Here’s how a comprehensive fecal-testing protocol can help your practice
- Reliable and cost-effective, the SNAP®Giardia Test dramatically improves fecal examination accuracy by including a fecal float and a 90% sensitive Giardia-only test.
- Catch missed Giardia-positive animals up to three times as often as traditional methods1—increasing your fecal exam yield and client satisfaction
- Send more patients home with a definitive diagnosis and targeted treatment plan
- Improve your fecal exam revenues
“We use the SNAP Giardia Test as part of our baseline fecal screen for all young animals and all clinical GI workups because we have found Giardia to be prevalent, and it helps us provide the best care for our patients. Additionally, it’s very easy to use, convenient for our clients and hospital, and is a good profit source with very high perceived value to our clients as we find, treat and clear more positives. As I tell my colleagues, ‘mandate and uphold the best protocol.’ This isn’t just good business, it’s good medicine.”
Joseph R. Sprott, DVM • Newnan Animal Hospital • Newnan, Georgia
Use the SNAP Giardia Test as an adjunct to fecal float parasitic diagnosis—if you’re looking for intestinal parasites, don’t miss a Giardia infection.
The Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) “recommends testing symptomatic (intermittently or consistently diarrheic) dogs and cats with a combination of direct smear, fecal flotation with centrifugation, and a sensitive, specific fecal ELISA optimized for use in companion animals.”2
Misdiagnosis results from intermittent shedding and difficulty identifying cysts and trophozoites. At present, the SNAP Giardia Test is the only commercially available Giardia ELISA assay optimized for use in canine and feline samples.
The IDEXX Test Promise —If an IDEXX test does not perform as promised, simply call us and we will credit your IDEXX Points account with 100% of the test’s value in points. If you have questions about the IDEXX Test Promise, please call us at 1–800–248–2483.
References
1.
Groat R. Survey of clinic practices and testing for diagnosis of Giardia infections in dogs and cats. Presented at: 2003 ACVIM Forum; June 4–8; Charlotte, NC.
2.
CAPC. CAPC Recommendations: Intestinal Parasites: Protozoa: Giardiasis. Available at:
www.capcvet.org/recommendations/giardia.html. Accessed May 27, 2009.
Sensitivity and specificity of the SNAP® Giardia Test
CL = confidence limit
Compare Giardia testing methods to see the difference.
| Identifies soluble Ag | | | • | • |
| Time to result | ~20 mins | 24–48 hours | 24–48 hours | 8 minutes |
| Inexpensive | • | | | • |
| In-house | • | | | • |
| Samples required | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| High accuracy | | • | • | • |
CONCLUSION: SNAP®Giardia—the ease of fecal floats/smears with the accuracy of a reference laboratory.
Detecting Giardia Infection: A Comparison of In-House Methods vs. Reference Laboratory Methods
SNAP®Giardia Test and in-clinic microscopy test results are shown as percentages of samples that were identified as Giardia-positive by laboratory ELISA and DIFM methods.
In a recent study, 617 fecal samples were tested for Giardia in the normal course of clinical practice.1 Results from fecal floatation or fecal smears were recorded, and the samples were then forwarded for further reference testing. The results indicated poor performance of current in-house microscopy testing compared to ELISA and DIFM reference methods.
SNAP®Giardia Test and in-clinic microscopy test results are shown as percentages of samples that were identified as Giardia-positive by laboratory ELISA and DIFM methods.
Reference
1.
Groat R. Survey of clinic practices and testing for diagnosis of Giardia infections in dogs and cats. Presented at: 2003 ACVIM Forum; June 4–8; Charlotte, NC.
Frequently asked questions about the SNAP® Giardia Test
How does the SNAP Giardia Test’s sensitivity and specificity compare to other techniques? 
Groat R. Survey of clinic practice and testing for diagnosis of Giardia infections in dogs and cats. Presented at: 2003 ACVIM Forum; June 4–8; Charlotte, NC. SNAP® Giardia Test and in-clinic microscopy test results are shown as percentages of samples that were identified as Giardia-positive by laboratory ELISA and DIFM methods. The SNAP Giardia Test provides near-reference laboratory accuracy and is far superior to the poor performance of traditional in-clinic methods.
What is soluble antigen?
This refers to antigen that is not associated with a Giardia cyst wall or trophozoite. Our test detects a “free-floating” antigen that is dispersed in the fecal matter. This is why our sensitivity is much higher that microscopic techniques. (See ELISA Technology)
Can this test be used for avian samples?
The SNAP Giardia Test is approved for canine and feline use only. Any use other than in canine and feline is off-label, and IDEXX has no data to support non-canine/feline application.
