GETTING THE MOST FROM A VETERINARY DIAGNOSTIC LABORATORY - A PATHOLOGISTS PERSPECTIVE .2. SAMPLING AND TESTING

In achieving an appropriate diagnosis, the veterinary diagnostician re lies on signalment and clinical history, especially for mailed-in spec imens. The practitioner should provide the diagnostician with a few co ncise, pertinent sentences concerning the following historical and man agement information: the signalment, findings of physical examination and/or necropsy, age (or age range) at onset of signs of illness in th e affected animals, number of animals affected, herd or flock size, po tential for exposure to pathogens or toxins, introduction of new anima ls, prior therapy and response to therapy, housing conditions, availab le feed and water, recent changes in feeding and watering, and vaccina tion history. The first part of this two-part presentation discussed n oncommercial and commercial laboratories, the role of the American Ass ociation of Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories, selection of a laborat ory, laboratory philosophies, accessions, and realistic expectations. The second part of this two-part article discusses specimen selection, patient selection, tissue selection, tissue handling and packaging, a nd testing. it is hoped that the series will be useful to practitioner s in improving communication with the diagnostic laboratory and thus e nhance the service it provides.