Flashcards in Coprology Deck (47)
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1
Define coprology
study of faeces
2
Define diarrhoea
excessive and frequent evacuation of watery faeces
3
Define constipation
difficult, incomplete or infrequent bowel movements
4
Define steatorrhoea
excessive fat in faeces
5
Define melena
dark stool containing blood from upper GI tract
6
Define colitis
inflammation of the colon
7
Define haemtochezia
stool containing red blood (from lower GI tract)
8
Define faecal occult blood
hidden blood in the stool sample
9
Define meconium
first faeces from a neonate;
dark, tar-like and can be green in appearance
10
Name reasons for a faecal exam
diarrhoea
suspected endo-parasite infestation
suspected digestion impairment or metabolic disorder
melena (black faeces) / haematochezia (red blood in faeces)
suspected bacterial infection
abdominal pain
constipation
11
Describe patient preparation for faecal sampling
Dogs should be walked on a lead or in confined area
Cats should be kept indoors until sample achieved
12
Describe patient preparation for a faecal endoparasite exam
Obtain sample prior to administration of endo-parasiticides
13
Name faecal sample collection methods (directly from ground/cat litter)
Directly from the ground / cat litter
collect immediately
disinfected area in advance to prevent contamination
if not disinfected collect top portion of sample only
any delay in sample collection may result in parasite eggs hatching and crawl away
cat litter, grass, soil or bacteria may contaminate the sample
use of sterile katkor is advised for cat sampling
14
Name faecal sample collection methods (directly from the rectum)
fresh, uncontaminated sample obtained
can be carried out on a conscious patient
use appropriate restraint to protect personnel from injury
faeces may be collected using a gloved finger inserted through the anal sphincter into the rectum and scooped back out
only a portion of faeces sampled
take care not to damage rectal mucosa
transfer sample into appropriate receptacle
15
Describe storage and preservation of faecal samples
containers should be sterile and airtight
sufficient faeces (2-5g) to fill the container
too much air space encourages parasite eggs to hatch prior to examination
Exam within 2 hrs of collection
OR
Store at a maximum of 4 ºC to prevent further development of parasitic stages
store in the fridge for a max of 7 days
bacteria examination should be carried out immediately to prevent overgrowth of non-fastidious bacteria
if exam delayed, dilution with equal parts of 10% formalin, stops endoparasite development. (Bacteria exam impossible as destroyed)
16
Name causes of sample deterioration or inaccurate results
Operator error
Incorrect sample collection technique
Delay between evacuation and examination
Incorrect test methods or materials used
Contamination of sampling (on collection, in storage or in the lab)
Inappropriate patient preparation
Incorrect handling, storage or sample preservation
Inappropriate package/storage for transport to external lab
17
What might faecal colour indicate?
May be affected by diet, malabsorption or parasitic infestation
18
What might faecal consistency indicate?
Diarrhoea, constipation
19
What might faecal odour indicate?
May be affected by diet, malabsorption or parasitic infestation
20
What might the presence of mucus in faeces indicate?
may indicate a digestive tract disorder, parasitic infestation
21
What might the presence of parasites in faeces indicate?
Intact segmented worms, ascarids (spaghetti strands), tapeworm segments ( grains of rice)
22
What might the presence of foreign objects in faeces indicate?
Grass, string, bone fragments, undigested food stuffs, hair
23
What might dark brown/black blood in faeces indicate?
Large quantity of red meat in diet
Upper GI haemorrhage e.g. stomach or small intestine
24
What might pink faeces indicate?
Hepatic dysfunction i.e. biliary obstruction
25
What might red faeces indicate?
Lower GI haemorrhage
Enteritis or parasitosis
26
What might white faeces indicate?
High fat diet
Bones fed within diet
Metabolic deficiency e.g. EPI
27
What might blue/green faeces indicate?
Suspect metaldehyde poisoning
28
What might yellow faeces indicate?
Increased bile pigment may indicate liver disorder
29
What might mucous in the faeces indicate?
? lower GI tract disorder e.g. IBD, digestive disorder or parasitosis
30
