Quantitating Cantharidin levels in a blister beetle By Cat Barr, PhD, DABT In January, an animal owner in northwestern Washington State contacted the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) regarding possible blister … [Read more...]
Horse Diagnosed with Equine Botryomycosis
Horse Diagnosed with Equine Botryomycosis Kayla Tomaso and Erin Edwards, DVM, MS, DACVP Tissue samples from two ear masses on a 3-year-old American Quarter Horse were submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (TVMDL) in College … [Read more...]
Segmental analysis of hair for drug detection in racing horses
Segmental analysis of hair for drug detection in racing horses Travis Mays, MS, PhD The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory’s (TVMDL) drug testing laboratory offers a screen for the detection of beta-adrenergic agonist drugs, … [Read more...]
Diagnostic guidance: Cantharidin poisoning in horses
When horses ingest the cantharidin toxin through hay or alfalfa contaminated with “blister” beetles, the outcome is often fatal. Toxicosis occurs rapidly; as little as four grams of dried beetles may contain fatal levels of … [Read more...]
Prepare your horses for spring: Vaccinate for West Nile virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis virus
Last year, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL), documented fewer cases of West Nile virus than in previous years. The number of positive cases of West Nile virus in horses seen at TVMDL fluctuates from year to year, … [Read more...]
Possible Wilted Maple Poisoning in Mare
Possible Wilted Maple Poisoning in Mare Cat Barr, PhD, DABT A 7-year-old pastured mare suffered an acute onset of hemolytic anemia and hematuria. The blood drawn for analysis was hemolyzed and dark. The mare died about three hours after … [Read more...]
Drug Testing During the Fall Livestock Show Season
Drug Testing During the Fall Livestock Show Season Travis Mays, MS, PhD Between the months of August to December, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) performs drug testing on more than 1,000 urine, blood, fecal, and … [Read more...]
Mitigating the Risk of Mosquitos: EEE, WEE, and WNV Diagnostic Guidance
Each summer, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) confirms several cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV) in horse populations across the state. Mosquitos play a vital role in the … [Read more...]
Anthrax in Horses: Disease Considerations and Insight
Anthrax in Horses: Disease Considerations and Insight Guy Sheppard, DVM and Melanie Landis, DVM Bacillus anthracis is a spore-forming, facultative anaerobic, gram positive rod that is the causative agent of anthrax. Spore formation occurs when … [Read more...]
Equine Juvenile Ossifying Fibroma
Equine Juvenile Ossifying Fibroma Will Sims, DVM A two-year-old, male, intact Miniature Donkey had a wound on the mandible that was associated with a large firm mass. Radiographs of the lesion showed large osseous spicules emanating from the … [Read more...]
Nasal Amyloidosis in a Horse
Nasal Amyloidosis in a Horse Andrés de la Concha-Bermejillo, DVM, MS, PhD Punch biopsies of an ulcerated plaque in the nasal mucosa of a male-castrated, 12-year-old, Quarter horse were submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic … [Read more...]
ELISA Screening Detects Fumonisin in Corn
ELISA Screening Detects Fumonisin in Corn Travis Mays, Analytical Chemistry Section Head A 3-year-old, male Quarter horse became ataxic and kept falling over, eventually being unable to rise. The horse ultimately had to be euthanized. The onset … [Read more...]
Test to detect avermectins added to TVMDL catalog
The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) is pleased to announce the addition of Avermectins (LC/MS) to our catalog of tests. This test serves to assist in the detection of avermectins, such as abamectin, doramectin, … [Read more...]
Duodenitis/proximal jejunitis (DPJ) in a horse
Duodenitis/proximal jejunitis (DPJ) in a horse By Andrés de la Concha-Bermejillo, DVM, PhD A 5-year-old Andalusian stallion was presented for necropsy at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) after being euthanatized … [Read more...]
Cutaneous habronemiasis superimposed on a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a horse
Cutaneous habronemiasis superimposed on a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) in a horse By Andrés de la Concha-Bermejillo In the summer of 2018, four partial biopsies of an infected hot brand skin lesion from a Quarter Horse stallion were submitted in … [Read more...]
TVMDL adds three E.coli toxin typing tests to catalog
The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) is pleased to announce three new additions to our test catalog. Due to recent improvements, the E.Coli (PCR) will be replaced by three, more targeted tests. These updated tests will … [Read more...]
Monday and Sims discuss tele-medicine services at High Plains Veterinary Medical Association meeting
On November 10, Veterinary Diagnostician Dr. Jessie Monday and Veterinary Pathologist Dr. Will Sims from TVMDL Amarillo hosted a session as part of the High Plains Veterinary Medical Association's (HPVMA) Large Animal Meeting. Their presentation … [Read more...]
Piccione featured in The Remuda publication
Recently, Clinical Pathology Section Head Dr. Julie Piccione was featured in the Texas Equine Veterinary Association's (TEVA) summer 2018 issue of The Remuda. Piccione co-authored an article discussing Pneumocystis in horses. Pneumocytosis is … [Read more...]
Strongylus vulgaris associated with liver damage and neurologic symptoms in a gelding
Strongylus vulgaris associated with liver damage and neurologic symptoms in a gelding By Barbara C. Lewis, DVM, MS, DACVP A six-year-old mixed breed gelding experienced a sudden onset of neurologic signs including a stiff jaw, body tremors, … [Read more...]
Four thyroid panels added to TVMDL test catalog
Starting September 1, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) will no longer offer Thyroid Panels 1-10. As alternatives to these panels, TVMDL recommends clients order one of the four panels recently added to our … [Read more...]
TVMDL technician develops tick panel as part of PhD project
There is a gap in knowledge concerning active infections of tick-borne diseases in animals across the United States-Mexico border. Previous studies have focused on identifying animals with recent or past exposure to tick-borne pathogens (e.g. … [Read more...]
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) Diagnosed in a Horse
Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) Diagnosed in a Horse By Erin Edwards, DVM, MS, DACVP With over 800,000 tests run annually, TVMDL encounters many challenging cases. Our case study series will highlight these interesting cases to increase … [Read more...]
Endometrial Biopsy: A tool to evaluate fertility in the mare
Endometrial Biopsy: a tool to evaluate fertility in the mare By Andrés de la Concha-Bermejillo DVM, MS, PhD With over 800,000 tests run annually, TVMDL encounters many challenging cases. Our case study series will highlight these interesting … [Read more...]
Rhinosporidium diagnosed in Texas horses
Rhinosporidium diagnosed in Texas horses By Gabriel Gomez, DVM, PhD, DACVP With over 800,000 tests run annually, TVMDL encounters many challenging cases. Our case study series will highlight these interesting cases to increase awareness among … [Read more...]
TVMDL adds QR coding verification feature to all Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) reports
Effectively immediately, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) will add a verification QR code to all Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) report forms delivered electronically. This process will allow quick and easy … [Read more...]
