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Veterinary Teaching Hospital
Patient Receiving : (540) 231-4621
Hospital FAX : (540) 231-9354
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Referrals: Small Animal | Large Animal 		Veterinary Teaching Hospital
VMRCVM, Virginia Tech
Phase III, Duckpond Drive
Blacksburg, VA 24061
VTH   Hospitals   VMRCVM

Clinical Laboratory Services


Laboratory Forms


About Laboratory Services

Clinical Laboratory Services is a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory offering a wide variety of specimen analysis in five service sections.

Each section is staffed by medical technologists or histotechnicians who work under the direction of the section Chief of Service.

Laboratory Central Receiving (LCR) manages specimen accession, which includes data entry, patient billing, and specimen distribution to the appropriate laboratory. Test results are distributed to veterinary students and clinicians. LCR processes all specimens designated for “send-out” testing (assays not available within the diagnostic laboratories).


Photographic Tour

View the Clinical Laboratory Photographic Tour.


Anatomic Pathology

histology laboratory special stainThe Anatomic Pathology Laboratory consists of the Histopathology and Necropsy laboratories.

The Necrospy Laboratory is staffed by veterinary pathologists who perform post mortem examinations, known as necropsy, on companion, food production, and exotic animals. This service is provided for in-house clients as well as local veterinarians and animal owners. Information obtained through necropsy leads to the establishment of a disease diagnosis or cause of death.

The Histopathology Laboratory is responsible for the preparation of tissue sections for microscopic evaluation by VMRCVM veterinary pathologists. Specimens range from tissues obtained through surgical biopsy of live animals to tissues collected during necropsy. Diagnostic pathology establishes disease diagnosis and cause of death.


Clinical Pathology

clinical pathology

  • Clinical chemistry
  • Urinalysis
  • Hematology and Hemostasis
  • Blood Bank - The Clinical Laboratory maintains the canine and feline blood bank by processing and distributing vital blood products to VTH patients. Laboratory personnel conduct blood typing and compatibility testing to assure safe transfusions of blood products. Healthy dogs, between one and five years of age and weighing at least 20 kilograms, are invited to become members of the blood donor program. An external vendor supplies feline blood products.
  • Cytopathology - Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists provide diagnostic interpretations of specimens submitted for cytopathology. Samples include fine needle aspirates, fine needle biopsies, tissue impression smears, and cells from body cavity fluids, urines, washes, and cerebrospinal fluid.

Clinical Microbiology

microbiologyThe Clinical Microbiology Laboratory provides identification of suspected microbial pathogens including fungi, aerobic, and anaerobic bacteria.

  • Specimen submission - Samples are submitted using culturettes, blood culture bottles, or other sterile containers.
  • Plating - A variety of media are available for cultivation of microbial pathogens; selection of the media is based on the sample type or suspected organism(s).
  • Incubation - Inoculated media are incubated to facilitate growth of organisms.
  • Culture reading - Cultures are manually interpreted by trained medical technologists. Cultures are visually observed, and chemical determinations and “spot” tests are performed to aid in the presumptive identification of microorganisms.
  • Automated ID/Susceptibility - Automated systems are available to assist in identification of organisms and MICs are read to determine antimicrobial susceptibility.
  • Manual susceptibility -Mueller Hinton agar is used for antimicrobial disc diffusion susceptibility using the Kirby-Bauer method. The veterinarian uses this information to determine which antibiotics will most likely be effective on a particular organism.
  • Fungi - Agar specifically designed for fungal growth is used. Fungi are identified by examining the colony and microscopic morphology.

Clinical Immunology

The Clinical Immunology Laboratory currently offers a limited number of tests for the detection of immune response or exposure to infectious agents and passive transfer of immunity. This area is slated for expansion.


Clinical Parasitology

parasitologyThe Clinical Parasitology Laboratory performs testing to identify parasites, assisting in diagnosis of parasitic infections in large and small animals.

  • Routine fecal testing
  • Heartworm testing

Laboratory Services Personnel

Carolyn Sink, MS, MT(ASCP), Supervisor Diagnostic Services

Anatomic Pathology

David L. Caudell – DVM, PhD, Anatomic Pathology
Thomas E. Cecere – DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVP, Anatomic Pathology
Bernard S. Jortner – VMD, MS, Diplomate ACVP, Pathology
Tanya LeRoith – DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVP, Anatomic Pathology
John L. Robertson – VMD, PhD, Pathology
Geoffrey K. Saunders – DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVP, Pathology
D. Phillip Sponenberg – DVM, PhD, Pathology/Genetics
Kurt Zimmerman – DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVP, Clinical and Anatomic Pathology

Clinical Pathology

Katie M. Boes – DVM, MS, Diplomate ACVP, Clinical Pathology
Nicole M. Weinstein – DVM, Diplomate ACVP, Clinical Pathology
Kurt Zimmerman – DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVP, Clinical and Anatomic Pathology

Microbiology

Thomas J. Inzana – MS, PhD, Diplomate ABMM, Tyler J. and Frances F. Young Chair of Bacteriology
Nammalwar Sriranganathan – BVSc, MVSc, PhD, Diplomate ACVM, Bacteriology
Jennifer L. Hodgson – BVSc, PhD, MRCVS, Diplomate ACVM, Bacteriology (Associate Dean for Professional Programs)

Parasitology

Anne M. Zajac – DVM, MS, PhD, Parasitology