What causes fecal occult blood?
There are many causes for occult blood in the stool, but some of the more common causes include dental disease, internal parasites, ulcers, foreign bodies, bowel inflammation, and tumors. What sample is required? A small amount of fresh stool material is all that is needed. The veterinarian or veterinary technician may collect stool material directly from the dog’s rectum using a gloved finger, or the dog owner may be asked to provide a sample of fresh stool from the pet. Ideally, the stool sample should be no more than 24 hours old. How does the test work? Blood contains a substance called hemoglobin. When a stool sample containing blood is placed on a special testing material, the chemical activity of hemoglobin causes a visible color change in the testing material. This color change signals the presence of blood. Does the test always work? The fecal occult test is a simple test, and may give false negative or false positive results in certain situations. The test may fail if blood i
