Stool testing gets to the bottom of your pet’s distress by detecting a range of parasites and their eggs

At Bluestar Pet Hospital & Grooming in St. Johns and Jacksonville, Florida, we take great pride in our diagnostic capabilities and technologies. Due to these investments in tools and training, we can offer quality, responsive, and accurate in-house testing services. The sooner that we can accurately determine or isolate the cause of your pet’s sickness, the faster we can go about resolving it. So, your dog or cat can get back to their tail-wagging, loud-purring healthy best self!

Stool test for parasites and ova 

Several internal and external parasites may infect your dog or cat. Pets may commonly harbor: 

• Tapeworms
• Roundworms
• Hookworms 
• Whipworms 
• Heartworm
• Coccidia
• Giardia
• Fleas 
• Ticks 
• Mites

The last three examples of external parasites are associated with skin problems that can, if untreated, produce serious complications from secondary infections to anemia (due to the loss of blood). The other parasites on this list represent examples of internal parasites. They can wreak havoc on your pet’s internal organs, including the blood vessels, heart, eyes, liver, brain, lungs, and gastrointestinal tract. Infections associated with internal parasites may produce diarrhea, excessive “scooting,” coughing, a dull coat, lethargy, and weight loss. Prompt treatment is necessary to prevent life-threatening blood loss or organ damage and stop the disease from spreading to other animals (and even people). It is also critical to get into the parasite prevention and control routine, which is fundamental to your pet’s health and well-being and a cornerstone of our services offered at Bluestar Pet Hospital. 

Many of the above internal parasites and their ova (eggs) can be detected with a simple stool or fecal test. We are looking for adult worms or other parasites and their eggs. Since some parasites can be harder to notice than others, several samples of stool or feces will be tested for the presence of these mature organisms and ova. It only takes a small amount of stool (a couple of grams, or about one-eighth of a teaspoon) to identify the cause of your pet’s distress. Veterinarians generally have at their disposal several methods to pinpoint the presence of a parasitic infection, including:

• The small sample is applied to a slide and viewed under a microscope.
• The sample may be mixed with a solution that separates the critters and their eggs from the fecal matter. 
• A special solution can also be introduced to the stool, which is then spun in a centrifuge to isolate parasites and ova. 

Some techniques are best to detect ova or certain types of parasites – such as giardia and coccidia. Additionally, stool testing presents just one of many available tools at our hospital. We also have in-house blood analyzers, cutting-edge imaging, and other equipment to rule out conditions and to arrive at an answer to what is making your pet sick. 

As it relates to parasites, infections can be prevented with preventive products and vaccinations. Get your pet into a healthy routine today—Call (904) 720-4275 to schedule an appointment at our St. Johns location.

We look forward to meeting you and your buddy! 

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