Prevention Through Testing In order to test for intestinal parasites, your veterinarian will need a stool sample from your pet. In order to test for heartworms, your veterinarian will need a small blood sample from your pet. Normally, the testing takes no longer than fifteen minutes and produces immediate results.
What is needed for a heartworm test?
There are few, if any, early signs of disease when a dog, cat or ferret is infected with heartworms, so detecting their presence with a heartworm test administered by a veterinarian is important. The test requires just a small blood sample from your pet, and it works by detecting the presence of heartworm proteins.
Is a fecal test the same as a heartworm test?
A heartworm test is performed using a small blood sample and an intestinal parasite test is performed using a small stool sample. A heartworm test will detect adult heartworms and an intestinal parasite test is primarily testing for eggs (ova) of roundworms, hookworms, and whipworms.
Can heartworm be detected in stool?
Myth #3: If my pet has heartworms, I will see them in her feces. Although many worm types, such as roundworms and tiny hookworms, are shed in your pet's feces, heartworms do not live in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and are not found in feces.
Is fecal testing necessary for dogs?
How often does my pet need a fecal? Our vets recommend that all dogs and cats be tested for parasites at least once a year. Puppies, kittens and animals with gastrointestinal issues may require more frequent fecal exams. Ask your vet how frequently you should bring in your pet's stool sample for testing.
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