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Urgent care is for pets who are unwell, in discomfort, are in urgent situation or are not acting like themselves and should be assessed within 24 hours.
Can wait 24-48 hours?
Wellness, routine, or general care is for pets needing vaccines, preventive care, or ongoing monitoring who can safely wait at least 24 hours.
Urgent and ongoing care in Stittsville, Kanata & West Ottawa. Unwell today? Call 343-463-8787, option 1 during clinic hours or check wait times. Stable bookings: option 2. One-off urgent visits welcome.
Faecal Flotation for Dogs and Cats
Faecal flotation concentrates selected parasite eggs or cysts for microscopic examination.
Overview and the key decision
Faecal flotation concentrates selected parasite eggs or cysts for microscopic examination. It is a useful component of parasite assessment but does not detect every organism or disease.
This guide explains decisions to discuss with your veterinarian. The right plan depends on your pet’s current condition, examination and medical history.
Illustrative photograph; it does not show a confirmed diagnosis or this procedure. Black cat curled up on a sofa in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.jpg by Salwa Farwaneh Dameh — CC0. Unmodified.
When this guide is useful
Routine parasite assessment
Diarrhoea investigation
A recent exposure
What this guide cannot determine
An online guide cannot establish your pet’s diagnosis, choose a test or procedure, or replace an examination. The information below does not provide a medication or home procedure protocol.
Related symptoms and care guides
What the assessment or procedure involves
A stool sample is processed and examined using an appropriate laboratory method.
What the findings can tell us
An identified parasite can guide targeted treatment and prevention discussions.
Important limits of the findings
Intermittent shedding, early infection and method differences can limit a single negative result.
Preparation and useful records
Collect and store the sample as directed and report recent deworming or travel.
When to call urgently
Severe diarrhoea, persistent vomiting, dehydration or weakness needs assessment without waiting for a routine sample appointment.
If SKVH cannot receive your pet promptly or the clinic is closed, contact an open emergency hospital. Do not wait for a routine message response when urgent signs are present.
How the care plan is chosen
The clinician may add antigen, larval or other tests when the suspected organism requires them.
Risks and alternatives to discuss
Assuming one negative stool test excludes all parasites can leave a relevant infection undetected.
Follow-up and unanswered questions
Confirm how results will be communicated and whether follow-up testing is needed.
Care at SKVH and next steps
SKVH combines appointment-based urgent assessment during clinic hours with wellness, diagnostics, surgery, dentistry and ongoing care for dogs and cats in Stittsville, Kanata and West Ottawa. One-off urgent visits and continuing care are both welcome.
Findings, medically appropriate options and an individual estimate are discussed before proceeding. Test and procedure availability, monitoring needs and referral are considered for the individual case; this guide does not promise every test or treatment is available in-house.
Urgent concerns: call 343-463-8787, option 1 · Live urgent-care wait times and visit information
Stable bookings and non-urgent questions: option 2 · Wellness and ongoing care · Relevant SKVH service information
Clinical background: Veterinary reference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why might a veterinarian recommend faecal flotation?
Faecal flotation concentrates selected parasite eggs or cysts for microscopic examination. It is a useful component of parasite assessment but does not detect every organism or disease. The clinician may add antigen, larval or other tests when the suspected organism requires them.
What are the limits of faecal flotation?
Intermittent shedding, early infection and method differences can limit a single negative result.
How should I prepare for a discussion about faecal flotation?
Collect and store the sample as directed and report recent deworming or travel.
When should I seek urgent help rather than wait?
Severe diarrhoea, persistent vomiting, dehydration or weakness needs assessment without waiting for a routine sample appointment.
What follow-up questions should I ask?
Confirm how results will be communicated and whether follow-up testing is needed.