King’s birthday weekend
All of our laboratories will be closed on Monday 2 June to celebrate the King’s birthday, however we will be open normal working hours on Saturday May 31. If you have any questions or concerns, call us on 0800 474 225
Improved qPCR assay for detection of Parapoxvirus
Saeed Sharif & David Tisdall Parapoxviruses (PPVs; genus Parapoxvirus) infect a wide range of species generally causing localised cutaneous lesions. The genus comprises four species: Orf virus (ORFV), Bovine papular stomatitis virus (BPSV), Pseudocowpox virus (PCPV), and Parapoxvirus of red deer (PVNZ). The most common hosts of PPVs are ruminants, including sheep and goats (infected […]
ANZAC weekend closures
All of our laboratories will be closed the entire of ANZAC weekend – Friday 25 April to Sunday 27 April. We will reopen for business on Monday 28 April. Please avoid sending samples overnight on Thursday 24 April, as they will not be delivered until after the weekend and will likely be unsuitable for testing […]
Diagnosis and management – canine and feline UTIs
Karen Bailey Urinary 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 […]
Blood culture submissions
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 […]
Testosterone testing no longer recommended
Kathryn Jenkins There 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 […]
Easter weekend closures
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 […]
Zinc toxicity in cattle
Hania Klobukwska Introduction Zinc 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 […]
Otago anniversary day
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.
An unusual finding in a bloated dog
Bernie Vaatstra Clinical findings A 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 […]