Alaria spp.

(aka., Intestinal Carnivore Fluke)
Method of Detection: 
  • ​Fecal sediment >>> Fecal float​
​
Size:
  • Egg: 98–134 × 62–68 μm

Aelurostrongylus abstrusus

(aka., Cat Lungworm)
Method of Detection:
  • Baermann (fresh feces) >>> Fecal float (centrifugal in ZnSO4)
​
Size:
  • First-stage larva: 360–400 × 15–20 μm (tail with S-shaped curve and dorsal spine)

Ancylostoma spp.

(aka., Hookworm)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)​ ​

Size:
  • Egg: 52–79 × 28–58 μm

Capillaria spp.

(aka., Hairworm, Threadworm, Pearsonema spp., Aonchotheca spp., and Eucoleus spp.)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal), or
  • Cytologic exam of tracheal or nasal mucous
​
Size:
  • Egg: 54–80 × 23–40 μm

Cryptosporidium spp.

(aka., Coccidia)
Method of Detection:
  • Acid-fast stain of fecal smear, or
  • ​Fecal float (with Sheather's sugar)
​
Size:
  • Oocyst: 4.6–5.4 × 3.8–4.7 μm

Cystoisospora felis

(aka., Coccidia, Isospora felis)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Oocyst: 32–53 × 26–43

Cystoisospora rivolta

(aka., Coccidia, Isospora rivolta)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Oocyst: 21–29 × 18–26

Diphyllobothrium latum

(aka., Broad Tapeworm, Dibothriocephalus latus)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal sediment
​
Size:
  • Egg: 58–76 × 40–51 μm

Dipylidium caninum

(aka., Flea Tapeworm, Cucumber Seed Tapeworm, Double-pored Dog Tapeworm)
Method of Detection:
  • Identify egg packets recovered from tapeworm segments >>> Detection of eggs/ egg packets on fecal float
​
Size:
  • Egg packet: 120–200 μm
  • ​Egg: 25–60 μm

Echinococcus multilocularis
Method of Detection:
  • Identify eggs recovered from tapeworm segments >>> Detection of eggs on fecal float
  • Acetate tape cytology of perianal skin
​
Size:
  • Egg: 25–40 μm

Eimeria spp.

(aka., Non-infective coccidia that pass through the gastrointestinal tract after coprophagy or predation)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Oocyst: 11–88 × 9–59 μm

Entamoeba histolytica

(aka., Entamoeba dysenteriae, Endamoeba histolytica)
Method of Detection:
  • Saline fecal smear of fresh feces (± Lugol's iodine, Wright's stain, or Giemsa stain)
​
Size:
  • Cyst: 10–12 μm
  • Trophozoite: 12–30 μm

Eurytrema spp.

(aka., Pancreas Fluke, Distoma pancreaticum, Eurytrema ovis)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal sediment
​
Size:
  • Egg: 40–53 × 23–36 μm

Giardia sp.

(aka., Giardia duodenalis, Giardia intestinalis, Lamblia lamblia)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float for cysts (centrifugal in ZnSO4) (± Lugol's iodine)
  • Saline fecal smear of fresh feces for trophozoite (± Lugol's iodine)
​
Size:
  • Cyst: 8–13 × 7–10 μm
  • Trophozoite: 12–17 × 5–10 μm

Hammondia heydorni, Neospora caninum, or Toxoplasma gondii
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Oocyst: 10–14 × 9–13 μm

Mesocestoides spp.
Method of Detection:
  • Identify eggs recovered from tapeworm segments >>> Detection of eggs on fecal float
​
Size:
  • Egg: 25–60 μm × 25–43 μm

Nanophyetus salmincola

(aka., Salmon Poisoning Fluke, Troglotrema salmincola)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal sediment
​
Size:
  • Egg: 64–97 × 34–55 μm

Paragonimus kellicotti

(aka., Lung Fluke)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal sediment >>> Fecal float
  • Cytologic examination of bronchial mucous 
​
Size:
  • Egg: 75–118 × 42–67 μm

Pentatrichomonas hominis

(aka., Pentatrichomonas felis, Trichomonas felis, Trichomonas intestinalis)
Method of Detection:
  • Saline fecal smear of fresh feces
​
Size:
  • Trophozoite: 8–20 μm long

Physaloptera spp.

(aka., Stomach Worm)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal sediment >>> Fecal float
  • Cytologic examination of vomitus
​
Size:
  • Egg: 42–53 × 29–35 μm

Platynosomum spp.

(aka., Cat Liver Fluke, Lizard Poisoning)
Method of Detection:
  • Float (centrifugal with Sheather's sugar) is the most effective (4)
  • Fecal sediment
  • Cytologic examination of bile (5)
​​
Size:
  • Egg: 34–50 × 23–35

Sarcocystis spp.
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Oocyst: 7–22 × 3–15 μm

Spirocerca lupi

(aka., Esophageal Worm, Spirocerca sanguinolenta)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal sediment >>> Fecal float
  • Cytologic examination of vomitus
​
Size:
  • Egg: 30–38 × 11–15 μm

Spirometra spp.

(aka., Sparganosis Tapeworm, Zipper Tapeworm)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal sediment >>> Fecal float
​
Size:
  • Egg: 65–70 × 35–37 μm (eggs have slightly pointed ends)

Strongyloides stercoralis

(aka., Threadworm)
Method of Detection:
  • Baermann (with fresh feces) for larvae
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal) for eggs
​
Size:
  • First-stage larva: 150–390 μm (straight tail without spines)
  • Egg: 50–58 × 30–34 μm

Taenia spp.
Method of Detection:
  • Identify eggs recovered from tapeworm segments >>> Detection of eggs on fecal float
​
Size:
  • Egg: 25–40 μm

Toxascaris leonina

(aka., Roundworm, Toxascaris limbata)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Egg: 75–85 × 60–75 μm

Toxocara cati

(aka., Feline Intestinal Roundworm, Toxocara mystax)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Egg: 65 × 75 μm

Trichuris vulpis

(aka., Whipworm)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (centrifugal >>> simple)
​
Size:
  • Egg: 72–90 × 32–42 μm

Tritrichomonas foetus

(aka., Trichomonas foetus)
Method of Detection:
  • Saline fecal smear of fresh feces
​
Size:
  • Trophozoite: 10–25 × 3–15 μm
Sources Cited:
  1. Zajac, Anne M., and Gary A. Conboy. Veterinary Clinical Parasitology. 8th ed. West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Print.
  2. Taylor, Mike A., R. L. Coop, and Richard L. Wall. Veterinary Parasitology. 4th ed. Chichester, West Sussex: Wiley Blackwell, 2016. Print.
  3. American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists. (2010). Retrieved 2019, from https://www.aavp.org.
  4. Palić, Jelena, Shannon J. Hostetter, Elizabeth Riedesel, Rebecca Richardson-Bill, and Julie Ann Jarvinen. “What Is Your Diagnosis? Aspirate of a Lung Nodule in a Dog.” Veterinary Clinical Pathology 41.1 (2011): 99-100. Web. 5 Aug. 2017.
  5. Rocha, Nathalia Oliveira, Ricardo Wagner Portela, Soelen Silva Camargo, Wagner Rocha Souza, Gilson Correia Carvalho, and Thiago Campanharo Bahiense. “Comparison of Two Coproparasitological Techniques for the Detection of Platynosomum Sp. Infection in Cats.” Veterinary Parasitology 204.3-4 (2014): 392-95. Web. 6 Aug. 2017.
  6. Kӧster, L., L. Shell, O. Illanes, C. Lathroum, K. Neuville, and J. Ketzis. “Percutaneous Ultrasound-guided Cholecystocentesis and Bile Analysis for the Detection Of Platynosomum spp.-Induced Cholangitis in Cats.” Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 30.3 (2016): 787-93. Web. 6 Aug. 2017. 

© Lance Wheeler, 2018–2019