# Doing my own fecals?



## DJboston (Oct 25, 2008)

I'm sure this has been answered before, but say I wanted to do my own fecal exams, are there any web pages or books with pictures of parasites that are specific problems to dart frogs? Or any source of reference.

I have a great parasite book in my office at work for monkeys, but a little lost for Dart Frogs, but I'd love to learn!

I am a vet tech and primate enrichment and training specialist. I do a lot of stuff that veterinarians do as well including sutures, amputations, euthanasia, and anesthesia on monkeys and other simple small animals. I also do fecal exams nearly every week and have really good eyes. I've saved a few study dogs this way from certain worms and parasites. 

Anyway, I don't need to be doing fecal exams tomorrow by any means, but I would like to learn to do them for my own frogs. I'm looking on craigslist for a powerful microscope from maybe a closed down school or college that I can use or get for a cheap price.

So any help would be appreciated, or maybe point me in the right direction. I will try a few forums searches on the subject as well.

Thanks in advance!
DJ


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## Freeradical53 (Jan 25, 2008)

Have you googled it? YouTube?


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## Freeradical53 (Jan 25, 2008)

Here's a site.. How to do Fecal Exams - Frog Forum


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## Pumilo (Sep 4, 2010)

Sorry in advance, but I just can't help it! 

Doing your own fecals is weird. Just take your temp and have some chicken noodle soup!
Doug


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## DJboston (Oct 25, 2008)

I walked right into that one! haha!

Thanks for the link by the way! I can do fecals, just want to be sure what I'm looking for and at what magnification they're at.


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## jaree2 (Apr 1, 2008)

I think you could probably handle it since you have experience with doing fecals on other species. There are a few resources available with relatively good illustrations for identifying parasites as well. If you are familiar with identifying the genera in other species there is some overlap in at least recognizing the presence of parasite eggs. Often, the identification of anything more specific is not entirely necessary since most people will treat with fenbendazole due to its relatively wide safety index and broad spectrum of activity. 

The biggest issue with doing you own fecals, however, is the fact that you can miss an awful lot by not using a centrifuge. Passive floats can work, but using a centrifuge great increases your sensitivity, so if you have one available at your place of work, I'd make use of it, especially if you'll use it to check frogs that you are selling. Another important point is to make sure you collect the fecal in a 'clean' environment (i.e. off a paper towel in quarantine or a very fresh sample from you vivarium), as you'll find a crazy amount of soil-dwelling nematodes and other confusing things otherwise. You'll still find that there are a lot of interesting looking non-parasitic structures in frog poop, especially bits and pieces of fruit flies. Best of luck, I think your best friends in this endeavor are a good picture reference, looking at as many as you can, and a centrifuge if you can secure use of one.


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## DJboston (Oct 25, 2008)

Thanks for the advice. Yes I do have a centerfuge at work and I use it when doing fecals obviously. I have plenty of the solution used to dillute the poo. 

I just don't know that I have access to the lab constantly and can't go in there on lunch breaks whenever I want.

I was thinking of finding a centerfuge on my own that's used. I'm sure I can find one just like the microscope.

I am very familiar with distinguishing between eggs and just specs of debris. 

This would be a nice service to offer here for cheap after a few years of practice. I'm sure there are people more than qualified already though. This isn't something I would think of as a business of course. I'm talking 5 years down the line of doing my own frogs...then maybe I'll offer my time. Not even worth mentioning anyway at this point. I just would really love to be able to do the exams and treat my own collection. Basically to be more self sufficient. I have an awesome portable hood used for doing work under for needing clean air. It was getting thrown away at my work because of lack of use and space, so I came back later and snagged it! lol


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