Clinical Pathology Lab Overview

The Veterinary Clinical Pathology Laboratory offers hematology, coagulation, and biochemical testing, urinalysis, and body fluid analysis for a variety of species, including dogs, cats, horses, cows, pigs, poultry, camelids, rodents, non-human primates, reptiles, and fish.

The laboratory uses state-of-the-art automated analyzers and is staffed by board-certified medical technologists and technicians, as well as three board-certified veterinary clinical pathologists to support research activities.

We offer customized services, working with investigators to design individualized testing that is appropriate to your research needs. Results may be available same-day, data reporting formats are flexible, and we offer consultation regarding sample collection and transport, experimental design, and data interpretation.

To support your grant writing, we can provide detailed descriptions of methodology and SOPs, and can provide data interpretation if requested. Because services are customized, please contact the laboratory for quotes.

Getting Started

To ensure optimal results of all pathology tests, the Veterinary Clinical Pathology Laboratory works with investigators starting early in the project. Before you contact the lab, please collect the information listed below. Careful planning is essential for a project to yield usable laboratory results; therefore, to ensure that we are able to provide you with top quality test results, we must pre-approve sample submission.

Compile this information:

  • Name of study
  • Anticipated length of study
  • Sample type (serum, body fluid, urine, culture media, etc.)
  • Types of tests needed (currently available tests)
  • Species
  • Required turn-around time
  • Whether the samples will arrive individually or be batched
  • Volume of sample available
  • Preferred reporting format
  • Possible risks associated with sample handling (for example, risks associated with infectious agents)
  • Payment method

Provide a completed submission form (doc).

Contact the laboratory staff, who will:

  • Provide you with a quote for the project
  • Provide assistance with experimental design (if desired) and procedures for sample collection
  • Decide whether method validation is necessary (for example, in the case of a non-standard species or specimen)
  • Recommend collection (see our Protocols page), transport, and/or storage protocols (also see Research Animal Resources)
  • Assist you with completion the submission form

Please note that careful planning is necessary for a project to yield usable results, and we require advance notice for sample submission. When all planning and preparations are complete, begin your project.