| Indications for performing this test: This simple procedure is used for rapid analysis of feces in a clinical setting. Though it is not as sensitive as a fecal flotation, heavy infestations will be detected by this method. For some parasites, this is the preferred method of collection. An example is Pentatrichomonas hominis, which is thought to contribute to chronic diarrhea in cats. |
What a fecal smear would
look like. |
The Procedure: For this test, a sample of
feces is mixed with saline to form a slurry. A drop of this mixture is placed on a
glass slide with a coverslip and examined under the microscope. The advantages of
this analysis are that it is simple and quick and that it requires little in the way of extra
equipment. The disadvantages are that it is insensitive and the slide will be
contaminated with a lot of debris.
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All the necessities for a fecal smear |
