Canine Diagnostic Plans and Panels
The following diagnostic plans have been developed primarily as an educational tool to assist the veterinarian in designing a complete, although not exhaustive, diagnostic strategy. To encourage veterinarians to select only the tests that are deemed clinically appropriate in each situation, the price of the diagnostic plan is not discounted from the sum of the individual test costs.
For the test groupings labeled as panels, there may be a discounted price versus the costs of the individual tests. Diagnostic plans and panels can be requested by writing the complete name as the test request. If appropriate samples are included all tests will be performed.
Antimicrobial susceptibilities for culture isolates are available upon request at an additional charge.
List of Plans and Panels
Canine Abortion/Fading Puppy Serology Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Canine Brucella Multiplex | CBM |
|
| Canine Herpesvirus SN | CHVSN |
|
| Leptospira MAT, 5 standard serovars | LEPTO |
|
| Neospora IFA | NEO |
|
| T4 & Free-T4 by dialysis & TSH combination | T4FT4TSH |
|
| Toxoplasma gondii MAT | TMAT |
|
Notes
In unvaccinated animals may also want to consider Canine Adenovirus (CAV) SN, Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) SN, and Canine Parvovirus (CPV-2) HI. Additional test costs would apply.
Ship chilled.
When acute samples are received, the serologic assays will be run at that time, and samples retained. If second, convalescent samples are later submitted, please note the accession number for the acute serology. Tests on both samples will be run in parallel and paired results should be interpreted. No fee will be applied to the second test performed on the acute sample at the time of the paired testing.
Canine Abortion/Fading Puppy Tissue Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| (3) Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Canine Distemper Virus FA | CDVFA |
|
| Canine Herpesvirus FA | CHVFA |
|
| Canine Parvovirus FA, Type 2 | CPVFA |
|
| Histopathology | HISTO |
|
| Leptospira PCR | LEPTPCR |
|
| Neospora IFA | NEO |
|
| Toxoplasma gondii MAT | TMAT |
|
Notes
Ship fresh tissue chilled and protect fixed tissue from freezing. If full necropsy desired, see Necropsy Testing.
Canine Dermatology Diagnostic Plan
Deep lesion
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Cortisol Pre Dexamethasone | CORTPREDEX |
|
| (3) Cortisol Post Dexamethasone | CORTPOSTDEX |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Fungal KOH Fluorescent Stain | FUNGKOH |
|
| Gram Stain | GRAM |
|
| Histopathology | HISTO |
|
| Thyroid Panel, Canine: FT4 (Immulite), T4, T3, TSH, TGA | THYPIK9 |
|
Superficial lesion
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Cortisol Pre Dexamethasone | CORTPREDEX |
|
| (3) Cortisol Post Dexamethasone | CORTPOSTDEX |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Fungal KOH Fluorescent Stain | FUNGKOH |
|
| Gram Stain | GRAM |
|
| Histopathology | HISTO |
|
| Skin Scraping | SSE |
|
| Thyroid Panel, Canine: FT4 (Immulite), T4, T3, TSH, TGA | THYPIK9 |
|
Notes
Deep lesion samples: Ship chilled and protect fixed tissue from freezing.
Superficial lesion samples: No aerobic culture is included in the superficial plan. Ship at room temperature and protect from temperature extremes. Protect slides from formalin exposure.
For additional information on endocrinology testing options see canine adrenal function tests.
Canine Diarrhea Diagnostic Plan
Ante mortem
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Anaerobic Bacterial Culture | ANAER |
|
| Campylobacter jejuni Culture | CAMPYJ |
|
| Coronavirus PCR, Alpha | ACOR |
|
| Canine Parvovirus Real Time PCR | PARVPCR |
|
| Clostridium difficile Toxins (A/B) | CLDT |
|
| Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin ELISA | CLPT |
|
Fecal Flotation | FLOAT |
|
| Gram Stain | GRAM |
|
| Salmonella culture | SALM |
|
Necropsy
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Anaerobic Bacterial Culture | ANAER |
|
| Campylobacter jejuni Culture | CAMPYJ |
|
| Coronavirus PCR, Alpha | ACOR |
|
| Canine Parvovirus Real Time PCR | PARVPCR |
|
| Clostridium difficile Toxins (A/B) | CLDT |
|
| Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin ELISA | CLPT |
|
Fecal Flotation | FLOAT |
|
| Gram Stain | GRAM |
|
| Histopathology | HISTO |
|
| Salmonella culture | SALM |
|
Notes
Ante mortem: Ship chilled and keep frozen samples frozen except for parapak® and port-a-cul™ which should be kept at room temperature.
Necropsy: Ship chilled and keep frozen samples frozen except for port-a-cul™ which should be kept at room temperature. Protect fixed tissue from freezing.
Canine Respiratory Diagnostic Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Anaerobic Bacterial Culture | ANAER |
|
Canine Respiratory Panel *Panel consists of multiple PCR assays: Canine Adenovirus Virus, Canine Distemper Virus, Canine Parainfluenza Virus, Canine Pneumovirus, Canine Herpesvirus-1, Beta-Coronavirus, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Mycoplasma Cynos, Streptococcus zooepidemicus, Influenza A Virus (comprehensive Influenza Virus detection) | CRPNL |
|
| Fecal Flotation | FLOAT |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Fungal Serology Panel | FUNGSER |
|
| Histopathology | HISTO |
|
| Mycoplasma Culture | MYCOPL |
|
| Small Animal Hemogram | SA CBC |
|
| Tracheal Wash Cytology | TWE |
|
Notes
Testing for evidence of lungworms, Fecal Float and an Occult Heartworm may also be indicated. Please request separately and submit fresh feces in leak-proof container and 1 mL serum (separated). Ship chilled.
It may be helpful to collect and bank a serum sample for possible acute and convalescent serology.
Ante mortem: Ship chilled except for slides which should be at room temperature. Protect slides from formalin exposure.
Necropsy: Ship fresh tissue and swab chilled and protect fixed tissue from freezing.
Canine Liver Function Plan
Panel Code:
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bile Acids, Fasting Panel | BA-F P |
|
| Bile Acids, Post-Prandial Panel | BA-PP P |
|
| Protein C | PROTC |
|
| Small Animal Chemistry Panel | SA P |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Pre-prandial bile acid sampling should be done before the animal is fed at their routine meal time (e.g. Morning), and the post-prandial sample drawn 2 hours later. If only one sample can be collected, the post-prandial sample is preferred.
Canine Neurologic Diagnostic Plan
Please strongly consider rabies testing at your state health department.
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aerobic Bacterial Culture | AER |
|
| Canine Distemper PCR | DIS |
|
| Cerebrospinal Fluid Cytology | CSFE |
|
| Fungal Culture | FUNGCM |
|
| Histopathology | HISTO |
|
| Neospora IFA | NEO |
|
| Toxic Heavy Metal Panel | THMP |
|
| Toxoplasma gondii MAT | TMAT |
|
| Virus Isolation | VI |
|
| West Nile Virus (WNV) SN | WNVSN |
|
| West Nile Virus Eastern Encephalitis Virus PCR Panel | WNVEEEPCRP |
|
Notes
May also want to consider cerebrospinal fluid cytology which requires CSF in EDTA tube (LTT) and (2) air dried slides of CSF. Protect slides from formalin exposure.
Ship chilled and protect fixed tissue from freezing. Please indicate if rabies testing is pending. See tissues for rabies diagnosis for photos of brain samples needed for rabies testing.
Canine Respiratory PCR Panel
Panel Code: CRPNL
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bordetella PCR | BORD |
|
| Canine Adenovirus PCR | CADEN |
|
| Canine Distemper PCR | DIS |
|
| Canine Herpesvirus-1 PCR | CHV1PCR |
|
| Canine Parainfluenza Virus PCR | PINF |
|
| Coronavirus PCR, Beta | BCOR |
|
| Influenza Virus Matrix PCR | IVMPCR |
|
| Mycoplasma cynos PCR | MCYN |
|
| Pneumovirus N RT-qPCR | PNVPCR |
|
| Streptococcus zooepidemicus PCR | SZT |
|
Notes
Cotton, plastic, wood-handled, dacron and other synthetic swabs are all acceptable. Ship chilled.
Canine Vaccine Panel 1
Canine Vaccine Panel 2
Canine Vaccine Panel 3
Coagulation Panel + Fibrinogen
Panel Code: COAGFIB
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Fibrinogen | FIB |
|
| Prothrombin Time | PT |
|
| Thrombin Clotting Time | TCT |
|
| aPTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time) | APTT |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Coagulation Panel, Small Animals
Panel Code: COAGPS
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Prothrombin Time | PT |
|
| Thrombin Clotting Time | TCT |
|
| aPTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time) | APTT |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Cornell Canine Liver Plan
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Bile Acids, Fasting Panel | BA-F P |
|
| Bile Acids, Post-Prandial Panel | BA-PP P |
|
| Coagulation Panel + Fibrinogen | COAGFIB |
|
| Hemogram, Small Animal | SA CBC |
|
| Protein C | PROTC |
|
| Small Animal Chemistry Panel | SA P |
|
DIC Panel, Small Animal
Panel Code: DICP
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Antithrombin | AT3 |
|
| D-dimer Quantitative | DDIQ |
|
| Fibrinogen | FIB |
|
| Prothrombin Time | PT |
|
| aPTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time) | APTT |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Canine Fever of Unknown Origin Diagnostic Plan
If case is chronic, virus isolation can be omitted if desired. If not previously performed a large animal chemistry panel may be warranted and serum (separated) or heparinized plasma would need to be submitted.
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| (3) Blood Culture, Aerobic | BLDAER |
|
| (3) Blood Culture, Anaerobic | BLDAN |
|
| Canine Brucella Multiplex | CBM |
|
| C-Reactive Protein | CRP |
|
| Hemogram, Small Animal examination for blood parasites included | SA CBC |
|
| Virus Isolation nasal, whole blood | VI |
|
Notes
Ship chilled except for blood culture bottles and slides which are shipped at room temperature.
See Blood Culture Technique for more information. To order blood culture bottles go to shipping services or call 607.253.3935.
It may be helpful to collect and bank a serum sample for possible acute and convalescent serology.
This diagnostic plan is designed to detect a broad spectrum of systemic bacterial, viral, and some blood parasite causes of acute fever of unknown origin, as well as certain inflammatory changes which may assist in determining the underlying problems. Viral causes of illness are best detected acutely and most are unlikely to be detected in a patient with a chronic fever of unknown origin. This plan is intended to be used as an adjunct to targeted, disease-specific testing appropriate to the species, clinical history and geographic location or conditions. See Small Animal Internal Medicine, 5th Edition, 2014, Nelson RW and Couto CG; Chapter 88: Fever of Unknown Origin, pages 1279-1282 for other ideas of testing.
Fungal Serology Panel
Panel Code: FUNGSER
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Aspergillus Antibody | ASPERA |
|
| Blastomyces Antibody | BLASTA |
|
| Coccidioides Antibody | COCCA |
|
| Cryptococcus Antigen | CRYPTA |
|
| Histoplasma Antibody | HISTOA |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Hemophilia Panel, Small Animal
Panel Code: HEM89P
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Clotting Factor (08) FVIII Activity | CF08 |
|
| Clotting Factor (09) FIX Activity | CF09 |
|
| Prothrombin Time | PT |
|
| Thrombin Clotting Time | TCT |
|
| aPTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time) | APTT |
|
| von Willebrand factor (vWF:Ag) | VWF |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Hemostasis Panel, Small Animal
Panel Code: HEMOP
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Prothrombin Time | PT |
|
| Thrombin Clotting Time | TCT |
|
| aPTT (Activated Partial Thromboplastin Time) | APTT |
|
| von Willebrand factor (vWF:Ag) | VWF |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Mineral Panel (Tissue)
Thyroid Panel, Canine: FT4 (Immulite), T4, T3, TSH, TgA
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Thyroid Panel, Canine: FT4 (Immulite), T4, T3, TSH, TGA | THYPIK9 |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Thyroid Panel, Canine: FT4d, T4, T3, TSH, TgA
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Thyroid Panel, Canine: FT4d, T4, T3, TSH, TgA | THYPK9 |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.
Thyroid Panel, OFA Canine Registry Cert
| Tests Performed | Test Code | Samples Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Thyroid Panel, OFA Canine Registry Certification - THYPOFA | THYPOFA |
|
Notes
Ship chilled.