# Can I do my own goat fecal (worm) tests?



## lil'turkeyma (Dec 26, 2011)

I have a very nice microscope and do some of the horses and dogs sometimes.I wonder about doing the goats'.Can I do it with good results?Is it to different from the others?I would love to hear from anyone that does know one way or the other.Thanks


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## autumnprairie (Dec 26, 2011)

lil'turkeyma said:
			
		

> I have a very nice microscope and do some of the horses and dogs sometimes.I wonder about doing the goats'.Can I do it with good results?Is it to different from the others?I would love to hear from anyone that does know one way or the other.Thanks


If you are already doing your dogs and horses I don't see why you couldn't do your goats too. I would want to make sure I had a clear slide or pictures of what you need to look for and what the field % on the slide need to be so you would know what your goats worm load is.
I am wanting to do the same thing.


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## ksalvagno (Dec 27, 2011)

Sure you can. Maybe the first couple of times do it yourself and also take a fecal into the vet and see if you both see the same thing.


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## redtailgal (Dec 27, 2011)

I just got a microscope, with digital camera features.

I am waiting for slides and slips to come now.  

Then I will be practicing.  Are you pretty good at identifying the eggs?  Maybe we could work as a team and make an educational page, I could take pics of the slides and make a pictoral guide to worm eggs (what worms I can get pics of anyway)

Whadya say?  Wanna play in the poop with me?


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## autumnprairie (Dec 27, 2011)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> I just got a microscope, with digital camera features.
> 
> I am waiting for slides and slips to come now.
> 
> ...


I do, I do!

practice on the easier one like round worm and such with dogs and cats

giardia looks like balloons with eyes and a string


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## redtailgal (Dec 27, 2011)

lilturkeyma didnt realize that she was gonna start a poop revolution!


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## jodief100 (Dec 27, 2011)

No reason you can't.  Just get some experience and some good reference pics to start with.  Heck, a microscope is on the list of items Kentucky will do cost share with us on the "Goat and Sheep Producers" plan.  

My vet says you can't differentiate between the strongyle types without waiting for them to hatch but, since 90% are barberpole worm if you see stronglyes, just assume it is the DEVIL WORM


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## currycomb (Dec 27, 2011)

went to a seminar put on by our extension office and southern illinois university. they showed us how to make a cheap floatation suspension, smush up the goat berries and soak, then drain using cheese cloth, and had a chart for us to keep of the worm eggs. so basically i can do my own fecals now.(had a few barber pole worms, not much of anything else in 2 samples, so guess the worming program is working for us)


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## treeclimber233 (Dec 28, 2011)

Can I play too??  I just got a microscope too.  My husband (not a farmer type) told his family during dinner out at a resturant that I wanted to look at sh*t with my microscope.  His family is not the farmer type either.  All city raised folk there.  They used to just think I am crazy.  Now they are sure.... Are there pictures I can see so I will know what I am looking at/for.


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## redtailgal (Dec 28, 2011)

course you can play!

Welcome to the poop party!


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## autumnprairie (Dec 28, 2011)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> course you can play!
> 
> Welcome to the poop party!


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## vegaburm (Jun 5, 2012)

I like the pictures here. http://www.fiascofarm.com/goats/fecals.htm#eggphotos I need to start this too. Looking at microscopes and supplies today.


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## dwbonfire (Aug 31, 2012)

id like to revive this thread and ask what kind of microscope yall are working with? RTG i dont know if i dreamed i asked you this, or if i really did so i appologize if you've already told me the one you have  but i just remember reading about you looking at your goats samples and id like to do this as well. im thinking a microscope could be my bday present!! (next month- yeahh!!) i used to read slides when i worked at a clinic so ive got a good idea how to go about it. just want to make sure i get a good scope!! thanks!


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