The Cornell AHDC is now offering real-time PCR based Equine and Canine Respiratory Panels to aid veterinarians in rapidly identifying the presence of common disease agents in dogs and horses with acute respiratory illness. The ability to quickly and accurately test for these comprehensive groups of pathogens from a single set of samples is a valuable tool for acute respiratory disease diagnosis and management. These panels also aid in the understanding of the clinical manifestations of several common virus infections for which disease association is not yet well understood.

The pathogens detected in the Equine Respiratory Panel include equine adenovirus 1 and 2, equine arteritis virus, equine rhinitis virus A and B, equine herpesvirus (EHV) types 1 and 4, equine influenza virus (all A subtypes), and Streptococcus equi. We also now offer rapid genotyping for the EHV-1 ORF30 polymorphism associated with neurologic disease as an add-on to either the Equine Respiratory Panel or the EHV-1 PCR. Please specify on the accession form or contact the lab if you would like this test (EHVN) to be run if samples are EHV-1 positive.

The pathogens detected in the Canine Respiratory Panel include canine respiratory coronavirus (betacoronavirus), canine distemper virus, canine adenovirus, canine parainfluenza virus, canine pneumovirus, canine influenza virus (all A subtypes), Bordetella bronchiseptica, and Mycoplasma cynos.

Collection of swab samples early, generally within 3 days of clinical onset, will provide a better chance to identify the presence of respiratory pathogens. The turnaround time for both panels is 3-5 days. For the canine panel, please submit both a nasopharyngeal and a nasal swab in sterile, sealed vials with several drops of saline added (swabs from the same animal will be pooled). For the equine panel, a deep nasal swab is preferred. Cotton, plastic, wood-handled, Dacron, and other synthetic swabs are all acceptable. Tracheal washes can also be tested and EDTA blood can be submitted for EHV 1 and 4 and will be tested for these viruses individually. The fee for each panel is $120; all tests are also available individually at a cost of $38.00 per assay.