Answer

Hello

Any samples that are collected from a rug are not going to be of much diagnostic value as they are going to be very contaminated. Any products that you have at home to swab the surface are also not going to be sterile enough for this purpose. If the vet needs a sample of urine or any other bodily fluids like nasal or vaginal discharge, it is best that this is collected directly from the animal in the surgery using aseptic techniques. If you want to collect faeces, vet surgeries often supply little sample pots together with sterile spatula for collecting samples.

You can use a q tip if you just want to collect a sample, for example of a discharge or blood, to demonstrate to the vet what is being produced, but it will have limited diagnostic potential.

I hope that this has been of some assistance to you.

LindaR

Expert:	LindaR
Pos. Feedback:	100.0 %
Accepts:	56
Answered:	4/17/2009

Dog Veterinarian

15+ years in small animal practice with experience in canine medicine, surgery and critical care