By John Lovett
Whether investigating a suspected New World screwworm case, a poultry disease outbreak or an unexplained livestock death, veterinarians first need an accurate diagnosis.
That’s where the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory comes in. From foreign viruses to insect-related health problems, the lab helps animal owners and veterinarians identify the cause of an illness or death.
“The poultry industry knows us well, but we need to do better at getting the word out about our pet and livestock capabilities,” said James Barton, DVM, director of the lab.
In addition to Arkansas clients, those in eastern Oklahoma and southern Missouri also call on the facility, which is part of the National Animal Health Laboratories Network and is equipped to perform postmortem exams on large livestock. The Division of Agriculture lab also collaborates with the Arkansas Veterinary Diagnostic Lab, a state-run facility in Little Rock, Barton noted.
“If someone in the region has a cow that died, we can perform the postmortem exam here, and then we work with labs all over the country to access the best confirmatory tests for the specific situation,” Barton said. “We examine the deceased animal and determine what tests, if any, need to be run to confirm suspected diseases.”
What about New World screwworm?
With the detection of the New World screwworm in the New Mexico and Texas in early June, the Division of Agriculture lab has become an access point for no-cost testing of suspected cases of the parasitic fly, Barton said.
The Division of Agriculture lab sends suspected New World screwworm samples to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa, for testing. Barton also consults with veterinary entomologists in the department of entomology and plant pathology to help identify suspected specimens.
Licensed and accredited veterinarians, Barton noted, are also trained in identifying suspected New World screwworm cases.
Source : uada.edu