.

Fecal samples can also be obtained by other means. There are special fecal loops commercially available. This long narrow wand with a loop at the end is inserted into the rectum. If feces is present, a sample will be obtained in the loop. Another method of obtaining a fecal sample is for the veterinarian to use an exam glove and place a finger in the rectum to obtain fecal material.

After obtaining a fecal sample, the feces is placed in a tube or commercially manufactured fecal container. Special fecal flotation fluid is then added to the tube with the feces and the combination is stirred. Then the mixture is covered with a slide cover slip and placed in a centrifuge to spin down the material.

After spinning in the centrifuge for 10 minutes the cover slip is removed and placed onto a microscope slide and reviewed under the microscope. Each parasite egg has a characteristic appearance that can be detected by an experienced technician or veterinarian.

The fecal examination generally takes about 20 minutes and is often performed in your veterinarian's office. Some veterinarian’s choose to submit the fecal sample to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory. In these situations, tests results may take 1 to 2 days.