You Want a Sample of What??!!

Shannon Pecora

Stream Valley Veterinary Hospital

            When “nature calls” for our pets, most of us are quite happy to scoop out the litter box, pick up the yard, or clean out the cage, sending all of those little “presents” straight to the garbage without a second thought.  You may not think of pet waste as a diagnostic tool, but to your veterinarian, the mess that you’d rather ignore can tell quite a story about an animal’s health.

            While it’s obvious that blood tests can help screen for certain illnesses or monitor the functions of internal organs, urine and stool tests often help supplement that lab work.  Sometimes, urinalyses and fecal exams are even more important than blood work.  For instance, the ova—or eggs—of some intestinal parasites or cells from bacterial overgrowth are generally microscopically visible in samples of a pet’s stool.  And here’s a fun fact: parasites like hookworms and tapeworms are transmissible to people as well as other pets!  Therefore, fecal exams are recommended on at least a yearly basis, and more often if a pet exhibits signs of infestation, such as diarrhea or bloody stool.  Of course, you should keep litter boxes, cages, and yards clean and wash your hands after performing such chores to help prevent the spread of parasites among all your family members.

            Stool samples are relatively easy, though not exactly fun, to collect, but urine can be a little trickier.  You may have to put wax paper in a cage bottom, fill a litter box with plastic No-Sorb beads, or follow a pet around the yard with a tray.  Or, your vet may have to perform a cystocentesis, meaning that a needle is inserted directly into the bladder in order to obtain a sterile sample.  It isn’t glamorous, but if you notice changes in drinking or urination habits, if your pet appears unusually lethargic, or if you see any other out-of-the-ordinary signs, a urinalysis may be in order.  From urinary tract infections to diabetes, from bladder stones to renal failure, many diagnoses and subsequent treatments depend on the results of a urine screening.

            Toting that full plastic baggie or old Tupperware container all the way to an office visit may not be the brightest spot in anyone’s day, but passing those samples on to your vet can be just as helpful as it is distasteful.  Since pets are patients who can’t quite speak for themselves, a little bit of investigative lab work helps uncover problems and maintain health.  As an added bonus, picking up waste can keep our communities clean, so both our neighbors and our pets are happy!

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