Q: I'm taking my pet to a new veterinarian, and they've asked me to bring in a fecal sample. What's the best way to collect and store it, and how "fresh" does it need to be? A: That's great. Fecal ...

Stool samples can help doctors diagnose some health conditions. Tips for collecting a stool sample include urinating before collecting the sample and using any tools that the sample kit provides.

Can a patient exhibit signs of salmonella poisoning (e.g., nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and elevated WBCs) and still have a negative stool culture? —Leslie Pryor, MSN, CRNP, Shamong, N.J. The short ...