Marie2020
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- May 12, 2020
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What a vast amount of information. Thank youDIY Fecal Floats
This is a draft of what I have decided will be an article. But you all asked first and I wanted to respond and get your thoughts. I have written a lot of laboratory procedures in my career and wanted to be as detailed here for you. I really want your feedback before I post an article. Along with the article I am going to video myself doing a fecal float so that you can see what I am telling you to do. So here is draft #1 complete with links to amazon to purchase the equipment I am referencing.
When I set up last year to do my own fecal floats, this is what I purchased.
Your own fecal floats, the equipment:
My microscope is currently $209.99 but you will need slides and coverslips so I would consider the ~$14 for slides and coverslips. I paid $256 for mine last year. The price has come down.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0094JTZOU/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Simple pipettes to transfer fluids currently $4.99 for 50
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07NMBJPCV/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
VetLine fecal float solution currently $19.70 for 500 ml (see note below)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07T22WYY4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Test tube rack currently $4.50
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XL3VX5V/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I got beakers because they were $7.99 and I wanted a lab. You could use other glass containers
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01F47B8AO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
You will need test tubes with lids. These are currently $9.99.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07L67THGL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
So for around $270 (with beakers) you will have the equipment needed to do your own fecal floats.
Note: You can make your own Fecal Float solution using either sugar or salt. The principle is to make a solution in which the eggs and parasites will be lighter and “float” to the top. Here are some recipes if you wish to save a few dollars.
Saturated sugar is prepared by dissolving a pound (454 grams) of sugar in 1 1/2 cups (355 ml) of water, and saturated salt takes a pound (454 grams) of salt in 4 4/5 cups (1140 ml) of water. If there are undissolved granules left in the bottom of the liquid, pour off the saturated liquid into a new container.
I have considered a power vortexer, you will see why when you do your first one. They are very handy in the lab. There is a cheap version for sale on Amazon for mixing tattoo ink at $35. I haven’t had the guts to try it, the scientific ones run closer to $100.
I use inoculating loops to gather my specimen but you can use a chopstick or if it is liquid enough one of your pipettes to gather specimen. Inoculating loops are $7.99 for 20.
https://www.amazon.com/Scientific-Labwares-Disposable-Inoculating-Polystyrene/dp/B07JJFR7GC/ref=sr_1_30_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=microbiology+loop&qid=1618416453&s=industrial&sr=1-30-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzTFIzTkhYN1E2UVpGJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMzUxNzA0MVgxNTRFUkk5SEdOJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAwMzMyNzMzSjIxOFFTSjRTNEpHJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYnRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ&th=1
If you want to do an actual count of the eggs present, then you will need a McMaster slide to have a measured chamber. I am not interested in counts, just presence so I have not purchased a counting slide. Besides you have to clean them after each use. I do a rough count utilizing the magnification that I don’t see the need to be cleaning a slide.
https://www.amazon.com/Microscope-Eggzamin-Parasites-Veterinary-Management/dp/B01MY5WRSM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=27TNP92BE0EFW&dchild=1&keywords=mcmaster+egg+counting+slide&qid=1618415994&s=industrial&sprefix=mcmaster,industrial,194&sr=1-1
Fecal Floats: The Procedure
You need to set up your microscope and have a nice work area prepared. Try to work on a glass table or get a rubber matt. I like a rubber or vinyl matt with a little lip so that any potential spill is contained. You don’t want this stuff all over your dining room table.
Make certain you have a trash receptacle handy so you can safely discard pipettes, loops, etc. as you are working so that you do not have to keep getting up and down. I use an old coffee can. (Are they still cans now that they are plastic?)
Labeling is very important in any testing. If you are going to do samples from multiple birds at once be sure to label the specimens and the test tubes appropriately. I use a sharpie to write directly on the test tube (why not you already have everything out). Always label everything before you get started so you don’t have to stop and label risking spillage. Be sure to label your slide as well so you can keep the specimens straight when you move to viewing them under the microscope.
The Float Test
- Uncap and fill your test tube ¼ way up with float solution. I pour some into a beaker and use a pipette to fill the test tube. Place it in your test tube rack.
- Gather some of your fecal sample either by using a loop or chopstick and place it into the test tube.
- Agitate the loop or chopstick to dissolve the feces in the solution. It takes a lot of agitation to dissolve it well. If everything is off your loop or chopstick you can recap your test tube and shake it to help everything to dissolve. (This is where a vortexer would be handy)
- Once you have your feces dissolved, fill up the test tube to the very top with float solution. You want the meniscus to be extending up slightly above the top of the test tube. This will enable your cover slip to have full contact with the liquid in the test tube.
- Place a microscope cover slip over the top. There should be no air between the coverslip and the liquid. (If you are going to us a McMaster’s chamber do not place a cover slip on top.)
- Time 20-30 minutes. The more time you give the more things can float up and adhere to the coverslip. [This brings up an important concept. In general, you should be looking for gross infection. If 1 or 2 coccidia wind up being present I want you to think hard about whether you want to treat or not.]
- Carefully remove the cover slip and place it on a microscope slide with the sample sandwiched between both pieces of glass. If you are doing a McMaster’s count, draw up the liquid on top of the test tube into a pipette. You will charge the McMaster’s chamber by using capillary action. Slowly dispense the fluid along the edge of the chamber. Capillary action will draw the liquid into the chamber. Once the chamber is full, stop dispensing liquid.
- Examine the specimen for worm eggs and coccidia oocysts. Start with your lowest power (should be 40x). You can move up to 100x or even 400x if you see something interesting.
- The magnification of your microscope is determined by multiplying the power of your eyepiece times the power of your lens. The standard eyepiece of the microscope above is 10x (It does come with 20x eyepieces as well). Using the standard 10x eyepiece with the lowest magnification lens which is 4x gives you 10 x 4 = 40x. The next highest magnification lens is 10x and gives you 10 x 10 = 100x
Calculating Eggs per Slide
If you are not using the McMaster’s chamber to do a count you can use the following to calculate the “eggs per slide”.
Based upon the power of the magnification you are using you can extrapolate the total count per slide without having to count the entire slide.
You should count multiple portions of the slide and average your counts out before calculating.
- At 40x (low power) 4-8 eggs per view = 100-200 eggs per slide
- At 100x 1-2 eggs per view = 100-200 eggs per slide
With the McMaster’s chamber, count the contents of all chambers and multiply by 50.
What am I Counting/Looking at?
I am now going to try and explain to you what I spent $12,000 for back in the 80s as they say overseas “at University”. This is the hardest part of the process but you can get there with a good reference chart. I am going to include detailed pictures of the three most common eggs here.
For size comparison here are the primary eggs/oocysts which you will see.
View attachment 2616393
This table gives you a picture of many of the items you may see.
View attachment 2616487View attachment 2616488View attachment 2616488
I am going to now go into detail on some of the common organisms which you will find.
Coccidia
This is the first thing for which most people are looking when they do a fecal float. Coccidiosis is caused by Eimeria species. Some things to remember about Coccidiosis. It is normally most problematic in immunologically naïve chickens or chickens that are stressed or crowded. Additionally, chickens develop protective immunity over time. Most specifically with this parasite, there really should be symptoms in your chicken before you treat even if you see them in the fecal float. You should not just treat for Coccidiosis on the basis of the presence of Eimeria eggs in a fecal float.
Here is an example of a Eimeria oocyst.
View attachment 2616484
Ascarids (round worm)
The presence of any ascarid eggs should result in treatment. These are large roundworms that can eventually fill the intestinal tract of any chicken. Here is an example of Ascarid eggs.
View attachment 2616483
Crop Capillariasis (thread worm)
Crop capillariasis is a frequent cause of respiratory distress in quail and can be found in chickens. Capillaria contorta is a thread-like worm found in the oral cavity, crop, and esophagus of affected chickens. Affected birds may be observed open-mouth breathing and gasping for air. Here is an example of a Capillaria egg.
View attachment 2616485
Tapeworm
It would be very uncommon to see a tapeworm segment on a fecal float but it can happen. If you do see one you will want to treat. Here is an example of a Tapeworm proglottid.
View attachment 2616486
What is not an Egg?
There can be a lot of debris present in a fecal float. The more time you wait, the more debris will sink away from you cover slip. Still, you do not want to confuse the following with eggs or oocysts.
Air Bubble
You should drop your coverslip by placing one side of the coverslip on the slide and then letting it fall like a tree in the forest. This should help limit air bubbles, but you could still get them. This is not an egg.
View attachment 2616489
Pollen and Seeds
You will, depending on the season wind up with pollen and seeds in your specimen. These are not eggs.
View attachment 2616491
Fungal Cells
You can get fungal cells that look a lot like oocysts. They will usually only have one cap, not two. These are not eggs.
View attachment 2616490
Plants
You will most definitely find microscopic plants in your specimens. Look closely at these examples to see what is not an egg.
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