Heres the scoop on your pets poop! You may wonder why our hospital requires regular fecal testing for our patients. The reason is that EVERY pet should be routinely checked for parasites. Well, what if my pet is strictly indoors or on a monthly dewormer/preventive? They are still at risk! Monthly dewormers and preventives only help to protect against a few of these parasites, so your pet is still at risk of picking up other types. If your pet is strictly indoors, they can still pick up parasites from visitors or even yourself. Dogs who stay only in your backyard can still pick up parasites from wildlife that visit your backyard such as raccoon, squirrels, opossums, etc. Theres even a chance that you could pick up some parasites on the soles of your shoes and carry them into the house! This is why we always want all of our patients to be regularly screened for parasites by sending their fecal samples out to our labs. Our veterinarians recommend fecal screening at least once a year. All you need to do is drop off a fresh stool sample and well send it out to our Antech laboratories for testing. What exactly are we looking for? Well, the most common parasites seen in pets are the intestinal parasites such as roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, tapeworm, and Giardia. So what are these parasites? Roundworms are worms that can invade the intestinal tract of your pet and even migrate to other parts of the body, entering some vital organs. Whipworms are very similar but have a more threadlike appearance with a thicker end, making them look like a whip. Tapeworms are very long, segmented worms that can infiltrate the GI tract and are spread by fleas. Giardia is a protozoan parasite which can infect the pet and cause GI upset. With most of these parasites, clinical signs are usually GI upset such as diarrhea, vomiting, and inappetance, as well as lethargy and sometimes fever. The most common ones we see in this area are roundworms, tapeworms and Giardia. Sometimes, symptoms may not even occur, but you may see signs of these parasites in the stools themselves. If you notice a spaghetti-like object in your pets stool, that may just be a roundworm. Or you may notice small white pieces about the size of a grain of rice, which are tapeworm segments. These parasites are all considered zoonotic, which means they can be transmitted to you and your family, as well. Therefore, its very important to have your pet tested and treated to prevent an infection in your household. If your pet is showing signs of GI upset, your veterinarian may recommend a fecal screening to rule out parasites. So next time you bring your pet in for their annual exam, dont forget the poop! Checking their stool will ensure that your pet and your family are kept parasite-free. For more information and details, check out the link below or just give us a call and we would be happy to answer any questions you may have!
Posted on: Mon, 29 Dec 2014 16:00:02 +0000