The Scoop on poop (and parasites)

Is your pet due for a Fecal Exam?

Routine fecal examinations are used to detect intestinal parasites in your dog or cat. These parasites may include worms (such as hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms) and protozoans that cannot be seen by the naked eye (such as Giardia or Coccidia). Parasites not only cause intestinal disease in dogs and cats, but some of them can also be infectious to humans (hookworms, roundworms, and Giardia). Some parasites have larval stages that burrow through other body tissues, such as roundworms which travel from the gastrointestinal tract to your pets’ lungs!

If I am not seeing worms in my dog’s stool, how can he still have worms?
Intestinal parasites live within the body and are usually not shed in the stool. These worms lay
microscopic eggs that are eliminated from the body through your pets stool. You cannot see them with
the naked eye. These parasite eggs enter into the environment, continue to develop and infect other
animals. A fecal parasite examination searches for the eggs of these intestinal parasites.
The effects of intestinal parasites can vary significantly, depending on the parasite and the overall health
of the pet. Common parasites include:

Roundworms
. Adult animals with Roundworm infections often show no signs. In young animals
or severely infected adults, signs may include vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, a dull coat, and a
potbellied appearance. Roundworm larvae also migrate through the lungs as a part of their life
cycle, so coughing may be observed.

Hookworms
Hookworms embed in the wall of the intestine, sucking blood from their host.
Therefore, the most significant effect of hookworms is anemia, resulting in lethargy, weakness,
and pale gums. Weight loss and bloody diarrhea are also commonly observed.

Whipworms
Whipworms often cause bloody diarrhea. Affected animals may be weak and may
become increasingly debilitated over time.

Giardia
. This protozoal parasite often causes severe watery diarrhea, which may or may not be
accompanied by vomiting and weight loss.

Coccidia
Although infection with this protozoal parasite often has no outward signs in healthy
adults, it may cause diarrhea and other signs of illness in young or debilitated adults.

How will my veterinarian treat intestinal parasites that are found on routine fecal testing?
If evidence of intestinal parasites are found on routine fecal testing, treatment to eliminate that parasite
is prescribed. There is no anthelmintic (deworming medication) that will treat all of the species of
worms. That is why it is important to know which worm your pet may. If the wrong dewormer is used,
your pet will still carry the parasite and contaminate the environment. Each intestinal parasite has its
own unique treatment requirements.
.
The type of medication, frequency and duration of treatment is dependent upon the type of parasite that is identified. And don’t forget to recheck your pets’ fecal sample after they have been treated! Sometimes multiple treatments are required in order to eliminate an infection if your pet is getting re-infected from a source within their environment.

Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Pets, Healthy People, How to Reduce Parasite Exposure –
Recommendations from the Companion Animal Parasite Council:

Feed pets commercial or cooked food (not raw diets) and provide fresh water.

Cover sandboxes when not in use, and protect garden areas from fecal contamination.

Pick up feces immediately when walking a dog in a public area and from the yard on a daily
basis.

To prevent roaming and limit predation, keep dogs on a leash or behind a fence and keep cats
indoors.

Do not handle animal feces or urine with bare hands, and wash hands immediately after
incidental contact. This recommendation is particularly important for children and individuals at
increased risk.

Properly dispose of animal waste according to local municipal regulations.

Appropriate fecal diagnostics performed at least 2-4 times a year.

How to collect a fecal sample:
-
A fresh sample, less than 24 hours old (the fresher, the better).
-
If you collect a sample in the morning but cannot bring it to the clinic until the afternoon, please
keep the sample refrigerated.
-
Samples that have not been refrigerated or are frozen will not provide accurate results.
-
An acorn sized sample is all that is needed to complete most testing.
-
If the sample you are submitting is a recheck sample to ensure that treatment was effective,
make sure that the timing is appropriate – if you bring in a sample too early, it may be falsely
negative and if you bring in a sample too late it will be hard to know if your pet was re-infected
from the environment or if the original treatment was not effective (some parasites are starting
to show resistance to dewormers and require special protocols beyond the normal
recommendations).

---