When it comes to keeping our dogs healthy, regular veterinary check-ups are essential. A critical aspect of these check-ups is the fecal dog fecal test, which involves examining your dog's stool for parasites and gastrointestinal abnormalities.
In this blog, we will explore what fecal tests for dogs entail, how they are performed, the testing frequency, and the different parasites that can be detected.
What is a Fecal Dog Test?
A fecal dog fecal test involves microscopic examinations of your dog's feces to detect and identify intestinal parasites and other gastrointestinal abnormalities. It is a simple and non-invasive diagnostic procedure performed by veterinarians. This test helps determine the presence of worms and other parasites in the dog's intestines, enabling appropriate treatment and preventing the spread of parasites to other dogs or humans.
How is a Fecal Test for Dogs Performed?
To perform a fecal test for dogs, veterinarians require a fresh stool sample from the dog, ideally less than 24 hours old and free of grass or dirt. The sample is mixed with a special liquid to dissolve and separate the stool, causing any parasite eggs to float to the surface. The floating material is then examined under a microscope to identify worm eggs or other parasites.
How Often Should a Dog Take a Fecal Test?
Having your dog's feces tested for parasites at least once a year is recommended. However, in certain situations, more frequent testing may be necessary. Puppies and newly adopted dogs should have fecal tests performed more frequently, as they are more susceptible to parasites. Your veterinarian can provide specific recommendations based on your dog's individual needs.
What Can Be Found in a Fecal Test for Dogs?
Many different parasites can be found on a fecal test. These parasites include various types, including roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, giardia, and coccidia. Here's a list further explaining them:
Roundworms
These are a type of worms that live in your dog’s gut, feeding on the food that they have eaten. In large numbers, they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, or even intestinal blockages, particularly in puppies and young dogs. However, in small numbers or adult dogs, they may cause no symptoms.
Roundworms can be caught from eggs in the poop of other dogs, cats, or wildlife. In rare cases, humans can also catch roundworms from dogs, leading to severe issues, including blindness and liver disease.
Hookworm
These worms also live in dogs’ intestines, but instead of living free like roundworms, they attach themselves directly to the wall of your dog’s gut. There, they will feed off tiny amounts of blood. In small numbers, these often cause no symptoms, but in more significant numbers, they can cause severe anemia, especially in puppies or dogs who are sick for another reason.
Dogs can catch these worms from other dogs’ poop by eating them or walking in areas where infected dogs have recently pooped. They can occasionally pass to humans, too.
Whipworms
These parasites are worms that live in dogs’ large intestines and can cause severe irritation, leading to watery, often bloody diarrhea. Over time, this can lead to weight loss, malnutrition, and eventually sepsis and death in severe cases.
Dogs can catch Whipworms by eating their eggs. These eggs are found in infected dogs’ poop but can survive outside for years, so dogs can be infected without coming into direct contact with the poop.
Giardia
Giardia is a parasite from a family of organisms called protozoa. They attach themselves to the wall of the intestines and feed on the food that the dog has eaten. This irritates the intestines, leading to diarrhea. This can be severe in young or sick dogs and cause weight loss and other issues.
Dogs can become infected by swallowing cysts (tiny immature parasites similar to worm eggs) left behind in the poop of infected dogs. Like whipworm eggs, these can survive outdoors for long periods. Humans can also sometimes become infected with giardia, even from dogs who are not showing any symptoms.
Coccidia
These are other kinds of protozoan parasites that live in the cells that line dogs’ intestines. Several species of coccidia can cause disease in dogs – some exclusively infect dogs, but others can infect cats, humans, and other wildlife. They cause diarrhea which can be unpleasant but is usually limited in healthy dogs.
Coccidia cysts can be picked up from poop or soil where dogs, cats, or other wildlife have previously pooped.
1. Have you noticed changes in your pet’s appetite or thirst?
2. Have you noticed changes in your pet’s elimination patterns (pottying habits)?
3. Has your pet vomited more than once in 24 hours?
4. Is there a change in your pet’s breathing?
5. Is your pet pacing and unable to settle?
6. Is your pet panting more than usual?
7. Is your pet drooling more than usual?
8. Are there changes to your pet’s eyes?
9. Is your pet whining or vocalizing more than usual?
10. Is your pet shaking more than usual?
11. Is your pet hiding or avoiding physical contact more than usual?
12. Is your pet more lethargic and sleeping more than usual?
13. Does your pet have a cough?
14. Are you concerned about changes in your pet’s behavior?
15. Have you noticed a new bump or growth on your pet?
16. Has your pet eaten something that could be toxic or a foreign object?
17. Has your pet experienced a seizure?
18. Is your pet having a hard time moving around?
19. Does your pet have a distended (bloated belly)?
20. Does your pet have a wound or injury?
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Should My Pet Be Seen by a Veterinarian?
1. Have you noticed changes in your pet’s appetite or thirst?
2. Have you noticed changes in your pet’s elimination patterns (pottying habits)?
3. Has your pet vomited more than once in 24 hours?
4. Is there a change in your pet’s breathing?
5. Is your pet pacing and unable to settle?
6. Is your pet panting more than usual?
7. Is your pet drooling more than usual?
8. Are there changes to your pet’s eyes?
9. Is your pet whining or vocalizing more than usual?
10. Is your pet shaking more than usual?
11. Is your pet hiding or avoiding physical contact more than usual?
12. Is your pet more lethargic and sleeping more than usual?
13. Does your pet have a cough?
14. Are you concerned about changes in your pet’s behavior?
15. Have you noticed a new bump or growth on your pet?
16. Has your pet eaten something that could be toxic or a foreign object?
17. Has your pet experienced a seizure?
18. Is your pet having a hard time moving around?
19. Does your pet have a distended (bloated belly)?
20. Does your pet have a wound or injury?
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Why Are Fecal Tests a Requirement for Dog Boarding?
Many worms that can cause sickness in our dogs can be caught by other infected dogs – even if they do not show any symptoms. In a dog boarding facility, you often have many dogs pooping in the same place, so one infected dog could pass their parasites onto many others.
The best way to avoid this is to check all dogs for parasites before entering the boarding facilities. This means that fecal tests are usually required for dog boarding at most reputable establishments.
Fecal testing helps to protect dogs who are boarding from a whole range of different parasites. This means that most high-quality businesses will make a recent fecal sample one of their dog boarding requirements.
Conclusion
Regular fecal tests for dogs are an essential part of their healthcare routine. These tests help detect and identify parasites and gastrointestinal abnormalities, ensuring prompt treatment and preventing the spread of parasites to other dogs and even humans. By performing a simple and non-invasive microscopic examination of a fresh stool sample, veterinarians can uncover various parasites such as roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, giardia, and coccidia.
If you think your dog may have some of the symptoms of a parasite infection, then booking a check-up with a veterinarian is recommended.
