wormcount.com

Re: wormcount.com

Rob Loxley — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 12:44:57 GMT

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]How often do people see toxacara eggs on routine faecal samples?

[/quote]

Rarely (and most of those in pups), but it's rare that we'd send off a faecal sample without making sure the dog was well wormed already

Re: wormcount.com

Mark Holmes — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 13:45:07 GMT

How often do people see toxacara eggs on routine faecal samples?

Re: wormcount.com

Bob Russell — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 12:21:40 GMT

Vets should have been at the forefront of pushing faecal testing especially in farm and equine situations. Not sure I have an issue with regular worming in dogs. Toxocara is such a potential human health issue and lungworm such a mystery!

Not sure how reliable faecal testing is for toxocara and certainly their method seems likely to miss a high proportion of Angiostrongylus. I tend to be a little suspicious of a business that only takes cheques and PayPal. Neither require a lot of credit checks!

Re: wormcount.com

Dalya Livy — Mon, 23 Dec 2013 00:14:09 GMT

You do have a sensible point Michael, and I do agree when it comes to intestinal worms (puppies/kittens excepted).

Perhaps I am biased as i do see an unfortunate amount of lungworm (southern England, slightly to the west of London) and although no-one's died on me yet - knock on wood - some have been quite critically ill (spinal bleeds, brain bleeds etc). All my clinical cases have been dogs not on any prophylactics. My husband saw a young dog recently that developed pulmonary hypertension and R sided heart failure secondary to lungworm - almost died at the RVC - and the heart failure/hypertension have remained a permanent problem.

Maybe I should just let it go and chalk it up to having a cranky day. Or pregnancy hormones and a lack of Christmas spirit(s) ;)

Dalya

Re: wormcount.com

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 23:54:33 GMT

Dalya,

Look how the situation is with resistance in sheep nematodes. Perhaps there is merit in regular testing and only treating dogs infected with lungworm?

I suspect the vast majority of dogs are treated unnecessarily. Vets I speak to in infected areas tell me they see little clinical disease despite some clients not prophylactically treating their pets.

Re: wormcount.com

Dalya Livy — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 23:41:55 GMT

Thanks Robin, we are actually using the snap test for diagnosis of A.vasorum.

My problem is more with the fact that the lab is purveying incorrect information on prevention of A. vasorum - if I as a dog owner followed their advice, my dog would be left wide open to infection. In addition, there is a fair bit of "vets and their recommended preventatives are too expensive and not necessary" going on as you read through.

The lab deals directly with the public, so I imagine there will be some clients who will end up following their (incorrect) advice in a bid to save money and will sadly suffer the consequences.

Maybe I'm just becoming an old grump, but I get enough of clients moaning about vets' greediness, and I hate to see a company promoting itself as a "veterinary laboratory" skimming so close to that mark. AND recommending completely inadequate alternative diagnostic/treatment options.

I was trying to give them benefit of doubt - poor proofreading, poor choice of words etc - hence my question whether anyone has actually dealt with them. I have emailed them, so will see if they reply.

Dalya

Re: wormcount.com

Robin Grimmer — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 21:24:57 GMT

Idexx have a new Angiostrongylus blood antigen test. Supposed to be more accurate than faecal tests.

Re: wormcount.com

Michael Woodhouse — Sun, 22 Dec 2013 00:55:26 GMT

All a little odd. The address is a domestic house. Only a mobile phone number.

We do lots of sheep egg counts at the practice and once practised take very little time. We charge similar fees to the site.

Have you thought of doing them yourself?