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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Dr. Venkat Gutta
Bluestar Pet Hospital & Grooming
At Blue Star Pet Hospital and Grooming, Dr. Venkat Gutta provides high-quality and modern veterinary services to all your furry friends! At Bluestar, Dr. Gutta and his team are committed to providing your pets with both a full-service Veterinary Hospital and a modern grooming salon (St. Johns location only) for dogs and cats. Our primary commitment is to provide your companion animals with the highest quality medical care. Dr. Gutta strongly believes in treating your four-legged companions as family members and providing them with excellent yet affordable veterinary care. At Bluestar, we also think that it is important to educate you, as a pet owner, and ensure that the unique needs of you and your pet are met at all times. Through Bluestar, Dr. Gutta and his team serve clients in Durbin Crossing, Jacksonville, St Augustine, St Johns, CR 210, and other areas. Whether it is pet vaccinations, surgery, techniques, advanced diagnostic testing, or even flea and tick control products, we give you access to the best and most cutting-edge treatments and technologies. At Bluestar, we believe that your pet is the STAR!