Diseases & Diagnoses

Anaplasmosis is a disease transmitted by ticks. The causative agent is a bacterium, Anaplasma marginale that lives in an animal's red blood cells. It's crucial producers and practitioners be aware of anaplasmosis as clinical signs can mimic other diseases. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Alexis Thompson discuss the disease, clinical signs, and testing considerations with Dr. Suzanna Storms, TVMDL's new serology section head.

Those in veterinary medicine have probably heard of next-generation sequencing (NGS), but what exactly is involved in this methodology? In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Carlos Rodriguez discuss NGS, it's value, and how it's applied at TVMDL with Assistant Section Head for Research and Development Dr. Ellen-Ruth Alexander-Morris. Using NGS technology, TVMDL has the ability to analyzes hundreds of data points at one time which lends toward a quicker, more accurate diagnosis for clients. This is an exciting episode that shines a light into the future of veterinary diagnostics.

Orf is a highly contagious virus. Sheep and goats are the species primarily affected, with young lambs and kids being more susceptible due to their underdeveloped immune systems. It's critical that if you suspect Orf in your flock or herd that critical steps are implemented to mitigate the spread. In this episode Dr. Brandon Dominguez discusses biosafety practices, testing options, and other essential factors with Dr. Michael Piccione and TVMDL's new serology section head, Dr. Suzanna Storms.

PCR testing is impressive. It's considered the go-to method for several cases when sensitive, timely results are needed. However, it's important samples are submitted appropriately and in the right circumstances in order to the get most out of results. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Semira Mancill discuss the science behind PCR testing and how to ensure results answer critical questions with Dr. Megan Schroeder, molecular diagnostics assistant section head.

Bovine abortions can lead to significant repercussions. From a herd health perspective, abortions may be indicative of an infectious pathogen. From a financial aspect, every aborted calf is hit to a producer's pocketbook. There are countless reasons why bovine abortions are feared by producers and just as many reasons as to the causes of abortions. Because of this, labs like TVMDL need multiple sample types so ensure we can perform a full slate of tests to try and narrow down the cause of abortions. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Alexis Thompson discuss testing options and possible causes with TVMDL's pathologist in Canyon, Dr. Katie Kleinhenz.

Bone marrow aspirates can be incredibly enlightening. However the process is invasive, so it's important to know when a bone marrow aspirate is most appropriate for testing. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Cathy Campbell discuss the whens, whys, and hows of collecting and testing bone marrow aspirates with TVMDL's newest clinical pathologist, Dr. Emily Zuber.

Mycoplasma spp. are the smallest free-living bacteria known to science. They are also unique in they lack a cell-wall which means typical antibiotics don't work. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Alexis Thompson discuss mycoplasmas with Dr. Tegner Jacobson, microbiology section head in Canyon. They cover different types of mycoplasmas, testing options, and clinical signs that may lead to a mycoplasma diagnosis.

Biosecurity is an incredibly important factor in animal health. Diseases don't always carry obvious signs of infection and more often than that not, silently move through groups of animals. That's why it's critical biosecurity practices are implemented. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Alexis Thompson chat with Sage Barraza, serology technician in Canyon, to discuss common biosecurity practices and some diagnostic testing options to get head of the spread.

Liquid chromatography- tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS) is a powerful methodology that is used for several tests at TVMDL, most notably, the Performance Animal Drug Screen. Knowing the stakes of a positive result, TVMDL works hard to ensure testing is performed accurately. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Michael Piccione chat with Analytical Chemistry Section Head Dr. Mike Henderson to discuss LC/MS testing and how it ensures safe and fair competition.

Equine Infectious Anemia (EIA) is a well known virus in the horse community, mostly due to its highly infectious nature. Clinical signs vary. Some horses present with very obvious signs where other horses present with essentially none. Testing is often associated with the Coggins test. In this episode, Dr. Brandon Dominguez and Dr. Semira Mancill discuss the virus and testing options with Kalyn Green, assistant section head in serology.