Awanui Veterinary

21/01/2025

**𝐍𝐄𝐖** 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐋𝐔𝐊𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐄𝐍 𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐒𝐀 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓

All of the current tests available for liver fluke have their limitations - microscopy has a relatively low sensitivity; antibody testing will continue to test positive even after anthelmintic treatment; and gross pathology requires the animal to be dead and is complicated by other conditions that also produce pathological changes to the liver, e.g. facial eczema.

We are now very excited to offer a liver fluke-specific test that detects infection through an ELISA on faecal samples. This test can yield a positive result even outside the fluke's egg-laying period, and unlike the serum antibody ELISA test, this faecal antigen ELISA will only test positive if flukes are present in the bile duct.

Sample type: Faeces
Species: Cattle, sheep
Turn-around time: 2-3 days

Note: Testing can be carried out on individual samples only, and cannot be done on pooled/composite samples. Contact your local laboratory for pricing information.

16/01/2025

FOR A BIT OF A LAUGH!
🐽😆

15/01/2025

ANNIVERSARY DAY FOR PALMY!

Our Palmerston North laboratory will be closed on Monday 20 January for the Wellington regional anniversary day public holiday – we’ll be back in the lab on Tuesday 21 January.

The laboratory will be open normal business hours on Saturday 18 January. Enjoy your long weekend!

14/01/2025

WHAT'S UP DOC: ANSWER

No cheating! If you haven't seen our post from Monday, go check it out now before reading any further 🙃

DIAGNOSIS:

Microscopy of the KOH preparation was positive for fungal spores and hyphae. Culture results came back as positive for Microsporum canis.

Read the full case write up here:

Arefeh RavanbakhshCase historyA three-month-old intact female Staffordshire Bull Terrier was presented to the veterinarian for evaluation of multifocal areas of alopecia. Pruritus was not reported. Multiple skin scrapes of the affected areas were collected for cytological evaluation, and hair plucks...

12/01/2025

WHAT'S UP DOC?

A 3mo intact female Staffordshire Bull Terrier was presented to the veterinarian for evaluation of multifocal areas of alopecia. Pruritus was not reported. Multiple skin scrapes of the affected areas were collected for cytological evaluation, and hair plucks collected for ringworm culture and potassium hydroxide (KOH) preparation.

The smears contained an abundance of superficial keratin and fragments of hair shafts on a mild to moderately haemodilute background (photo 1). Non-degenerate neutrophils were mildly increased compared to the degree of blood contamination. Scattered in the background and occasionally associated with broken hair shafts were frequent small (2–4 micrometre) basophilic rounded-to-oval structures with surrounding thin, clear halos (photo 2).

What's up?
(Answer will be posted on Wednesday)

09/01/2025

FOR A BIT OF A LAUGH!
🤣🤣🤣🤣🙀🙀🙀🙀

07/01/2025

𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐂𝐈𝐔𝐌 𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 - 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖!

Samples for ionised calcium testing must be handled appropriately prior to submission in order to ensure they remain suitable for testing on receipt in the laboratory. If the samples do not meet all the criteria stipulated below, they will be unsuitable for analysis.

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻: Serum

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗿: Plain red top tube

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗺𝘂𝗺 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲: 1.3mL mini tube, must be full.

𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗼𝗰𝗼𝗹: Vacutainer tubes must be filled to the very top. Preferably fill vacutainers using a syringe and needle. If a tube lid is removed, this must be replaced as soon as possible to reduce exposure to air (samples must be kept anaerobic).

𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴/𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: Allow sample to clot at room temperature for minimum of 30 minutes before refrigerating. Do not centrifuge sample. Transport to laboratory chilled, on the same day as collection (chilled sample only, no direct ice contact with sample) .

Note: If samples are not clotted prior to refrigerating, free calcium becomes sequestered in the clot and will result in lowered values.

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀: Free ionised calcium testing requires strict adherence to collection and storage requirements for accuracy. If not tested immediately after collection, storage time and temperature, and any exposure to air can affect the pH of the sample which significantly affects the result. Storage at room temperature or refrigerated usually results in falling pH over time which increases ionized calcium values. Freezing and exposure to air results in increased pH and reduced ionised calcium values.

If you have any questions regarding sample collection for ionised calcium, please just give your local laboratory a call and they will be happy to help you out.

05/01/2025

𝐃𝐎𝐍'𝐓 𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐔𝐓!

Don't miss out on our exclusive introductory offer for the 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐃𝐌𝐀 𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭 – enjoy 10% off the regular price until the end of January! It's now available to add to any biochemistry panel, so take advantage of this limited-time deal today!

Need to know more about the test? Read all about it here:

– with special promotional pricing . . . an early Christmas present!We are very excited to introduce Awanui Veterinary’s new immunoturbidometric assay for SDMA, an important advancement in assessing renal function in dogs and cats. As a special introductory offer, we have sliced 10% off the regu...

02/01/2025

FOR A BIT OF A LAUGH!
🦖😆

31/12/2024

HAPPY MOO YEAR!

Thought we'd have a wee quiz to help shake off any hangovers! And of course it's animal related. We dare you to have a go! Feel free to post answers in the comments.

1. What is the only non-primate with fingerprints?

2. What type of animal is Muirel in Animal Farm by George Orwell?

3. How many bones does a shark have?

4. Which animal appears on the flag of the Falkland Islands?

5. The dodo was principally native to which island?

6. The feet of the Puffin are red in the summer. What colour are they in the Winter?

7. What is the largest living species of lizard?

8. What type of creature is a Beyoncé?

9. What is a group of hedgehogs called?

10. The world's largest frog and beetle are both named after which biblical character?

(📸 quizrunners.com)

29/12/2024

26/12/2024

"BOXING" DAY - the cat's most favourite day of the year!

We hope you all survived Christmas! And yay, it's Friday 🙂

December 26 is the time of the year to celebrate Boxing Day. Here are 25 cats that completely embraced the Boxing Day spirit.

24/12/2024

Merry everything to you all, from all of us! 🎄🎅

23/12/2024

FACIAL ECZEMA LAB PORTAL:

It would seem the graphs aren't updating with new data on our facial eczema portal. Since IT is now on holiday, we unfortunately won't be able to fix this until the new year.

Please continue to input data, and it will magically appear like mushrooms when the issue is sorted. Apologies for any inconvenience.

22/12/2024

JUST A REMINDER

Our laboratories will be CLOSED this coming Wednesday and Thursday for Christmas, but will be open all other days with normal business hours. Well except 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝟮𝟳-𝟮𝟴 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿, as well as the statutory holidays due to a a campus-wide electrical shutdown over the Christmas period,

PS. Check out this Christmas tree suspended from the ceiling! Brilliant idea! 🙀😼😹

19/12/2024

FRIDAY FUN-DAY!

Everyone needs one, doesn't matter which sort! 😆

17/12/2024

ANSWER TO MONDAY'S - WHAT'S UP DOC?

No cheating! If you haven't seen our post from Monday, go check it out now before reading any further 🙃

DIAGNOSIS:

The presence of Gram-negative bacteria surrounded by Splendore-Hoeppli is almost pathognomonic for 𝐴𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑜𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑢𝑠 𝑙𝑖𝑔𝑛𝑖𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑖 the agent responsible for Woody tongue in cattle.

For the discussion and full case write up click here: https://www.awanuivets.co.nz/the-not-so-woody-tongue/

16/12/2024

CHANGES TO SAA TESTING

Serum amyloid A is a major acute phase protein in many species. We have recently upgraded to a veterinary specific test (Vet-SAA) which is adapted to react to SAA in multi-species, including horses, dogs, cats, ruminants and rabbits. The reporting units have also changed from ug/mL to mg/L to comply with WHO International Standard NBSc code: 92/680.

SAA is useful for detecting and monitoring inflammation, due to its rapid response and marked increase (10x or more) above the normal reference interval. Because of the non-specificity of an acute phase protein (APP) response, a clinical decision limit is more useful. The interpretation of results for the new test is different from those reported previously and will be provided for each test result.

For more information, please check out this post on our website.

Sandy WeltanSerum amyloid A is a major acute phase protein in many species. We have upgraded to a veterinary specific test (Vet-SAA) which is adapted to react to SAA in multi-species, including horses, dogs, cats, ruminants and rabbits. The reporting units have also changed from ug/mL to mg/L to com...