How To Do Your Own Fecal Test

I have a small hobby herd of nine goats.  Fecal tests are done to check for worms and to see if they need to be treated.  It is never recommended to randomly deworm goats as worms have become resistant to a lot of the medications that we have to use.  To have a test done for me it costs at least $20.00 so I decided it would be worth the cost to buy my own supplies and learn how to do them myself.

Basic Supplies That Are Needed:

1.  A microscope...I bought an AmScope M150C-1 40X-1000X and it works well enough for what I need it to do.  I bought it here:
My Microscope

2.  McMaster Slide.  This slide has grids to make counting so much easier.  I bought mine with a kit but you can buy single slides.  Just do a search.  Here is what they look like.
McMaster Slide

3.  A Dropper.

4.  A book or manual so you can understand what you are looking at.  I have two different ones along with some I printed from the internet to use as a reference.

The first book I bought as a kit but you can buy just the book.  It is very helpful.  It is called Know Thine Enemy DIY Fecal Testing by Maggie Leman.  The book is $7.95 and well worth it.  Maggie's Book and Kit

And lastly I bought this book:
Veterinary Parasitology: Reference Manual Fifth Edition.  I bought mine used.

There is also a group on FB called Animal Fecal Microscopy that can help you to understand what you are looking at.


5.  Fecal Float Solutions
You have two choices.  A salt solution or a sugar solution.  I started out making my own using Epsom salt.  Then I asked my dog vet to order a gallon of the sugar solution.  I like the sugar solution much better.  I find it much clearer when viewing.

6.  A Digital Scale
I bought this one:  Scale

7.  A Small Strainer
I bought this one: Strainer

8.  Plastic Cups which can be found in any grocery store or dollar store.

9.  Popsicle sticks

10.  Plastic gloves and/or baggies to collect your samples




Now that you have the supplies it's time to get to work.  First you need some samples.  You can do what I do and wait for your goat to poop on their own.  So if you ever see me running around behind a goat with a plastic baggie you know what I am doing, lol.

Or you can take the more professional route and collect them when you need them.   I'll share a link below for that.


Let's get to work:

How to Do A Fecal Test

Use two plastic cups

Collect 2 grams pellets

Add 28ml solution, mix with a popsicle stick and soak for 5 minutes

Mix again, break up the poop as much as you can, and strain.  Get rid of solids and use the liquid for the test.

Fill both McMaster Chambers.  Start over if there are any air bubbles.

Let sit for 5 minutes and up to 1 hour

Bring grid lines into focus using the coarse knob on low power(4x)

Turn on the 10x and refocus with fine knob

Count eggs in both chambers and multiply by 50 which is the EPG(eggs per gram)

0-200 eggs--do not deworm

200-500 eggs--watch

500-1000 eggs--check eyes and watch closely

1000+ eggs--always deworm

Coccidia counts

1500 in a weakened state treat

3000 treat

That's all there is to it.  You will be able to count and see worm eggs and also coccidia which is very important to see and treat in young goats, usually 3 weeks to 5 months old, who are highly susceptible to Coccidiosis.  Coccidiosis is caused by microscopic protozoan parasites called coccidia.  They are not a worm and need to be treated with a different medication.



Very helpful link with directions and step by step pictures:
How To Explained With Pictures



I would also recommend joining some of the goat groups on Facebook.  There is a world of knowledge of very experienced goat people in those groups.  There are also charts in their files for worming medications, Coccidiosis medications and also the dosages....and so much more.


Some of the groups I think are very good are Successful Goating With Rosie, Backyard Pygmy and Nigerian Dwarf Goats, Goat Tips and Tricks and Nigerian Dwarf Goats.


That is how I do my fecal tests.  I will leave the rest up to you on how to treat and what to use.  It is different in different areas.  Do your research and don't deworm on any schedule.  Only worm as needed and treat for the correct worms.



And now back to my normal stories:)  Next Monday I will take you back to January 2019:)  I'm catching up:)