PURPOSE

To identify the parasites that are present in feces of cows, dogs and horses.

HYPOTHESIS

If the parasites are in the feces samples, then we can see them.

MATERIALS

• Three samples of feces: one of a cow, one of a dog and another of a horse.
• A Foldscope
• Two or three plastic slides
• A lantern
• One cell phone
• Warm Water
• Sugar
• Two containers
• A glass
• Two plastic spoons

PROCEDURE

First we have to grab one sample of cow’s feces. Next we have to put the sample of the cow, dog and the horse in different containers. In a glass put some warm water and four spoons of sugar. Dissolve the sugar in the water with a plastic spoon. Add some water with sugar in the containers with the different samples until the water reaches the top of the containers. Place an unnumbered transparent sticker on a paper slide. Flip over and put it on the top of the container of one sample were the feces is. Wait 15 minutes. Then cover sample with a numbered transparent sticker. Stack prepared paper slide on top of two other blank paper slides. Weave stack of paper slides through Folscope. A standard glass slide can be used instead of a stack of paper slides. To view, place eye on lens and hold the Foldscope up to a light source, such as daylight or artificial lighting. Finally with a cell phone take pictures of your final work.

RESULTS AND OBSERVATIONS

When I checked the different samples of the feces of the horse, the dog and the cow, I couldn´t detect any parasite eggs, the only thing I saw was organic material present in the feces.

Apparently the lens of the Foldscope got dirty and smudgy so we had to clean it because it was difficult to get focus on the different samples.

CONCLUSION AND ANALYSIS

-No eggs of parasites were observed in the different samples examined, probably because the animals were not parasitized at that time.

-The Foldscope could be easily cleaned, but because of the type of simple I used it also got easily dirty and smudgy.

-Any person can perform this experiment with knowledge of the different parasites in these animals.

BIBLOGRAPHY

1. Sixtos. Procedimientos y técnicas para la realización de estudios coproparasitoscópicos. Retrieved September 16, 2015

http://www.webveterinaria.com/virbac/news25/compania.pdf

1. Barquero and R. Chaves

Lab originally prepared by R. Chaves

7th Grade Methodist High School

San José, Costa Rica