Parasitology (Worms, Mites & Ticks) Dog Cat Cow Buffalo Horse

Ectoparasite Identification (Ticks, Lice & Fleas)

Ectoparasite identification names the tick, louse or flea you collect from your animal by looking at it under a microscope. Knowing the parasite helps your vet judge disease risks and plan control in dogs, cats, cows and buffaloes.

Sample: Parasite specimen in a closed container
Quantity: As advised
Report: Confirmed when you book
Collection: Free in Bhopal

What this test checks

Whether the specimen is a tick, a louse, a flea or something else
The kind of tick, louse or flea, as far as its features allow
Clues about which tick-borne or flea-borne problems your vet may want to check for

When your vet may advise it

You find ticks on your dog, cow or buffalo and want to know the kind
Your pet is scratching and you have caught a flea or louse from its coat
Cows or buffaloes have itching, hair loss or rubbing, and lice are seen
Ticks or fleas keep coming back and your vet wants to know the type

About this test

Ectoparasites, such as ticks, lice and fleas, live on the outside of the body. Different kinds look alike but carry different risks. Some ticks spread germs that cause tick fever in dogs, cows and buffaloes, and fleas can pass on a tapeworm to dogs and cats. The lab looks at the specimen under a microscope and names the type. The report helps your vet choose the right control plan for the animal and its surroundings. A registered veterinarian explains what the finding means alongside the animal's signs and blood tests. Wear gloves when you pick up a parasite, do not crush it, and wash your hands afterwards.

How to prepare

Put the parasite, whole and uncrushed, in a small clean container with a tight lid, and ask the lab whether to add anything to it. The lab confirms the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book.

Questions about Ectoparasite Identification (Ticks, Lice & Fleas)

Why should I get a tick from my dog or cow identified?

Identifying the tick tells your vet which kind is living on your animal, and different kinds can carry different diseases. This helps your vet decide which blood tests may be useful and how to control ticks around your home or shed. The name alone does not show whether the animal is sick.

How do I send a tick or flea to the lab in Bhopal?

Place the whole parasite in a small, clean container with a tight lid and label it with the animal's name and where you found it. In Bhopal, the lab can collect it free of charge, and from other districts it can be sent by courier or through your local vet.

Before you book this test

Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.

Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.

Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.