Alaria spp.

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

Ancylostoma spp.

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

Size:
  • Egg: 52–79 × 28–58 μm

Baylisascaris procyonis

(aka., Raccoon Roundworm)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Egg: 63–75 × 53–60 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 canis

(aka., Coccidia, Isospora canis)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Oocyst: 34–42 × 23–36 μm

Cystoisospora ohioensis

(aka., Coccidia, Isospora ohioensis)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Oocyst: 20–27 × 14–24 μm

Dioctophyma renale

(aka., Giant Kidney Worm, Dictophyme renale, Eustrongylus gigas)
Method of Detection:
  • Urine sediment
​
Size:
  • Egg: 60–80 × 39–46 μm

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 spp.

(aka., Dwarf Dog Tapeworm, E. granulosus sensu lato)
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

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

Heterobilharzia americana

(aka., Dog Schistosome)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal sediment (with saline)
​
Size:
  • Egg: 74–113 × 60–80 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 (4)
​
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

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 canis

(aka., Canine Intestinal Roundworm)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Egg: 85–90 × 75 μm

Trichuris vulpis

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

Uncinaria stenocephala

(aka., Northern Hookworm)
Method of Detection:
  • Fecal float (simple or centrifugal)
​
Size:
  • Egg: 71–92 × 35–58 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 http://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.

© Lance Wheeler, 2018–2019