Your pet's yearly fecal exam at your veterinarian's office is the best way to keep your pet and your family safe from a wide variety of intestinal parasites. Annual fecal exams give your Palmdale vet an opportunity to check for intestinal parasites before they cause more serious conditions or diseases to arise.
What is a fecal exam?
A fecal exam is a microscopic examination of your pet's feces, which is completed at your veterinarian's office. These annual fecals will help your vet to identify and treat any infections that could be compromising your pet's health, and even the health of members of your household.
What do fecals detect?
Your vet will look for any signs of parasites such as hookworms and roundworms when performing fecal exams. These parasites can make pets irritable and uncomfortable, and could lead to many more serious issues. A number of parasites may even be transmitted to people.
Intestinal parasites live in your pet's gastrointestinal tract, hiding them from view. That's why fecals are the best way to detect their presence.
How do I prepare for my pet's fecal?
Get a fresh stool sample and bring it to your vet's office the same day, ideally within 4 to 6 hours for the most accurate results.
It's very important that you don't allow your stool sample to dry out or dehydrate. Many of the potential parasites contained within will be killed by this process and will become much more difficult to detect.
How often does my pet need a fecal?
You should have your pet tested for any internal parasites at least once per year. Puppies and animals with gastrointestinal issues may need fecal exams much more often than that. As your vet how often you should be bringing your pet's stool sample in to them for a fecal exam.