Is a Fresh Stool Sample Needed?Updated 7 months ago

Yes, please.

There are two practical ways to help increase “parasite yield” (finding and identifying any parasites if present). The first is by starting with a fresh stool sample (just or very recently passed by the dog or the cat) to avoid subjecting the stool parasites to harsh outdoor conditions before mailing.

It’s also easier to spoon into the test tube if it hasn’t been baked in the sun, frozen in the cold, or desiccated (dried out) in the litterbox; and gives the lab a better sample to process. Refrigeration of the stool sample is not necessary prior to mailing it. If the outdoor temperature is very cold or very hot, consider dropping off the return test box with sample at a local post office (rather than leaving it in your mailbox).

There are certain times when analyzing a very fresh stool sample is helpful. For example, veterinarians can occasionally find Giardia trophozoites (motile form) in watery stools or diarrhea if able to quickly examine the stool under the microscope (within about 30 minutes of dog or cat passing the stool). This is rarely practical even in a local veterinary practice, which is why Giardia by ELISA testing is more reliable (MySimplePetLab Routine Dog or Cat Stool Tests). Most veterinarians simply do what MySimplePetLab pet owners are doing; taking the stool sample and mailing it to a reference laboratory for testing.

Additional Questions? Chat us at MySimplePetLab.com, email [email protected], or call us at 833-PET-TEST (833-738-8378).