Doing Fecal Floats at Home

[Leihamarie]

Good for you! If your future plans include going to the UPA convention Sep 7-9 I am going to be giving a fecal workshop on that Saturday morning. This is a 'hands-on' workshop and you are encouraged to bring your equipment and you will be taught how to prepare the specimen slides and how to read the results.

Where is this UPA convention?!?! If I can go I will!!!!! Is there a link???

 

[KsKingBee]

Cookeville, Tn. Yes, at the UPA web site. Anyone know Loretta Smiths BYC handle?

 

[Ravynscroft]

Cookeville, Tn. Yes, at the UPA web site. Anyone know Loretta Smiths BYC handle?

You're gonna be close to my neck of the woods in Sept???

 

[KsKingBee]

You're gonna be close to my neck of the woods in Sept???

That's right! Come to the convention and we can play in the poo!

 

[Ravynscroft]

That's right! Come to the convention and we can play in the poo!

I wish I had the equipment! I would so be there!!

 

[Leihamarie]

Rats!!!! I'm all the way in San Diego and won't be able to make it!

 

[KsKingBee]

I wish I had the equipment! I would so be there!!

Equipment is not necessary, you can still learn and enjoy the rest of the convention too. Starts Thursday, auction at Triple W on Friday and all day on Saturday back at the convention site. http://unitedpeafowlassociation.org/

 

[Ravynscroft]

Equipment is not necessary, you can still learn and enjoy the rest of the convention too. Starts Thursday, auction at Triple W on Friday and all day on Saturday back at the convention site. http://unitedpeafowlassociation.org/

Not sure we can afford the fees, but really wish I could go...

 

[WestKnollAmy]

Congrats on the microscope purchase! Easy to do. Parasitology was my favorite as a vet tech, though I ran the entire lab, as well as being head tech, office manager and ran the adjoining boarding kennel. Almost 20 years and I finally burned out but carry the experience with me here on the farm. Monthly fecals are the West Knoll way!

 

[Leihamarie]

Well, I ran my first few fecals and I'm addicted, LOL!!! I'm trying all the different methods (ie: Direct Smear, McMaster, float by centrifuge) and so far McMaster has been the winner but that's mainly because my grid reticle won't be here for about another week. Oh! Tomorrow I'm also gonna try a fecal gram stain, cause... why not?!?

I have to figure out the 14mp camera on the microscope and I'll contribute to the image gallery. I'm still a newbie at differentiating between parisite eggs and everything else, hahaha. I did a McMaster coccidia (or... what I thought was coccidia) count on one of my Pullets tonight and according to the formula for EPG, she's got 7500 coccidia EPG. I'm pretty sure she'd be dead if that were the case since anything over 1000 EPG is a severe infection, requiring immediate treatment. I'm sure I'll get better with practice. The centrifuge/ meniscus float is still eluding me for some reason.

So... that's how I've spent my Friday night Totally normal, right???