Doing own fecals. To many air bubbles.

1024 Views 11 Replies 5 Participants Last post by Blessed Boer's, Jul 12, 2021

Blessed Boer's

Discussion Starter · Jul 10, 2021

Does anyone use the McMaster slides? How do I reduce the number of air bubbles? I’ve tried plunging slow and putting in the slide slow but doesn’t help. I have decided I don’t like the EPG kit I got but I have to live with it.
Just wondering if anyone else uses it and if there’s any tricks. Thanks

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MellonFriend

· #2 · Jul 10, 2021

Hmm... I've never had air bubbles be an issue for me personally, but I do have some ideas.

Are you forcing air into your sample when you are getting it into the syringe or pipet? Are you stirring your sample before getting it into the syringe/pipet? Are you filling the mcmaster slide with one shot or are you adding to it when it's partially filled?

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FizzyGoats

· #3 · Jul 10, 2021

I get a few air bubbles in mine, which I actually like because they help me get the focus really sharp. But I’ve never had to deal with that many. How frustrating. Are you filling the slide with one slow, steady squeeze of the pipet? That’s the only thing I can think of. I also let my slide sit for about 10 minutes after I fill it. I don’t know if that make any difference on air bubbles though. Maybe if you give a brief rundown the steps you do, we could find something that differs between our steps.

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Moers kiko boars

· #4 · Jul 11, 2021

Yes I use the Mcmaster slide also. I get just a few air bubbles. When stirring the solution before loading it in the pipette..its a slow motion. If your moving it rapidley, that might load it with air.
When I load the Mcmaster, its also tilted to allow air to escape as the solution fills the slide.

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Blessed Boer's

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 11, 2021

Moers kiko boars said:
Yes I use the Mcmaster slide also. I get just a few air bubbles. When stirring the solution before loading it in the pipette..its a slow motion. If your moving it rapidley, that might load it with air.
When I load the Mcmaster, its also tilted to allow air to escape as the solution fills the slide.

I think it’s the way I stir it is probably the reason! Also, I don’t let it sit like said above. I’ll try both to see if it helps.
So do you break up the poop and stir it all in the solution or break it up before putting in the solution?

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FizzyGoats

· #6 · Jul 11, 2021

For me, I usually mush up the pellets in baggie the best I can before I weigh them and then add solution. I let the solution soak up for a few minutes then stir it really well, until it looks pretty consistent throughout. Then I strain it through a tea strainer. I do 8 even back and forth strokes with a stir stick (you don’t have to do that though) and immediately suck it up in the pipet then squeeze it into the slide (and I hold that at a slight angle) and fill the slide. Then I let it sit for at least 10 minutes before examining. Hopefully I didn’t miss anything I do. I’ll double check tomorrow after coffee.

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Blessed Boer's

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 11, 2021

FizzyGoats said:
For me, I usually mush up the pellets in baggie the best I can before I weigh them and then add solution. I let the solution soak up for a few minutes then stir it really well, until it looks pretty consistent throughout. Then I strain it through a tea strainer. I do 8 even back and forth strokes with a stir stick (you don’t have to do that though) and immediately suck it up in the pipet then squeeze it into the slide (and I hold that at a slight angle) and fill the slide. Then I let it sit for at least 10 minutes before examining. Hopefully I didn’t miss anything I do. I’ll double check tomorrow after coffee.

Ok. Do you use the McMaster EPG kit? It doesn’t say to strain it. It also doesn’t say to weigh it. It has a vial that has fill lines on it.
I totally get them coffee idea lol

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FizzyGoats

· #8 · Jul 11, 2021

I bought things separate as I found it cheaper than a kit at the time. So I learned from videos. I weigh 2 g of feces and mix with 28 ml of solution (I think…spent too much time sweeping barn and feeding, not enough time drinking coffee). I have a cheat sheet in the barn with the steps, so I don’t 100% have them memorized.

Here’s the two links I used to help me get to my method. One is pretty long but very informative. Once you get a system that works for you, doing it the same way every time is key.

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Blessed Boer's

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 11, 2021

FizzyGoats said:
I bought things separate as I found it cheaper than a kit at the time. So I learned from videos. I weigh 2 g of feces and mix with 28 ml of solution (I think…spent too much time sweeping barn and feeding, not enough time drinking coffee). I have a cheat sheet in the barn with the steps, so I don’t 100% have them memorized.

Here’s the two links I used to help me get to my method. One is pretty long but very informative. Once you get a system that works for you, doing it the same way every time is key.

Thank you!

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FizzyGoats

· #10 · Jul 11, 2021

You’re welcome. Glad I could pass it on as others here gave me these links too.

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HoosierShadow

· #11 · Jul 12, 2021

I do my fecals like that first video as well. The fecal solution may make a difference as well I'm not sure though as I only buy the ready to use gallon of solution.

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Blessed Boer's

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jul 12, 2021

Well I paid for this McMaster EPG kit so I’m going to use the best I can. Unfortunately it’s not like the videos but I believe it has to do with how I’m stirring and breaking up the poop in the solution so I will try it differently next week when I do some more. Hopefully that will fix it!
My solution is a little bottle so if it’s the problem I can fix that too soon. Good information here. Appreciate everyone

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