Therapeutic drugs can significantly improve the quality of life in animals with painful or long-term illnesses. However, it’s critical to monitor the level of medication in an animal’s body to ensure the dosage is safe and effective. The bodily response to therapeutic drugs is particularly important to monitor in pets with chronic conditions, such as…
Gastrointestinal, GI, parasites bring serious concern to equine health. Among the various types of parasites includes the most common nematodes from the Strongylidae family. In the last two years, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, has detected parasites in approximately 49% of equine fecal samples submitted for parasitology testing. Of this group, 45%…
The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, has named Alexis Thompson, DVM, Ph.D., DACVPM, as resident director at the Charles W. “Doc” Graham ‘53 DVM laboratory in Canyon. She will begin her new role Sept. 1. As resident director, Thompson will oversee all aspects of the lab’s testing efforts, which contribute over 111,000 tests…
The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) works alongside the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) to provide testing services in accordance to state regulations. Due to the increased volume of regulatory testing this time of year, incomplete submissions can be significantly delayed. Here are some best practices that aid in the quick accessioning of…
Diagnostic testing can answer a lot of questions. However incomplete, missing, or vague submission paperwork only leads to more questions, rather than answers. As soon as samples arrive at TVMDL, receiving staff immediately start the accessioning process to ensure testing can begin as soon as possible. Part of the accessioning process is manually reviewing and…
A sample’s journey from the clinic to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) is unpredictable. Once a package enters the mail system, it’s likely to get tossed, turned, and bumped until it arrives at the laboratory. Knowing this, it’s imperative clients take steps to properly package samples to ensure they arrive safely and…
Mycoplasma bacteria can cause a variety of symptoms in many of our animal species. These bacteria are unique because they lack a cell wall, making them challenging to detect and treat. The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) commonly detects infections in dogs, cats, and livestock. One of the most common signs of mycoplasma…
The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) assists Texas veterinarians in diagnosing an average of over 350 cases of systemic fungal infection each year. To do so, TVMDL offers serologic testing specific for Aspergillus, Blastomyces, Coccidioides, Cryptococcus, and Histoplasma. Additionally, these fungal pathogens may be cultured, or found via microscopic examination of blood smears,…
Zoonotic diseases are transmitted between animals and humans and can pose a significant threat to human health. It’s critical for veterinary clinic staff and TVMDL employees to handle animal samples in a way that minimizes the threat of zoonotic transmission. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), zoonotic diseases such as brucellosis,…
John Reagor, PhD, Veterinary Toxicologist Emeritus, passed away on April 20. Reagor fervently served the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) as the agency’s toxicologist for 50 years. During his time at TVMDL he garnered a national reputation for his expertise of various toxins. He led TVMDL’s toxicology section to become one of the…