Why do a fecal test?
Intestinal parasites are very common among dogs and outdoor cats in this area due to the abundance of wildlife. Parasites are acquired by digging in the soil, hunting rodents/rabbits/birds, finding something dead outside, etc. Many parasites that infest our animals can also be transmitted to people, with potentially devastating consequences. Most parasites are easily treated with various medications. We recommend most dogs be on a monthly worming pill (to protect against heartworm, roundworm, hookworm, and tapeworm) and checking a stool sample once a year to look for giardia, coccidia, and whipworms. For outdoor cats, we recommend yearly stool sample checks and applying topical wormer to the skin behind the ears every 2-12 months as needed, depending on how frequently they hunt.
