Anybody do thier own chams Fecal Examinations?

[Escalade]

I called multiple vets and the only one that does lizard fecal examinations says I have to make an appointment with the doc and bring in my cham with the fecal, the appointment cost $120 and the fecal tests cost $80. So thats 200 bucks every time I need to get a test done.

Anyone buy their own equipment and do it themselves? I have the money for the appointment but if its something easy and the equipment pays for itself in the long run I rather just do it.

 

[Bernie]

Check online for test labs. Over here in the UK i send mine off and get the results emailed. Saves any vet trips and it's cheaper!

 

[Olimpia]

Wow what a robbery! Mine charges me $15 per chameleon, and doesn't require a visit unless they test positive for something.

You can, and it's easy. The bookstore here sells a book on how to identify what you see. Then several members recommended that I get this microscope: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0014YNGCK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3 As it's pretty good for the money. If you can get a better one then go for it, but this one works well.

 

[lindawaz]

Mine is the same as Olimpia's. For my Cham and beardies...

 

[tkilgour]

I feel your pain...I have vets around here w/ the same kind of prices and as Olimpia says "That is robbery." I used Kent's advice and invested in a book on parasites and bought a nice microscope off amazon for like $325.

I called multiple vets and the only one that does lizard fecal examinations says I have to make an appointment with the doc and bring in my cham with the fecal, the appointment cost $120 and the fecal tests cost $80. So thats 200 bucks every time I need to get a test done.

Anyone buy their own equipment and do it themselves? I have the money for the appointment but if its something easy and the equipment pays for itself in the long run I rather just do it.

 

[Dez]

I do my own fecals quite often having over 30+ chameleons

I have a celestron microscope for $160

http://www.amazon.com/Celestron-443...NGCK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1320360696&sr=8-4.

The reptile parasite book tell you how to do your own and it is not that hard. Hard part is identifying what type of parasite you may have. and then depending on what it is you may need a vet to confirm your findings and prescribe the proper wormer or meds.

 

[Escalade]

seems like I might just end up buying a microscope and the book seems easy enough to do myself but I'm going to try a couple more vets first (already went through about 10) maybe ill find a vet that does them for the appropriate price or try and find an online place where I can send them in

 

[Trace]

The reason the first appointment is so expensive is that the veterinarian can not prescribe medications to an animal that they have not seen. (At least here in Canada. I believe it is the same in the US) Any subsequent fecals will just be that - a fecal. You should be able to drop them off and have the tests done without the expensive visit and meds given if needed. All that said, $80 does seem a little high for a regular poo exam.

 

[Hoj]

ya u need a new vet lol , mine 25 for exam 10 for fecal,

 

[Escalade]

ya u need a new vet lol , mine 25 for exam 10 for fecal,

wow thats a deal n a half

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Making slides of fecals is pretty easy. Knowing what you're looking for is not. And after you find what you're looking for knowing whether or not it is a concern is also a problem. As is knowing what drug is needed. But the biggest problem with the plan is that no vet will ever prescribe a medication based on your home interpretation of a fecal exam, and even more especially without ever seeing the animal first. It's against their medical license to prescribe medication to an animal they don't have a relationship with or that they don't have trusted test results (from a lab or their clinic).

There's nothing wrong with getting a microscope and doing fecals yourself! I think it's really interesting, and maybe in time you can develop a relationship with your vet so the process is much easier. But the bottom line is you'll need a vet. But $80 for a fecal is absurd so keep shopping around!

 

[Texas Ranger]

I do my owen I got the $124 kit here
http://www.maggidans.com/fecal_test_kit.htm
and more float kits and slides from amazon
And this chart http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Parasitechart.html
Hope this helps you can even get meds from the www.beautifuldragons.com web site
and if I ever have somthing I dont know what it is I ask a vet and take a pic and send it to them with this
Digital Microscope Eyepiece Camera by Premiere $64.99

 

[SilverDragoness]

Yup, most veterinarians require a veterinary client patient relationship it's typically the law. No vet is going to risk losing their license to just prescribe medication to someone. It does take a significant amount of time and money to go to vet school. As in thousands and thousands of dollars.

 

[jannb]

If I did my own fecals I'd have to have my vet look at it anyway to make sure nothing was there or to tell me what parasite I'm seeing and get him to give me the proper meds for the parasite.

Since I would need my vet anyway I just allow him to do the fecals. To me it's a small price to pay to have it done by a professional.

 

[tkilgour]

Once you have more chameleons you will find it isn't practical or economical to haul all your animals to the vet for fecals. All the stress from the drive, the strange vet techs and Dr.'s holding your animals is a lot of stress on a chameleon. Due to the amount of animals I have, the vet will just come to my facility and prescribe the meds as needed. She will take a look at my fecals to confirm and give meds as needed. However, I have a nice stock pile of meds now. So basically, I just re-up if they expire.

Still I believe it is very beneficial for you to learn from the books the vets use. Just invest in a microscope and get several books on reptile parasites. You will quickly learn what to look for. Float kits and slideds are cheap. I believe it is an invaluable lesson to learn, when keeping many reptiles.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

It does take a significant amount of time and money to go to vet school. As in thousands and thousands of dollars.

....and thousands and thousands and thousands... average new grad vet student loan debt is over $130,000 in a 2010 study. Costly 4 years!

 

[Olimpia]

I'd also (if I ever manage to invest in a microscope) do my own fecals, since I have experience doing them and in microbiology, and then pay the $15 to have a specific animal retested professionally if I think there is something worrisome. It's better than paying the $15 x 5-6 chameleons and have only one of them actually show something. If you can do it yourself it's interesting and it could save you a lot of money on multiple animals.

Now that I'm thinning down the herd it's not such a big deal. Paying $30-45 for fecals, but when I had 6 I really wanted to get a microscope.

 

[Txherp]

I do my owen I got the $124 kit here
http://www.maggidans.com/fecal_test_kit.htm
and more float kits and slides from amazon
And this chart http://www.beautifuldragons.com/Parasitechart.html
Hope this helps you can even get meds from the www.beautifuldragons.com web site
and if I ever have somthing I dont know what it is I ask a vet and take a pic and send it to them with this
Digital Microscope Eyepiece Camera by Premiere $64.99

Whoa, that website is great! I don't understand how they are selling that stuff without a prescription but I might have to purchase some. I do turtle rescue and that stuff comes in handy.

 

[ChromaChameleons]

Check the parking lot at the vet clinic. If the vet's reserved parking space has a mercedes or bentley parked in that spot , then go find another vet....LOL

 

[JackP308]

Check the parking lot at the vet clinic. If the vet's reserved parking space has a mercedes or bentley parked in that spot , then go find another vet....LOL

So funny but true

my local vet/ animal clinic has 2 beamers in the lot most of the time and dates all his secretaries that are 18. Not to mention he's old enough to be my grandpa.