Of all the diagnostic techniques used to detect gastrointestinal parasites, none is more accurate and reliable than centrifugal fecal flotation when it is performed properly.

Heartworm disease manifests quite differently in cats than in dogs and has an altered infective cycle.

Efforts must now focus on increasing awareness of the zoonotic risks associated with many of these parasites and improving pet owner compliance.

In the article "Optimize intestinal parasite detection with centrifugal fecal flotation," which appeared in the July 2006 issue, the veterinary distributor for centrifuges manufactured by LW Scientific was not listed.

Failure to use best-practice techniques, such as centrifugation, when conducting fecal flotation procedures can result in failure to detect parasite stages in fecal samples. In this article, we review the basics of fecal flotation techniques and describe step-by-step procedures for conducting accurate and effective centrifugal flotation procedures.