Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

Apple App

download on the Apple App Store
download the app on Google Play

Translate:

Submitting samples for equine uterine cultures at TVMDL

by

The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) offers a variety of diagnostic tests that may be used as part of the breeding soundness examination of a mare. In addition to bacterial culture, TVMDL also offers a uterine biopsy and cytology service.

Uterine culture is one of the more frequently requested tests to assess the uterine environment of the mare. When submitting samples for any type of culture, it’s important to take certain steps to ensure sample integrity is maintained during transit to TVMDL.

Here are TVMDL’s recommendations when submitting samples for equine uterine cultures:

  • Cut swab shaft approximately 4 to 6 inches; even with the top of the transport tube.
  • TVMDL recommends sending swabs in transport media. All commercially supplied transport media willsuffice for bacterial cultures. However, please be aware certain regulatory tests require specific transport
    media. This information is noted under the Special Instructions field in TVMDL’s test catalog.
  • After sample collection with a guarded swab, the following steps should be utilized in the submissionprocess.
    • The swab should be submitted in transport media to enhance the isolation of bacterial pathogens.Swabs may be submitted in sterile red top tubes if transport media is not available although
      fastidious organisms may not survive and testing may result in a false negative.
    • Transport swab collection systems may be used to submit a sample collected with a guarded swab.Simply discard the swab that is included in the transport swab collection system.
    • Using sterile scissors, cut the guarded swab shaft approximately 4 to 6 inches. Insert the swab intothe transport tube and media. Replace the cap.
    • Ship with cold packs to keep samples chilled, but not frozen. Shipping samples overnight ishighly recommended to mitigate the growth of opportunistic bacteria as this may complicate the identification of a potential pathogen.

Download this information, plus examples of ideal submissions, by clicking here.