Posted by:
Kelly_Haller
at Sun Nov 21 14:56:20 2004 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Kelly_Haller ]
There are several fixatives used for the preservation of fecal samples, (polyvinyl alcohol, formalin, etc.), but these are obviously not readily available unless you have them on hand in anticipation of fixing a sample. Aside from this, the sample can be refrigerated in a small plastic bag for probably up to 24 hours at the most before examination, although even cooled in this manner, degradation will start within a few hours. Ideally, unless chemically fixed, the sample should be examined as soon as possible within those first few hours. The best way is if you think you may be taking a sample in to a vet in the future, ask them in advance for a laboratory fecal sampling container that has the fixative already in it. This will preserve the sample for days or weeks and allow you the time to get it to the vet without compromising the sample.
Kelly
[ Show Entire Thread ]
|
