Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Lab (TVMDL)

25/12/2024

Happy holidays from TVMDL! All labs are closed today. Normal operations will resume tomorrow. We wish you all a safe and enjoyable holiday!

19/12/2024

Things are looking ✨festive✨ in College Station. Help us pick the best sweater! To vote, "like" the image of the sweater you think is best. Voting ends at 4 p.m.

18/12/2024

Cytology can be incredibly helpful to practitioners. Learn more about how and when to implement cytology into your diagnostic workup by clicking the image below.

Cytology testing can be a quick and efficient method of obtaining answers to critical animal health questions. However, to get the most value out of cytology, clients must ensure important patient information is relayed at the time of submission. This, coupled with properly collected samples and str...

17/12/2024

Cytology testing can be a powerful tool to gather quick information about an animal's health. However, it's all about how that information is applied that makes a difference! Check out our newest episode of Diseases & Diagnoses to learn more about how practitioners can get the most value from their cytology submissions.

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11/12/2024

Strangles is a highly contagious disease among horses. Though it’s mortality rate is low, the disease can lead to several health complications if left untreated. TVMDL offers testing options to help horse owners get a chokehold on strangles early to mitigate it’s spread through horse populations. Learn more by clicking the image below.

Strangles is a highly contagious respiratory disease in horses caused by the bacterium Streptococcus equi subspecies equi. Horses of all ages can be affected by the infection, but younger horses are especially vulnerable. Although the mortality rate for strangles is low, the disease can develop into...

06/12/2024

Sometimes it's not always feasible to bring an animal to the lab for a necropsy. In these instances, it's critical practitioners perform an organized and thorough field examination. TVMDL has compiled some best practices to ensure practitioners collect and submit the specimens that will give them the testing options needed for a comprehensive diagnostic workup. Learn more by clicking the image below.

Although the Texas A&M Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, offers necropsy services, sending large bodies to the lab for examination may not always be feasible. Field necropsies can be used as a tool to provide valuable information about an individual animal and herd health. Correctly and thoro...

03/12/2024

Strangles is a highly-infectious bacterial disease that can spread among horses quickly. Early detection is key to mitigating and controlling its effects. In this episode of Diseases & Diagnoses, TVMDL's newest veterinary diagnostician, Dr. Semira Mancill, and Dr. Ellen Ruth Alexander Morris, one of the TVMDL scientists instrumental in developing our strangles PCR, discuss testing options and submission best practices.

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28/11/2024

Happy Thanksgiving! In this season of gratitude, we can't express how thankful we are for our clients. Each test we perform is an extension of your trust in us. Thank you for all of you who dedicate your lives to protecting animal health!

25/11/2024

Ham? Turkey? Brisket? Maybe even prime rib? Regardless of what's on your plate this week, TVMDL has likely had a hand in ensuring that animal's health. We are thankful for the clients who choose us to assist them in their diagnostic testing needs! It's because of you that our agency can assist agriculturalists in protecting our nation's food supply.

22/11/2024

Export testing can be complex, but it is a manageable process with the right preparation and information. Learn more about what clients can do to help make export testing a streamlined, efficient process by clicking the image below.

Livestock export testing safeguards human and animal health internationally. Testing helps mitigate the spread of diseases and ensures international commerce is sustainable. The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, is the only laboratory in Texas authorized to perform testing t...

19/11/2024

Another episode of TVMDL's podcast, Diseases and Diagnoses, is available! Necropsies can serve as valuable tools in the overall diagnostic process. However, to get the most out information out of necropsy examinations, it's critical the correct samples are collected to ensure all primary and ancillary tests can be performed. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Alexis Thompson sit down with Dr. Katie Kleinhenz, Canyon's veterinary pathologist, the discuss the types of samples often collected and best practices clients should keep in mind for both field and lab necropsies.

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13/11/2024

TVMDL is excited to be featured on this week's episode of the The Texas A&M University System's tv show, "Around Texas with Chancellor John Sharp". The episode takes viewers to the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo where viewers learn how we work with show officials to provide drug testing services. Big thanks to RODEOHOUSTON, Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences professor Dr. Leslie Easterwood, and Brazos County 4-H Agent Matt Pfeifer and member Keenan Kutzenberger for helping our episode come together! Visit https://sharparoundtexas.com/schedule/ to learn how you can watch it tomorrow night!

06/11/2024

Julie Anna Prusak always dreamt of competing in the Retired Racehorse Project's Thoroughbred Makeover competition. Despite a journey filled with adversity, Prusak finally achieved that dream this past October thanks to a horse named Nemo. Learn more by clicking the image below.

One afternoon in the Polish countryside a family and their plow-horse, Kasztan, was strolling along a quiet road. Six-year-old Julie Anna Prusak sat in front of her five-year-old cousin Szczepan, Polish for Stephen, as they rode on the horse’s bare back. With Prusak’s uncle Tadek holding the lea...

05/11/2024

Another episode of TVMDL's podcast, Diseases and Diagnoses, is available! Today's episode is all about export testing. From the protocols to the paperwork, exporting animals to other countries can be tedious. One of the more complex tasks of the process is ensuring animals meet the health requirements of their intended country. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Terry Hensley chat with Kalyn Green, assistant section head for serology, to discuss commonly requested export tests, regulations, and the best practices clients should keep in mind to ensure animals make a quick and health trip abroad.

Give us a listen:
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01/11/2024

As the only laboratory in Texas authorized to test for Chronic Wasting Disease, TVMDL processes thousands of samples each year. It's critical samples are submitted properly to mitigate potential delays. Learn more about the best practices to keep in mind when submitting samples for CWD by clicking the image below.

The Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, TVMDL, is the only laboratory in Texas authorized by the United States Department of Agriculture to perform testing for Chronic Wasting Disease, CWD. As such, it is critical samples are submitted properly to mitigate potential testing delays. T...

31/10/2024

Who has the most spooktacular pumpkin? Help us decide! The photo with the most likes at 4 p.m. wins! 🎃👻

30/10/2024

Avoid a night of fright for your pets! 👻🎃 Here are just a few spooky sources of potential toxicity that may be out or around this Halloween. As a reminder, pet owners who suspect their animal may have ingested a potential toxin should immediately contact their local veterinarian.

24/10/2024

Canine infectious respiratory disease complex, otherwise known as kennel cough, can give furry friends a real fright. The complex encompasses viral and bacterial agents that have the potential to cause severe health issues as it creeps across dog populations. TVMDL offers testing to assist dog owners in identifying the etiological agent. This information is critical in helping mitigating the disease effects and halting the spread. Learn more by clicking the image below.

The crisp, autumn air settles in after a long and hot Texas summer, but lurking beneath the excitement is the shadowy threat of the canine infectious respiratory disease complex, otherwise known as kennel cough. Cooler temperatures mean an increase in outbreaks as dogs spend more time indoors in clo...