Karen BaileyUrinary tract disease is a common reason for antibiotic use in cats and dogs. With increasing awareness of the need for appropriate antimicrobial stewardship, the International Society for Companion Animal Infectious Diseases (ISCAID) guidelines on UTI are a good reference. Whilst high level objective data is scant, the authors have useful advice, though these […]
When sending blood cultures to the laboratory, we recommend you send them on the morning courier (where possible) to ensure optimal handling and timely processing.If the culture bottles cannot be sent on the morning courier, they should be placed in a warm place (not exceeding 37°C) or at room temperature until they can be transported […]
Kathryn JenkinsThere is currently no validated serum testosterone test for veterinary species available and the referral test method in use has low sensitivity. As a result, serum testosterone is no longer recommended for use in veterinary species.In many cases, this can be replaced by serum Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). AMH is produced by the follicles of […]
All of our laboratories will be closed the entire of Easter weekend – Friday 18 April to Monday 21 April. We will reopen for business on Tuesday 22 April.Please avoid sending samples overnight on Thursday 17 April, as they will not be delivered until after the weekend and will likely be unsuitable for testing (with […]
Hania KlobukwskaIntroductionZinc toxicity is almost exclusively seen following the prophylactic use of zinc supplementation administered during the facial eczema (FE) season. Zinc toxicity is not new to the New Zealand scene however it is important to consider it as a differential diagnosis under certain circumstances, especially when the farm is known to be supplementing the […]
Our Dunedin laboratory will be closed on Monday 24 March, in observance of the regional anniversary day holiday. However, it will be open during regular business hours on Saturday, 22 March.If you have any questions or concerns, please call your local laboratory.
Bernie VaatstraClinical findingsA 13-year-old, spayed female Lhasa Apso presented at an after-hours veterinary clinic for acute gastric dilatation. Prior history included several years of upper gastrointestinal signs including intermittent vomiting and inappetence. Clinical signs improved on institution of treatment with 10mg omeprazole SID in 2023, and remained stable until October 2024, when the dog presented […]
Cathy HarveyOf all the masses that occur in the skin and subcutis, probably the most care needs to be taken when evaluating spindle cells from mass lesions, as reactive spindle cells associated with fibroplasia cannot be easily distinguished from neoplastic cells on cytology. Often these lesions are firm and do not exfoliate well, making diagnosis […]
We are no longer able to absorb the merchant fee associated with credit card payments. As a result, we will be passing this cost onto our customers at a rate of 2.5%, effective for payments made on or after March 1, 2025.However, payments made via direct debit will still be completely free of charge. You […]
We have encountered an issue with our current batch of PMSG testing kits. The supplier has been notified, but unfortunately, they are unable to provide replacements as the kits are out of stock. A new batch is expected to be ready in April and will be shipped to us from Germany.Until the new kits arrive, […]