Detection of Parasitic Infections by Fecal Examination
The commonly occuring intestinal parasitic infections of cats, dogs, and other animals including
people are efficiently detected by microscopic examination of fecal samples. In our laboratory at
the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine parasitic infections in companion
animals and domestic livestock are detected by fecal examination. The use of these methods is
determined by (1) the parasitic species we hope to identify in the sample and (2) the host species
from which the fecal sample originated. In this document we provide a discussion and review of
our fecal examination methods. It is our hope that this information will encourage wide-spread
adoption of the best practices for detecting parasitic infections in client-owned animals.