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Discussion on Fecal exam
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Member:
Kari
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Posted on Tuesday, Dec 7, 2004 - 11:14 pm:
How old can a fecal sample be and still give a reliable reading? I have twelve head that are out 24/7 with no permanent stalling for each so obtaining samples for all within a short period is difficult. Also is there a preferred method to storing the samples until they can be delivered for examination? Also is there any benefit to simply taking random samplings from the herd for exam. All the horses have been together for an extended period with no other horses using the pasture.
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Member:
Ryle
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 8, 2004 - 12:46 pm:
Collection of the sample should be done within an hour of it being passed from the horse. If you are around and see the horses deficate, collect the sample and place it in air tight container (the disposable plastic bowls with lids work great) and refridgerate it. They can be stored for several days like this, but it's best to have the sample checked as soon after being passed as possible.
Be sure to put the horse's name and the date and time that the sample was collected on the container.
If the horses are all on the same pasture, then they are all exposed to the same parasites, so random sampling should give you a good indication of what parasites you need to treat for.
Also if you are sampling, it is a good idea to have a quantitative fecal exam done on a horse prior to deworming and then have another one done shortly after deworming to determine if you are getting a good response to your deworming treatment. Some areas are having problems with parasite resistance to some of the deworming agents, so the before and after samples help to determine if this is a concern for your horses.
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Moderator:
DrO
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Posted on Wednesday, Dec 8, 2004 - 10:43 pm:
It really depends on what is to be done. If a culture for bacteria is needed, I prefer a sample removed directly from the horse. If you are doing a float for parasites it will depend on the temperature but a sample less than 24 hours old should be suitable under almost any condition.
DrO
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