Click to Skip Tips for Collecting Needle and Core Bone Biopsy | Tips for Submitting and Entire Leg | Clinical History Submitting samples of bone for histopathological analysis is essential to definitively diagnose most primary bone diseases (e.g., osteosarcoma). However, collecting representative bone biopsy specimens and their histopathological interpretations presents several challenges for the clinician […]

Click to Skip: Bone Marrow Aspirate Procedure | Bone Marrow Core Biopsy Procedure Bone marrow testing is used to diagnose and monitor bone marrow diseases and CBC abnormalities. Full evaluation of bone marrow requires a CBC the day of the bone marrow collection, bone marrow aspiration, and a bone marrow core biopsy.  Indications for bone […]

Many Texans rely upon the weather for a variety of reasons. From crops to cattle, Texans are often at the mercy of Mother Nature. Although droughts can have a dire impact on animal health, floods can also contribute to widespread issues among animal owners. Excessive rainfall can contribute to mosquito-borne diseases, toxic plants, dermatologic conditions, […]

The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) offers digital cytology to account-holding clients. Digital cytology provides rapid evaluation of photos taken with microscope cameras or smart phones or whole slide imaging (WSI). This service provides an official report and cytologic interpretation, within one hour of submission during business hours. To enhance this service, submission […]

Hundreds of samples arrive daily at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for testing. Testing accuracy often depends on the submission of the proper specimen for the assay, particularly for molecular diagnostics. With the proper sample, we can perform the assay and provide the most timely and accurate results without delay.  While results […]

Hundreds of samples arrive daily at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for testing. Testing accuracy often depends on submission of the proper specimen for the assay, particularly for molecular diagnostics.  To ensure the appropriate sample is submitted for molecular diagnostics at TVMDL, please consult the website for specific details associated with the […]

A forensic or legal necropsy as defined by the purposes of the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) is a necropsy done to attempt to determine the cause of death in cases where the death is known or suspected to be non-natural, there are suspicious circumstances, or there is evidence of foul play. They […]

Fumonisin B1 is the most prevalent of several fumonisin mycotoxins (B1, B2, B3) produced by Fusarium molds in corn. Corn contamination can occur at very high levels when permissive environmental conditions coincide with vulnerable points in corn kernel production. Equine Leukoencephalomalacia (ELEM) Horses and other equids, as well as rabbits, are the most fumonisin-sensitive species. […]

Diagnosing animal diseases frequently requires a veterinarian or a technician to collect specimens in the field. This can be difficult without having the right tools on hand. For these occasions, the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory suggests assembling a necropsy field kit. The kit should include the following tools and materials, all of which […]

Prior to diagnostic testing, it’s important to determine what factors would lead to the most comprehensive assessment of an animal’s condition. Each case must be evaluated individually in order to establish the most practical diagnostic testing route.  Collection Guidelines What is an ideal serum sample? Since most serologic testing utilizes serum, blood should be collected […]

The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) has been providing drug testing services for livestock shows across the country for more than 30 years. The agency tests in excess of 3,500 samples for more than 90 shows across the United States annually. TVMDL’s drug testing laboratory is an ISO 17025 accredited lab with state-of-the-art […]

Stock show season brings together months of preparation for exhibitors and their animals. Veterinarians play a key role in ensuring that performance animals are managed responsibly and in compliance with competition rules. The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, offers performance animal drug screening using modern LC/MS (liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry). Each year, TVMDL […]

A 13-pound, juvenile, male intact, crossbred pig was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for necropsy and ancillary testing. The animal was described as a piglet and no age was stated on the submission form. The piglet was euthanized by the referring veterinarian for submission to the laboratory. The history indicated […]

Two porcine carcasses (carcass #1 and #2) and porcine tissue specimens from two additional pigs (tissues #3 and #4) were submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for testing. All four animals were from different premises. Porcine carcass #1 was 4-weeks-old and had a history of respiratory distress and being a “poor […]

Although there have been substantial advances in benchtop hematology instrumentation for veterinary species, manual evaluation of a blood smear remains a vital part of a complete blood count (CBC). At the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL), all CBCs include manual blood smear examination by a highly skilled clinical pathology technician, a clinical pathologist, […]

As hurricane season ramps up in Texas, so do threats to livestock health. Beyond downed fences and flooded pastures, contaminated water can quietly set the stage for dangerous skin infections in cattle, horses, sheep and goats. June marks the start of hurricane season, and each year the southern United States experiences increasingly intense and frequent […]

The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) performs numerous tests using serum. Proper collection, preparation, and packaging for transportation is imperative to obtaining a quality serum sample. Serum samples that arrive at TVMDL which are hemolyzed and/or lipemic may not be acceptable for testing. Accurate results start with an ideal sample. Ideal Sample Clear […]

Dermatology cases are one of the most common types of cases seen by general practitioners. A crucial diagnostic tool in these cases is the skin biopsy. They are indicated in cases that do not respond to normal therapy, pustular, or ulcerative disease, and suspected neoplasia.  Before Taking a Skin Biopsy Prior treatment should also be […]

Three, approximately two-month-old (two females and one male), pigs of unspecified breed were submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for necropsy and ancillary testing. The owner reported multiple deaths in animals of various ages over the past 3 to 4 weeks due to respiratory disease. According to the owner, the clinical […]

Click to Skip: Autolysis | Cautery Artifact | Freezing Artifact | Crush Artifact | Sponge Artifact Pathologic artifacts are any structures or features that are not normally present in the living animal. Some are minor, easy to distinguish from normal or diseased tissue, and/or do not interfere with the pathologists’ ability to provide an accurate […]

The carcass of a female, approximately 112-pound Landrace-Yorkshire pig, was submitted to the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (TVMDL) for necropsy. History noted the pig died suddenly without previous clinical signs. The pig was the only one affected of a group of swine breeding stock destined for research purposes. At necropsy, there was extensive […]