IYKYK 😭 One reason why you should bring a fresh fecal sample to your annual visits is to check for parasites - many of which are easily transmitted via contaminated soil! Parasites like Giardia can cause diarrhea and vomiting - to the point of severe illness - and can be transmitted to people as well! Giardia especially is zoonotic (can be spread to different species) and requires use of multiple medications to treat the infection. Severe infections can take multiple rounds of treatment as well