Fecal Dx™ antigen testing clinical reference guide

Oct 12, 2026

Guide for diagnosing intestinal parasite infections using Fecal Dx™ fecal antigen testing, aligned with Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) recommendations. Covers when to screen dogs and cats (at least twice yearly for adults, more during the first year), why antigen testing can detect infections missed by other methods, and why passive flotation is not recommended. Provides patient-focused guidance for year-round broad-spectrum parasite control, earlier diagnosis and treatment, and a decision algorithm for interpreting antigen-positive versus antigen-negative results.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryGeneral

FormatPDF

Pages15

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

Diagnosing intestinal parasite infections

CAPC screening recommendations

Year-round broad-spectrum parasite control

Earlier diagnosis and treatment with Fecal Dx™

How to interpret Fecal Dx™ antigen results

What to do next: convey, treat, retest, and communicate

Hookworms: transmission and prepatent period

Diagnosing intestinal parasite infections . Fecal Dx™ antigen testing clinical reference guide. Screen dogs and cats at least twice a year. The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) guidelines recommend including fecal antigen testing to ensure the widest breadth of detection of intestinal parasites. Fecal antigen testing can identify infections that can be missed by using other methods. Passive flotation is not recommended.1–4 Hidden dangers and recommendations pet parents should know. CAPC recommends fecal screening at least twice a year for adult dogs and cats but at least four times during the first year of a pet’s life. A pet’s health and lifestyle may warrant more frequent testing. Simply being outside can put pets at risk. Some parasites can burrow into a pet’s skin or feet. Dogs and cats can also swallow parasites while grooming, nursing, or eating contaminated soil or feces. Clients should also know that some infections can spread from pets to people.5 Recommend year-round, broad-spectrum parasite control. A parasite-control program that is effective against intestinal parasites, heartworms, ticks, and fleas provides maximum value for your clients and the best protection for your patients. Make sure your clients understand that they need to keep their pets protected all year long.5 Diagnose and treat infections earlier with Fecal Dx™ antigen testing. CAPC recommends including fecal antigen testing to diagnose infections, treat patients earlier, and reinforce the proper use of parasite-control products.1–3 Fecal antigen testing identifies prepatent and single-sex infections, providing critical insights for patient management.1–3 Fecal screening for healthy adult pets. Diagnose hookworm, roundworm, whipworm, flea tapeworm, taeniid tapeworm, and Cystoisospora infections using Fecal Dx™ antigen testing. Because the testing detects antigens, positive results confirm the presence of worms or protozoa in the intestinal tract. This allows you to diagnose infection when worms are not shedding eggs or are caused by worms of a single sex.1–3 What to do with your Fecal Dx antigen testing results. The following algorithm can help guide your next steps when considering your patient's Fecal Dx antigen testing results. What todo next? Convey Retest Antigen-positive results Treat with appropriate dewormer or use monthly parasite control product effective for this parasite Review risk factors and proper disposal of feces Follow-up testing to evaluate treatment efficacy should be performed 10–14 days after deworming Retesting a healthy pet who is on abroad-spectrum monthly control product may not be necessary Antigen-negative results Communicate the success of current preventive measures Review possible risks and reinforce year-round protection CAPC recommendations: Fecal examinations at least 2 times per year Administer year-round, broad-spectrum parasite control with efficacy against heartworm, intestinal parasites, fleas, and ticks Did you know? + When fecal exams are performed as part of preventive healthcare on patients without clinical signs, antigen testing can serve as a highly accurate and effective screening method for intestinal parasitism. + Fecal antigen has an increased level of parasite detection over fecal flotation alone, and the fecal flotation results rarely alter the treatment or management of the patient unless clinical signs are observed.6 -Fecal Dx™ antigen testing finds an additional 9.2% more positive samples than fecal flotation alone.6 -Only 0.8% of all screening fecal exam findings are antigen negative and would have clinically relevant fecal flotation finding that could indicate a different treatment need.6 + Overall, fecal antigen finds up to 2 times more than fecal flotation alone.6* + Fecal Dx antigen testing detects proteins secreted or excreted by parasites into the intestinal lumen. A positive antigen test indicates infection.

FAQs

How often does CAPC recommend fecal screening for adult dogs and cats?

CAPC recommends fecal screening at least twice a year for adult dogs and cats. The frequency may increase based on the pet’s health and lifestyle.

Why is fecal antigen testing preferred over passive flotation?

Fecal antigen testing can identify infections that may be missed by other methods, and passive flotation is not recommended. Antigen testing also provides critical insight for managing patients.

What should be done after a Fecal Dx™ antigen-positive result?

Treat with an appropriate dewormer or use a monthly parasite control product effective for the detected parasite. Review risk factors and proper feces disposal, and perform follow-up testing 10–14 days after deworming to evaluate treatment efficacy.

Oct 12, 2026

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