Ectoparasite diagnostic apparatus and method of use thereof

Abstract

An ectoparasite diagnostic apparatus comprising a vacuum motor, a microscope, a display, a non-flexible pivoting door and a containment chamber, wherein the microscope is in electrical communication with the display. The ectoparasite diagnostic apparatus provides a method of capturing live ectoparasites for observation removing live ectoparasites from a subject animal, disposing the live ectoparasites in the containment chamber, opening the non-flexible pivoting door and inserting a flea control compound, closing the non-flexible pivoting door and observing the effects of the flea control compound on the live ectoparasites via the microscope and the display.

1 . An apparatus for observing live ectoparasites, said apparatus comprising:
 a containment chamber; and   an electronic imaging member.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said electronic imaging member comprises a magnifying device. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said magnifying device comprises a microscope. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein said microscope comprises a digital display. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said containment chamber is dimensioned to dispose live ectoparasites within the field of said microscope. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said containment chamber comprises a non-flexible pivoting door and a wire screen. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said non-flexible pivoting door provides entrance of the live ectoparasites into said containment chamber, and wherein said wire screen permits travel of moving air containing the live ectoparasites therethrough while retaining the live ectoparasites within said containment chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein closure of said non-flexible pivoting door retains the live ectoparasites within said containment chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said non-flexible pivoting door is controlled via an external knob. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said containment chamber comprises a receiving aperture. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein said receiving aperture is dimensioned to receive a flea comb, and wherein said microscope is disposed to observe the live ectoparasites on the flea comb. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a hand-held vacuum assembly comprising a vacuum motor in a housing with a manipulatable switch, and an opening which permits attachment of said containment chamber, wherein a wire screen is disposed at an end of said containment chamber that is attached to said vacuum assembly, and wherein said wire screen prevents fleas from being sucked into said vacuum motor, and wherein said vacuum assembly further comprises a non-flexible pivot door at the other end of said containment chamber, and wherein said non-flexible pivot door is opened during vacuuming and closed after fleas are captured, so that the live ectoparasties can be retained safely in the confines of said containment chamber in a live state, and wherein the live ectoparasites may subsequently be exposed to a fibrous pad treated with a popular veterinary flea control chemical to determine resistance of the live ectoparasites to the popular veterinary flea control chemical.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein said vacuum assembly removes the live ectoparasites from a subject animal and deposits the live ectoparasites within said containment chamber. 
     
     
         14 . A live flea observation apparatus comprising:
 a containment chamber;   a digital microscope with display, wherein said display is observable without said live flea observation apparatus; and   a vacuum assembly.   
     
     
         15 . The live flea observation apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said containment chamber further comprises a pivoting closure door. 
     
     
         16 . The live flea observation apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said containment chamber further comprises an aperture for receiving a flea comb.