help with microscopy

[Guest Hjaltland]

Hi all,

 

I have access to a good microscope and lab facilities and would like to check out my pigeons for worm and cocci levels etc. Could somebody please advise me of correct processes, procedures and equipment needed for doing this.

 

 

Thanks

Kenny

[Wiley]

hi kenny

go on bricon website and buy there testing kit has everything you need in there 20 quid a bargain best buy ive ever bought at a show

[ohiogsp]

There is alot to it and could not be explained over the internet only. It is not that hard but you will need pictures of the stuff you are looking for to see what they look like but if you know someone who does this it would be easier for them to show you. I bought a book for vet medicine about parisitology and pathology and it would be helpfull if the book was produced for birds. I regurally do fecal slides, fecal floats, and crop swabs. I am learning to do the blood smears but this is a little harder yet. The smears you just smear some fecal sample on the slide and check it for worms. The float is used for cocci and this is done by putting a certain amout of fecal in a container holding the right amount of float solution then stir. You fill this until it is almost too full and produces a bubble then you put a slip cover on the top and wait 20 minutes. Then you pull the slip off and put it on your slide and count the cocci. It should not go over 4 per fiald of view at 10X witch is really 100 power cause you have a 10x eyepiece on the scope. The crop swab is to check for canker and you use a swab with saline solution on it then stick it in the birds crop and rub the sides. Then you pull it out and put it on the slide and drop a drop of saline on it and smear it around the slide. Canker is a one cell organism and you can see it swimming around on the lens when you have it. The hardest thing is you have to know what you are looking at and without someone showing you it is hard but you can use a book and with practice you will learn it. Post a specific question and I will try to answer it.

[Guest Hjaltland]

Cheers guys, I'm looking forward to having a go with this and obviously quantifying any potential problems there may be. I have access to a camera also so when I get a few pics I'll post them too.

 

Thanks

 

Kenny