Effective Use of a Diagnostic Laboratory

Chapter 10 Effective Use of a Diagnostic Laboratory



Veterinary toxicology laboratories offer a wide range of testing for toxins by using highly specific and sensitive analytical techniques. Most toxicology laboratories are integrated in veterinary diagnostic laboratories, which also provide pathology, microbiology, serology, virology, endocrinology, electron microscopy, parasitology, and other diagnostic services. Combining results from analyses from all diagnostic “sections” will provide a high probability of establishing an accurate diagnosis, especially if the “diagnostic puzzle” described earlier in Chapter 9 is used to narrow the search. Toxicologists and their analytical staff work closely with other personnel within the diagnostic laboratory from the other sections to fine tune the diagnostic approach to maximize the use of the submitted samples and hopefully achieve a successful diagnosis. Many veterinary diagnostic laboratories have close established contacts and working relationships with clinical experts present in associated teaching hospitals. This close working relationship helps the toxicologist narrow down or sometimes expand the list of potential toxins that may be involved in the case at hand.



GETTING STARTED


Your first contact with a veterinary diagnostic laboratory should be via the telephone. In most veterinary diagnostic laboratories, a veterinary toxicologist provides consultation on possible differentials for a case and proper sample collection. Good communication in the early stage of a suspected poisoning case between the practitioner and the diagnostic toxicology laboratory personnel is one of the most useful tools in an investigation and will guarantee proper sample collection and accurate selection of initial tests. The veterinary toxicologist also provides recommendations for the initial treatment of a potentially poisoned animal. Consulting with laboratory personnel to determine the laboratory’s capabilities, costs of analyses, turn-around times, and interpretation abilities is critical so that everyone involved is kept thoroughly involved. The consultant can help expand or narrow down the focus of the investigation, so that the clinician is not asking for the “toxicology screen,” but rather focusing on some select differentials to target for testing. This can also be the appropriate time for a veterinarian to pass along critical pieces of history regarding the case that may be too cumbersome to write on the accession forms. The telephone consult can also provide necessary information regarding packaging, preserving, and shipping the samples of interest. Some laboratories are open for Saturday deliveries, but many are not. You might need to know this in case samples arrive later than expected and are potentially perishable. Many laboratories have much of this information on Internet websites, but often it is a good idea to contact the laboratory directly to make sure that all information on the website is current and correct. Box 10-1 lists the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD)-accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratories located in the United States and Canada.



Box 10-1 AAVLD-Accredited Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories—2005













































































































































































































































































































































































State or Province Laboratory Information
United States
Arizona Arizona Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Tucson, AZ 85705
520–621–2356
Arkansas Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Diagnostic Lab
P.O. Box 8505
Little Rock, AR 72215
501–907–2430
California California Animal Health and Food Safety
Laboratory System (5 labs throughout CA)
P.O. Box 1770, University of California, Davis
Davis, CA (Main lab) 95617
530–752–8700
Colorado Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Ft. Collins, CO 80523
970–491–1281
Connecticut Dept. of Pathobiology & Veterinary Science
Storrs, CT 06269–3089
860–486–3736
Florida Animal Disease Laboratory
Kissimmee, FL 34745
407–846–5200
Georgia University of Georgia
Athens Diagnostic Laboratory
Athens, GA30602
706–542–5568
University of Georgia Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory
Tifton, GA 31793–3000
229–386–3340
Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Illinois, College of Vet. Medicine
Urbana, IL 61802–6199
217–333–1620
Animal Disease Laboratory
Illinois Dept. of Agriculture
Galesburg, IL 61402
309–344–2451
Animal Disease Laboratory
Illinois Dept. of Agriculture
Centralia, IL 62801
618–532–6701
Indiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN
765–494–7448
Iowa Veterinary Diagnostic & Production Animal Medicine
Iowa State University
Ames, IA 50011
515–294–1950
State or Province Laboratory Information
Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Kansas State University
Manhattan, KS 66506
785–532–5650
Kentucky Livestock Disease Diagnostic Center
Lexington, KY 40512
859–253–0571
Veterinary Diagnostic and Research Center
Murray State University
Hopkinsville, KY 42240
270–886–3959
Louisiana Louisiana Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab
Baton Rouge, LA 70894
225–578–9777
Michigan Diagnostic Center for Population and Animal Health
Michigan State University
Lansing, MI 48909–7576
517–353–0635
Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Minnesota
St. Paul, MN 55108
612–625–8707
Mississippi Mississippi Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Jackson, MS 39296
601–354–6089
Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
University of Missouri
Columbia, MO 65205
573–882–6811
Montana Diagnostic Laboratory Division
State of Montana
Bozeman, MT 59771
406–994–4885
Nebraska Veterinary Diagnostic Center
University of Nebraska
Lincoln, NE 68583–0907
402–472–1434
New Mexico Veterinary Diagnostic Services
New Mexico, Dept. of Agriculture
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505–841–2580
New York New York State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
607–253–3900
State or Province Laboratory Information
N. Carolina Rollins Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
N. Carolina Dept. of Agriculture
Raleigh, NC 27607
919–733–3986
North Dakota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
North Dakota State University
Fargo, ND 58105
701–231–8307
Ohio Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Reynoldsburg, OH 43068
614–728–6220
Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK 74074–7001
405–744–6623
Oregon Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
541–737–3261
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory System
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture
Harrisburg, PA 17110–9408 (Main lab of 3 lab system)
717–787–8808
S. Carolina Clemson Veterinary Diagnostic Center
Clemson University
Columbia, SC 29224–2406
803–788–2260
South Dakota Animal Disease Research and Diagnostic Laboratory
South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD 57007
605–688–5171
Tennessee CE Kord Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Nashville, TN 37204
615–837–5125
Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Texas A&M University
College Station, TX 79106
806–353–7478
Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory
Drawer 3040
College Station, TX 77841
979–845–9000
Washington Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99165–2037
509–335–9696
State or Province Laboratory Information
Wisconsin Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture and University of Wisconsin
Madison, WI 53705
608–262–5005
Wyoming Wyoming State Veterinary Laboratory
University of Wyoming
Laramie, WY 82070
307–721–2051
Canada
BC Animal Health Centre
Abbotsford, BC V3G2M3
604–556–3003
Ontario Animal Health Laboratory
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1H6R8
519–824–4120

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Sep 11, 2016 | Posted by in SMALL ANIMAL | Comments Off on Effective Use of a Diagnostic Laboratory

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