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First, you need to purchase some faecalysers
to do the test. Your vet should
sell them to you for about $3 each. The zinc sulfate solution is about $20 a
litre. Or you can take some ordinary cooking salt and make a saturated
solution, and then the cost is just the salt. This works very well, and as I do
hundreds of tests a year, a vet advised me to use it because I use so much and
don't charge for the tests.
Firstly, you take a small amount of faeces and a little salt solution. Crush
the faeces and stir well. Add the strainer and then top up the solution until
you have a convex on top. You must have that on the top.
Leave to stand for 5
minutes, so that the faeces settles, then place the slide on top, being careful
not to get too many bubbles. (Air bubbles come up like round black balls). The
reason I leave the faeces to stand for 5 minutes before placing the slide on
top is that it gives time for any blood or large matter in the faeces to
settle, which will make the slide easier to read. This is particularly helpful
when testing dark samples.
Place slide on top and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
Lift the slide, place the slide cover over the area you have just done. It is
easier to find coccidia under a 40x magnification than a 10x. (See photos).
Remember, coccidia must have a definite centre if not sporalating, and more if
sporalating.
Unsporalating oocysts have a round centre that looks like crystal glass.
Unsporalated oocysts are not infective. They have to go back into the ground
and be ingested before sporalating. The sporalated oocysts are those that have
come out of the ground and are ready to infect an animal.
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Coccidia 20x
Sporalated
from Red Kangaroo
Photo By Enid Latham
Coccidia 40x
Unsporalated
From Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Photo By Enid Latham
Coccidia 40x
Sporalated
From Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Photo By Enid Latham
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Click microscope photos to see enlarged view.
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Note
:
There have been 8 strains of Coccidia identified, which the Eastern Grey
Kangaroo can contract. Some range from extremely tiny and round in shape, to
egg shaped, or to oval "jelly bean" shaped. Whilst they may vary in shape and
size, all will have a definite outline.
We have found that the three smaller strains of Coccidia appear to be the most
deadly. Very small oocysts are extremely easy to miss. They may be partially
concealed behind other matter in the slide. You need to be very conscientious
and thorough in looking for Coccidia in faecal floats.
If you have ANY doubts or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. We
can check the samples to confirm your findings or can help with advice. If you
wish to send a sample to be tested, a pellet can be stored in the fridge in a
film canister, and placed in a sealed plastic bag. Stored in the fridge,
Coccidia can remain for 5 years. Samples sealed in a film canister can be
posted in a padded postage bag. Contact me on 02-68872102 for more information
and details on how to send in a sample.
