collecting stool sample

[mczoo]

is there a best way to collect stool sample. Obviously you take stool from cage place in sterile or at least clean container and take to vet. any other issues......should it be preserved by refrigeration, adding water, saline or parasite prep agent or left alone at room temp. how long before sample is no longer good? 6 hours 12 hours 24 hours or what????

Thanks a million

Sean

 

[kim01]

i was told(on here) to put it in a ziploc bag with nothig else in it. if you can't get in right away to put in the fridge. if it is over 24 hrs then try to get another sample.

 

[Billyjack187]

I never knew poop could be so complicated

 

[mczoo]

i hate to be such a pain abour stool samples
but i knew a child who was adopted from europe that had persistant diarrhea for 3 months. 4 stool samples later the parents found that the test was inaccurate because of how it was brought in needless to say he had giardia (a common human parasite)

thanks

sean

 

[dodolah]

is there a best way to collect stool sample. Obviously you take stool from cage place in sterile or at least clean container and take to vet. any other issues......should it be preserved by refrigeration, adding water, saline or parasite prep agent or left alone at room temp. how long before sample is no longer good? 6 hours 12 hours 24 hours or what????

Thanks a million

Sean

the best way is for you to get the freshest stool immediately after the cham pooped.
Put it in the ziplock and rush to your vet to have it checked.
If you have no time, you can refrigerate it. But, just so you know, the longer it stays unexamined, the more inaccurate the result will be.

i say after 24 hours the poo is no good.
but try to get it to the vet at least 12 hours be4.
Usually my chameleon pooped in the morning. (every 11 am, bam!).
I always get the stool around lunch hour to my vet.
they are creatures of habit, you know.

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

I'm not sure that refrigeration is helpful. It may kill the parasites that you want to see moving under the microscope. I did an experiment just a week ago where I tested a friend's chameleon's poop and then tested it again the next morning. I was still able to see flagellates moving in a second sample of the un-refrigerated poop. There are some parasites that are best observed only within a few minutes of the sample being made available.

Seal it in a plastic bag and take it in as soon as possible .