Fecal Exams in Grant Park, Atlanta, From Your Local Vet

Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Grant Park is a vet in Grant Park, Atlanta, that runs fecal exams to find worms and other gut parasites in dogs and cats. You bring a small, fresh stool sample, and the in-house lab looks for eggs and parasites under the microscope. Many results come back during the visit, so treatment can start the same day.

Call (470) 256-0274 or drop off a sample when you book.

What does a fecal exam find?

A fecal test looks for eggs, cysts and larvae from parasites that live in the gut, including:

• Roundworms and hookworms: very common in puppies and kittens, and both can infect people

• Whipworms: a dog parasite whose eggs last for years in soil

• Giardia: a one-celled parasite spread through water and stool that causes soft, smelly diarrhea

• Coccidia: a parasite that hits young pets hardest, often after a stay at a shelter or with a breeder

• Tapeworm segments: sometimes seen, though tapeworms are often easier to spot on the fur near the tail

Some tests also check for specific parasite proteins in the stool, which can find an infection even when no eggs are being shed that day. If a first test is negative but your pet still has signs, the vet may send a sample to an outside lab for a wider panel.

How often should my pet have a fecal exam?

• Puppies and kittens: two to four times in the first year, often at their vaccine visits

• Adult dogs and cats: at least once a year, usually at the wellness exam

• Pets with diarrhea, weight loss or a pot belly: right away

• New pets: at the first visit, even if they came with records

Pets who hunt, swim in creeks, eat grass or visit busy off-leash spots like South Bend or Walker Park may need testing more often.

Why test a pet who seems healthy?

Many pets with worms act completely normal while they spread eggs in the yard and the park. A heavy load can slowly cause weight loss, a dull coat or anemia before you notice anything. Testing finds them early, protects other dogs who share the same grass, and protects your family, since some worms can spread to children who play in soil. It also shows whether your pet's monthly prevention is doing its job.

Collecting a good sample

• Collect it within 12 hours of the visit. Fresher is better.

• A piece about the size of a sugar cube is plenty.

• Use a clean, sealed plastic bag or container. Turning a bag inside out over your hand works well.

• Keep it cool, in the fridge if you need to, but never frozen.

• For cats, scoop from the litter box. A little litter stuck to it is fine.

If you can't collect one, tell the team. The vet can sometimes get a small sample during the exam.

What happens if the test finds parasites?

The vet explains what was found and how your pet likely picked it up, then prescribes the right dewormer or medicine. Different parasites need different drugs. Giardia, for example, needs a medicine that regular dewormers don't contain. Many pets need a second dose and a recheck test in a few weeks. See deworming for more on doses and schedules.

You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit.

Cleaning up at home

Pick up stool from your yard every day, wash bedding, and wash hands after handling pets or soil. City of Atlanta park rules ask everyone to pick up after their pets, which keeps parasite eggs off shared grass for every dog that follows yours. Gentle, Fear Free care makes the exam itself easy.

When diarrhea is more than a parasite

Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital if your pet has a lot of blood in the stool, black stool, keeps vomiting or is very weak. MedVet Atlanta on Century Circle NE sees emergencies without an appointment.

Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Grant Park, or see all veterinary services in Grant Park.