… correctly!Imagine several liquid bovine faecal samples in zip-lock bags, sent in another plastic bag via NZ Couriers to one of our laboratories. What is the worst-case scenario you come up with?Some of you may have seen our Facebook post in January regarding a very inappropriately packaged faecal sample received at one of our laboratories. […]
MICHAEL HARDCASTLEIt is very common for clinicians to call the laboratory asking how long they should wait before sampling a skin problem that has already been treated empirically with glucocorticoids.If one consults standard texts on veterinary dermatology, these generally contain recommendations to wait because “anti-inflammatory agents can dramatically affect the histologic appearance of many dermatoses”.1,2 […]
ROB FAIRLEYHere are some tips from our pathologists that may be useful during sample collection or out in the field.1. For PCR, dry swabs are preferred over transport media swabs. We have had success with transport media swabs but the material you collect on the swab is diluted by the media and there is a risk […]
KATHRYN JENKINSDid you know you can submit up to six slides per site, for each cytology case?Cytology tip:Increasing the number of sites sampled from each lesion, increases the diagnostic power for a more accurate interpretation. In many cases, increasing the sample number taken, improves the chances of a diagnostic sample (often we find that the […]
GEOFF ORBELLWe are starting to see cases of attaching and effacing Escherichia coli (AEEC) in weaned calves this season. This is likely underdiagnosed in New Zealand as no ante-mortem tests are available, and post-mortem examinations often yield false-negative diagnoses due to intestinal autolysis, or lack of submission of a full range of gastrointestinal samples for […]
ROB FAIRLEYIt has been about eight years since the first case of sporadic bovine encephalomyelitis (SBE) was diagnosed in New Zealand. The causative organism, Chlamydophila pecorum, was however isolated much earlier (2000) in a healthy goat on a Waikato farm as part of an investigation*.Since the first diagnosis of SBE in cattle, many outbreaks of […]
In April 2019 we upgraded our trace element reporting to include cumulative results for routine screening. This year our outstanding team of programmers have gone an extra step, and we are now able to report cumulative results for a farm PLUS local regional trends for a specific trace element.Cumulative reporting can be used to identify […]
Clinical history:A seven-year-old female rabbit was presented for a swelling on the right hind limb, which was worsening after being first noticed two weeks previously. At presentation, the rabbit had muscle atrophy in both hind limbs, with a hairless, nodular mass noted directly above the right calcaneus. The mass was sampled by fine needle aspirate […]
There are many sample types that need to be collected with a syringe and needle. Our online Veterinary Handbook covers sample collection requirements for cytology and urinalysis, and interestingly enough, we don’t once mention that we’d like to receive a needle with any of these fluids or biopsies!Surprisingly often, we receive needles on syringes with […]
REBECCA ALLANOften the most impressive and captivating cytology smears, are the ones that require us to deliver the worst news and this case was no exception.Clinical history:An adult male budgie presented to the veterinarian with a 15-20 mm soft tissue mass in the upper femoral area of the left leg. He was non-weight bearing and […]