Fecal Worm Home Test FAQs
Why test your pets or horse for worms?
Is this test accurate?
How long does it take?
How old can the sample be?
Why use our test?
I sent you worms in a plastic bag but still got negative results?
What do I do if my pet has worms?
My veterinarian says that I need a to use a fresh stool sample?
How do you diagnose Giardia?
Do you test for Giardia?
When Do We Test for Giardia?
What animals do we test for worms?
Why did my sample produce negative results but weeks later was positive for worms?
What are the advantages of this test?
I saw a worm in the sample but you reported the results as negative.How can that be?
What do Tapeworms look like?
How did my pet get tapeworms?
Can worms be a problem for pet owners?
Can worms be a problem for me or my family members?
How do I get rid of Tapeworms?
Why should I test my cat, dog or small pocket pet for fecal worms?
Why test your pets or horse for worms?
When you use a wormer you never know what worm you have or if you got rid of them. Pets have seven types of worms. You can only see two types of those worms. Worms can infest your pet, your child, or yourself. The only way you can know is to test the stool.
Most pets have worms and should be checked yearly. They acquire worms after walking on soil or grass, then lick their feet ingesting worm eggs. This can occur anywhere, at any time, since stray dogs, cats, rabbits, or wild birds, etc. are everywhere and most times do have worms. You have no way to prevent the exposures your pets have each day.
People frequently get worms from their pets so test your pet now, especially if you are pregnant!
Is this test accurate?
This fecal test is as accurate as most veterinary hospitals, since we use a much more effective concentrating fluid than most animal hospitals and allow 1-4 hours of time to concentrate or centrifuge.
How long does it take?
We process the test within 24 hours of receipt,and call you with the results. We mail or email the written report within 7 days (if needed). It is best to send the samples on Sunday or Monday, incase the USPO delays the shipment.
How old can the sample be?
It is better to send a fresh sample, but the sample can be as old as 7 days when we process it to get reliable results. Your veterinarian and I need fresh samples only if we are checking for protozoan(Giardia) parasites. It is extremely difficult and rare that we can diagnose giardia on a normal fecal sample, so reading a 5-7 day old sample produces the same results as your Vet would produce, infact since we centrifuge the samples or let them concentrate 1-4 hours our results are at least 50% more reliable.
Why use our test?
It is the ULTIMATE IN CONVENIENCE and is SIMPLE, EASY, AND AFFORDABLE.
This is a prepaid fecal(stool) worm test that the pet owner uses to check for the 4-6 parasites found in the stool, some of which are diseases in people as well.We help pet owners know: 1) if your pet has worms, 2) what specific dewormer to buy, and 3) whether the dewormer worked (pet owners retest 2 weeks after deworming and then 1 mo. later). Our lab can assure you that your pet is free of worms. All pets can safely be dewormed with OTC dewormers if you know what to use and we help you to know. You just take our written lab report to the store and look for the one that treats your pets type of worms. AND IT'S Only $19.99-Order Now!
Most likely the worms you put in the bag disintegrated in the bag - if there is too much water(you only need 2-3 drops of water and 2-3 drops of alcohol) or the worms are tapeworms. Nearly all of the worms that you can see in the samples of any pet are either roundworms(which are round) or tapeworms( which are flat). Roundworms rarely disintegrate, so the probability of what you mailed to use being tapeworms is 98-99%. If you like you can send us another sample of the worm, enclosed in two tightly sealed bags-add 3 drops of alcohol and 3 drops of water to the worm to prevent drying and disintegration. Please include a check for $12 or your credit card data to charge you card for $12. We do the best we can with the samples provided. These issues are common in our veterinary hospital even with the freshest of samples. Please indicate in your letter and on the bag why you are sending the sample plus include this letter. We do our best to solve your pets problems.
Tapeworms are most commonly diagnosed by observation of small rice like (golden yellow) segments on the hairs by the anus, when dried, or as white to beige flat tape like worm segments when not dried. They do not routinely show up under the microscope. 98% of the time they can only be diagnosed only by seeing them grossly (with your eye) in the stool or attached to the hair. Roundworms are white to beige and usually coil up in a circle. They look like spaghetti, but are thinner. They do not disintegrate in the bag. In older animals and especially young animals, round worms may not be detected via the fecal test when the round worms have not reached sexual maturity and are not yet producing roundworm eggs. In many cases especially cats, there may only be several worms in the gut and not enough to produce eggs at all times, or they may be all of one sex and so do not produce eggs; so the sample can not render a positive result, even though that pet has worms. The final cause of seeing a worm in samples, yet producing a negative result, especially if it has been picked up from the soil/grass, especially when it is warm outside, is the presence of maggots(produced from fly eggs) or various soil parasites which are not from the dog but crawl on to the stool sample. If you still are concerned of the results, purchase another test, collect a teaspoon of sample from 3-5 samples over 1-2 days and place them in on double bagged container, then place all contents plus the sample, in our clamshell. Keep the samples refrigerated until you have collected all and are ready to send to us. Send on a Sunday thru Tuesday directly to our Veterinary hospital at: Animal Care Center 1281 E. Napier Ave. Benton Harbor, MI 49022.
What do I do if my pet has worms?
We tell you which worms your pet has. The staff of the catalog companies or store can help you decide which OTC dewormer to purchase and what steps to take in your house or yard to prevent reinfestation. SAVE at least 50% on dewormers from the store, but more importantly, finally rid your pet and your yard/home of worms. More than 90% of the pets with worms can be treated with OTC dewormer.
My veterinarian says that I need a to use a fresh stool sample?
A. Veterinarians routinely test samples that haven’t been frozen or refrigerated and are one to three days old. We also many times send samples without freezing or refrigerating to outside labs, that are 1-4 days old before they are processed. However, many times veterinarians suggest fresh samples because:
1. It is mechanically easier and less time consuming to dissolve the feces when fresh.
2. This is what has been passed down to us by older veterinarians(without any research or factual basis) for decades and it is what we “have been taught”.
3. If your veterinarian suspects a protozoan disease such as Giardia, they can check for it better on a fresh sample. However, it is this is very unreliable since it is very difficult to see Giardia on this type of tests, and only rarely is it found this way. All veterinarians now use a special Idexx antigen-antibody test for Giardia which we also offer. See below.
How do you diagnose Giardia?
A. Giardia is very difficult to diagnose with a microscope, so the fecal smear that is rarely performed any more is unreliable. As a result Idexx has developed an antibody–antigen test, that is reliable, to detect Giardia. The test needs to be performed on a fresh sample or one that has been frozen (refrigerated) and shipped overnight. This test is reliable, but still not 100% accurate.
Do you test for Giardia?
A. Yes, we test for Giardia, but you must call in advance, mail it on specific days, and follow our mailing instructions. We offer this service to all pet owners, humane or rescue groups, pet stores, breeders, etc. and have special volume discounts.
When Do We Test for Giardia?
A. Test all puppies, adults, and pets that have diarrhea ASAP. Most veterinarians will treat puppies if positive, or if any pet has clinical signs. Test prior to breeding, buying, or selling dogs.
What animals do we test for worms?
We test all species of pet or livestock (except for fish). Animals include: dogs, cats, horses, reptiles, birds, rabbits, goats, sheep, cattle, etc.
Why did my sample produce negative results but weeks later was positive for worms?
In many cases especially cats, there may only be several worms in the gut and not enough to produce eggs at all times, or they may be all of one sex and so do not produce eggs; so the sample can not render a positive result, even though that pet has worms.
What are the advantages of this test?
1. CONVENIENCE. You save time.
2. SAVE UP TO 50% ON DEWORMERS. You will be able to buy most dewormers at the store,or by catalog, and save at least 50%. You will know which specific dewormer to buy.
3. SAVE 10-25% on the cost of a fecal exam and in many cases $40-65 on an exam. 4. ACCURATE RESULTS - From a veterinary lab. We allow the sample to concentrate at least 4 hours. In addition, we centrifuge any samples that are questionable.
5. FINALLY, YOU WILL REALIZE WHICH DEWORMER TO BUY.
We make it easy for you to buy the right wormer. You can use the correct wormer and then recheck to be sure that your pet is free of worms, all without leaving your home
I saw a worm in the sample but you reported the results as negative. How can that be?
Most likely the worms you put in the bag disintegrated in the bag - if there is too much water. (You only need 2-4 drops of water). However, roundworms rarely disintegrate, so the probability of it being tapeworms is 95-99%. If you like you can send us another sample of the worm, enclosed in two tightly sealed bags-add 2 drops of alcohol and 2 drops of water to the worm to prevent drying and disintegration. Please include a check for $12 or your credit card data to charge you card for $12. We do the best we can with the samples provided. These issues are common in all veterinary hospitals, even with the freshest of samples.
Tapeworms and round worms are the only worms visible to the eye that are parasites to you or your pet. Tapeworms are most commonly diagnosed by observation of small rice like (golden yellow) segments on the hairs by the anus, when dried, or as white to beige flat tape like worm segments when not dried. They do not routinely show up under the microscope. 98% of the time they can only be diagnosed by seeing them grossly (with you eye) in the stool or attached to the hair.
Roundworms are white to beige and usually coil up in a circle. They look like spaghetti, but are thinner. In older animals and especially young animals, round worms may not be detected via the fecal test when the round worms have not reached sexual maturity and are not yet producing roundworm eggs.
In many cases especially cats, there may only be several worms in the gut and not enough to produce eggs at all times, or they may be all of one sex and so do not produce eggs; so the sample can not render a positive result, even though that pet has worms.
The final cause of seeing a worm in samples, yet producing a negative result, especially if it has been picked up from the soil/grass, especially when it is warm outside, is the presence of maggots (produced from fly eggs) or various soil parasites which are not from the dog but crawl on to the stool sample.
If you still are concerned of the results, purchase another test, collect a teaspoon of sample from 3-5 samples over 1-2 days and place them in on double bagged container, then place all contents plus the sample, in our clamshell. Keep the samples refrigerated until you have collected all and are ready to send to us.
Send on a Sunday thru Tuesday directly to our Veterinary hospital at: Animal Care Center 1281 E. Napier Ave. Benton Harbor, MI 49022.
What do Tapeworms look like?
Tapeworms and round worms are the only worms visible to the eye that are parasites to you or your pet. Tapeworms are most commonly diagnosed by observation of small rice like (golden yellow) segments on the hairs by the anus, when dried, or as white to beige flat tape like worm segments when not dried. The eggs that we need to diagnose the presence of worms are not produced and therefore do not routinely show up under the microscope.
How did my pet get tapeworms?
Tapeworms are spread by infestation of fleas and ingestion of flea eggs when licking, biting, or chewing at themselves, or ingestion of small animals such as rabbits. Your pet will continue to re-infest itself every 6-12 weeks unless you rid it of the tapeworms, but then eliminate the source.
Can worms be a problem for pet owners?
Absolutely, which is why everyone should check their pets at least 1-2 times per year, EVEN if inside, since you can track the worm eggs in on your shoes. The more your pet is outside the more often you should test the stool sample. Also, if you have children, immune compromised individuals, or seniors in your household you should test more often (every 2-4 months).
Can worms be a problem for me or my family members?
A. Recommendations of the Companion Animal Parasite Council(the leading source of information to veterinarians in America state:
"Ascarids, hookworms, and whipworms are the most common intestinal nematodes in companion animals. Ascarids(roundworms) and hookworms are a significant cause of zoonotic disease. Several tapeworms of dogs and cats can also cause zoonotic infections. Environmental transmission stages(contact with other animals stool/feces) are a source of infection for pets and humans."
How do I get rid of Tapeworms?
Tapeworms will continue to re-infest your pet unless you get rid of the source by treat ALL of your pets for fleas or keep them from hunting outside, especially for rabbits. To treat the tape worms you should contact the company that you bought the test kit from or buy over the counter de-wormers for tapeworms sold at most pet/farm supply stores or call your veterinarian and ask for a tapeworm product. (Most veterinarians will prescribe a product with out an exam). You should always first check the fecal sample for which worms your pet has then deworm for the correct type of worm.
How often should pet owners check the stool samples of their pets?
A. Recommendations of the Companion Animal Parasite Council(the leading source of information to veterinarians in America state that appropriately conducted fecal examinations should be performed:
-Two to four times during the first year of life (may be associated with vaccine schedule); and
-One to two times per year in adult pets, depending on patient health and lifestyle factors.
-Puppies an kittens require more frequent anthelmintic administration than adult dogs and cats, because: 1) they often are serially re-infected via nursing and from the environment, and 2) they often harbor parasite larvae in migration that later mature and commence egg laying.
-Intestinal parasite infections in puppies and kittens may cause serious illness or even death before a diagnosis is possible so check their stool(feces) as soon as possible by fecal examination.
Why should I test my cat, dog or small pocket pet for fecal worms?
Nearly all puppies and kittens have worms.At least 20% of adult dogs have worms. The most common worms (hookworms and roundworms) are contagious to people, especially children. In some countries 80% of the people have worms. Pregnant women and mothers should be especially careful with their pets stool. There are 7 common worms of animals. Only 2 of them are visible to the human eye. The most serious worms are invisible to your eye. Use this at home worm test for the following reasons: 1. SAVE 20-50% on our stool test.
2. Save 50% or more on dewormers.
3. Extremely accurate test results!
4. Convenient, just mail to our laboratory.
5. Receive written results-you will know which OTC dewormers to use-save on dewormers!
6. Many worms of pets infect humans. If you have children, test each of your pets.