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June 8, 2006 NDSU Veterinary Lab Offers Diagnostic Services Suspect a health problem with your livestock or family pet? Don’t wait for it to get worse. The North Dakota State University Veterinary Diagnostic Lab offers a convenient, reliable way to get to the root of the problem. Diagnosis is the main purpose of the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab. Veterinarians, on the other hand, offer treatment suggestions ranging from vaccinations and antibiotics to management techniques. Livestock producers and animal owners, working cooperatively with veterinarians, frequently use the lab’s services. “An average of 10,000 cases come in per year,” says Neil Dyer, director of the laboratory. “That includes everything from blood testing to feed toxicology testing or major biopsies. More than half of these cases are between the months of January and May.” Spring keeps the diagnostic lab busy with common cases of calf scours, also known as calf diarrhea. Coggins, a test for equine infectious anemia, also is conducted at the lab frequently. During the summer, testing slows down, but fall brings many cases of pneumonia in feedlots. “The anthrax outbreak in North Dakota was a major case we dealt with recently, mostly because our lab is set up to do that kind of testing,” says Dyer. The outbreak, which happened in spring 2005, prompted several studies. Lab staff also are doing research on avian influenza and West Nile virus. “We have worked with the lab frequently,” says David Calderwood, veterinarian at Casselton Veterinary Clinic. “They offer quick turnaround rates and are very helpful and beneficial to our clinic.” The lab offers an online service to check the status of an animal. Animals typically are transported to the lab by trailer, and specimens are mailed. “We’ve seen many different animals in here from common livestock and household pets to zebras, deer, elk, snakes and even a few fish,” says Dyer. “The diversity makes it fun.” The lab includes bacteriology, clinical pathology, histology, serology, toxicology and virology departments, which are run by six faculty members and 12 lab technicians. “Having the different departments allows us to do a wide variety of testing,” says Dyer. Fees for lab services depend on the type and extent of testing done, and whether animal disposal is needed. Visit the Web site at www.vdl.ndsu.edu/inform/serv.htm for specific prices. For more information on the lab, visit its Web site at www.vdl.ndsu.edu or contact Dyer at neil.dyer@ndsu.edu or (701) 231-7521. ### Source:
Neil Dyer, (701) 231-7521, neil.dyer@ndsu.edu |
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North Dakota State University |
