>>The fresher the fecal sample the better! I have had unrefrigerated samples last up to a day before witnesing bacterium began attacking its contents. Refrigeration is the best methode though. I currently work for a veterinary clinic and based on my experience I can say that it would be advisable to avoid using chemical preservatives because it may interfear with the specific gravity of the floatation mediums used by some veterinarians. For best results, refrigerate (not freez) the sample and try to get it in to the vet office within 48 hours. As for a good book I heavily reccomend "reptile medicine & surgery" by Douglas R. Mader, Geoff Stein. It is an excellent book even for individuals with limited medical knowlege. Mader is a highly renound reptile specialist and comes with high reccomendation! Hope this helps!



Quote:".... and based on my experience I can say that it would be advisable to avoid using chemical preservatives because it may interfear with the specific gravity of the floatation mediums used by some veterinarians."



This is simply not the case when the proper preservatives are used correctly. The use of 10% buffered Formalin, Zinc Sulfate PVA, and Sodium Acetate Formalin are widely used and accepted methods of preserving fecal samples for flotation and direct smear evaluation. In the past Mercuric Chloride PVA was also used but it has been discontinued because of possible environmental impact. As long as the flotation medium (Fecasol or equivalent) has a specific gravity such that the heavier fecal matter will not float and the lighter parasite ova and oocysts will float, then it should work fine. If you did have a situation where a sample failed differential flotation because the specific gravity was incorrect, you can simply centrifuge that specimen.



It is true that refrigeration is the best method of preservation for the short term, up to a maximum of about 24 hours or so. You are also correct in that samples should never be frozen. Freezing will cause parasite ova and oocysts to rupture, rendering them unidentifiable. The same applies to tissue samples collected for cytology, or any deceased whole animal intended for necropsy.





I agree that Mader's book is a good veterinary reference, however Klingenberg's book was recommended because of the detail he goes into (in plain English) explaining the life-cycles and infection routes of the various parasites found in reptiles. Plus..it's much cheaper than Mader's book. I have several books on Parasitology (I even still have some textbooks from college) that would be much better than either Mader's or Klingenberg's books for detailed study of Parasitology, but the layman would not be able to make any sense of them at all.


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We do not inherit the Earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children. Ralph Waldo Emerson

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