You may be wondering, What Are Intestinal Parasites? (Click Here) Intestinal parasites are organisms that infect people or animals, living in the intestines and robbing the host of nutrients. One of the best protections against these parasites is a screening a stool sample for parasite eggs. Here are our tips for collecting your pet’s stool sample!
1. The Fresher the Better
If your cat’s or dog’s poop has been sitting around for more than one day, please trash it. A cat’s or dogs’s feces that is older than 1 day will not give the appropriate diagnostic information, because the eggs have hatched and are no longer present.
2. Storage is Vital
Should you have an appointment the day of the stool sample collection, please store in the refrigerator. Please do not allow the sample to bake in the hot sun, in your car, or freeze in the freezer.
3. Smaller is Better.
The appropriate size to collect can be the size of a walnut, about 2 sugar cubes, or even the size of the tablespoon.
4. Use a Fecal Sample Collector or Choose Your Container Sensibly
We recommend pre-paying for your fecal sample to obtain a fecal sample collector to take home. Other useful containers can be an old pill bottle, plastic container, etc. Be cautious about choosing anything that could be confused for a usable food container.
Poop bags should be tied or even knotted. No paper towel or grocery bags, please.
5. Pure Poop is Best
Cat litter containing urine is not going to reveal parasites. A stick covered with poop will be rejected. Stool with leaves will not be an appropriate sample.
