Routine Disease screenings

[pet_snake_78]

What do you guys think about these products?

Perfect Pet Fecal Exame (http://www.petco.com/product/13596/Perfect-Pet-Products-Fecal-Worm-Test-at-Home.aspx#description-tab)

Crypto/Chytrid Test (http://www.vetdna.com/test-type/reptiles)

I have test kits coming for all of my salamanders (there is a organization giving away free test kits right now due to everything happening over in Europe) and had the local vet do fecals.

I'm having fecals rerun on all my snakes next as a routine precaution, though I think it's unlikely anything will be found. However, I am thinking about doing a routine screening of all new stock that comes in using the above resources and obviously going to the vet if anything comes back positive while they are still in quarantine.

I began this research because I am wondering what resources could be given out that would result in more treatment of disease and parasites. Obviously, some people are scum and will intentionally sell diseased stock, but I am thinking more in terms of the everyday herper. Obviously, nothing can replace the value of a qualified herp vet but we all know the animals aren't seeing them as often as they should and I would venture to guess a large percentage, maybe the majority, never get screened or fecals done at all under the current system.

[millertime89]

Unknown but I'm interested.

[pet_snake_78]

I found some others that I am investigating:

Washington State Tests (http://waddl.vetmed.wsu.edu/fee-schedule#PARASITOLOGY) I am thinking this might be too expensive, though.

Uni of Florida (http://labs.vetmed.ufl.edu/sample-requirements/zoo-med-infections/) These guys will test for IBD.

Oregon State (http://vetmed.oregonstate.edu/diagnostic/tests) They will do fecals by mail order and necropsy, too.
Connectcut (http://cvmdl.uconn.edu/resources/feeschedule.php)
In Europe (http://www.luckyreptile.com/products/145/en/pid1,7$pid2,7774736$pid3,7774737/products.html)

[Zoo Nanny]

My question is if they require test materials to be sent by veterinarian or can lay people send them?
Testing on my skink and on my parrot have gone to University of Florida but were sent in by the vets. The requirements for many of the test include blood draws and skin scrapings. Some of these procedures would be impossible for the normal pet owner to perform.

[pet_snake_78]

Hi Zoo,

I would certainly agree not every test should be prepared by reptile keepers. To be honest, I was thinking more of using just the fecal and necropsy services. My vet just sends those off to another lab anyway, so I had thought I may as well do that myself. Obviously, if anything came back positive, I'd be more than willing to go in. I also hope this won't be seen as me advocating for a *replacement* solution for a vet with regards to a sick animal. I am only considering this for a routine test just to make sure nothing has worked its way into my collection for otherwise apparently healthy animals and for any new stock that *seems* to have passed quarintine. The swabs for amphibians are certainly easy enough to do. Basically, I am hopeful that the guys selling bad stock would ultimately be identified if more hobbyists actually had diagnostics run. Thoughts?

[pet_snake_78]

I found one more. Fast Fecals by Kelly (http://www.fastfecalsbykelly.com/index.html). She;s purchased some equipment and become certified to do fecal exams for parasites. The charge is only 10$ right now.

[Zoo Nanny]

I can see pet owners doing fecals and DNA testing, those are pretty straight forward test and have been around for years. I don't think that this will stop "bad stock" from entering the pet trade. Many diseases are not brought in by animals themselves but by people cross contaminating and feeder animals that have been exposed to other reptiles. Have you ever stood in a pet store or show and watched the number of people who want to hold/handle the available animals. You can ask them a million times to use the hand sanitizer but many don't. These same individuals may have animals at home that are carrying disease that they now have introduced to the pet store stock.
Necropsy testing is similar to regular testing and most are not prepared or capable of doing the preparation needed.
I'm not trying to rain on your parade but realistically there is very little besides ensuring your own proper sanitation and husbandry is on par to prevent introduction of disease to your animals.