Cluj/ Veterinary Laboratories

Veterinary Laboratories covers the diagnostic laboratories for animals, the units that process samples sent by clinics and practices and, in some cases, receive owners directly with a referral form. A veterinary laboratory covers blood haematology and biochemistry, urinalysis, faecal parasitology, cytology and histopathology, microbiology with sensitivity testing, endocrine tests, serology for infectious diseases and PCR tests. Many laboratories also offer predefined profiles, for example a pre-anaesthetic profile, a geriatric profile or a profile for the animal with chronic vomiting, which group the relevant parameters together.

You come into contact with a veterinary laboratory every time the vet requests tests: at a routine check-up, before anaesthesia, to monitor a chronic disease such as kidney failure or diabetes, to confirm a suspected infection, or to interpret a mass through biopsy. The quality and speed of the results directly influence treatment decisions, and results that are comparable over time, done in the same laboratory, help in following a disease.

When you are interested in a laboratory, check which types of test it processes in house and which it sends on, turnaround times for routine and for specialised tests, whether histopathology is read by a pathologist with veterinary experience, how samples are transported from other cities, and how you receive the results. Ask whether you can discuss an unclear result with a vet at the laboratory and whether the reference ranges are adapted by species and breed. Costs vary with the complexity of the test and with urgency; for large test panels, ask for the full list of parameters included and ask whether fees differ when the sample comes through a clinic rather than directly.

For samples taken at home or at a small practice, ask how they should be stored and how quickly they must reach the laboratory, because a badly stored sample can give false results. Use this directory to find veterinary laboratories in your city or that accept samples from your area, compare the range of tests and turnaround times, and open each page for contact details, a map and reviews before sending a sample.