1. Pan American Veterinary Laboratories
Hutto, TX
Privately Owned Robert Glass
Established 1993
Lab Services for
Goats
Sheep
Horses
Cattle
Dogs
Swine
> 500,000 test performed

2. Purpose of Laboratory Testing
Diagnosis of Disease
Test and Treat
Prevention of Disease
Test and Don’t Buy
Eradication of Disease
Test and Cull

3. Laboratory Diagnostics
Major Organ Function
Heart/Liver/Kidney
Blood Chemistries
Glucose
Organ Specific Enzymes/Proteins
Hematological
Complete Blood Count(CBC)
White Blood Cells
Red Blood Cells
Hemoglobin
Hormone Levels
Parasitology

4. Infectious Diseases
Bacteria
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis/Caseous Lymphadenitis
Mycobacterium paratuberculosis/Johne’s Disease
Brucella sp.
Rickettsia
Coxiella burnetii/Q Fever
Virus
Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis
Parasite
Toxoplasmosis
Neospora caninum

5. Infectious Disease Diagnosis
Infecting Agent Isolation/Identification
Bacteria Culture and ID
Fungi Culture and ID
Virus Culture/ID of Genetic material
Pros
Definitive Results
Cons
Slow (days to weeks)
Fresh and viable sample required
False Negative results
Expense

6. Infectious Disease Diagnosis
Disease Specific Antibody Detection
Infection induces immune response to fight the infection.
Part of this response is the production of antibodies that
specifically attach to and attack the infecting organism.
Serological lab test are designed to identify these antibodies
as indicators of infection.
Pros
Fast lab time 2-3 hours
Accurate
Inexpensive
Blood Sample
Cons
May detect antibodies from past infections
or other exposure.

7. Serological Assay Techniques
Agglutination
Antigen Antibody complexes which
are visible to the human eye
Precipitation
Antigen Antibody complexes
which fall out of solution
Complement Fixation
Antigen antibody reaction assay
which results in cell lyses
Enzyme Linked ImmunoSorbant Assay
ELISA

8. Antigen Coated Wells
Patient Serum Added
Enzyme Labeled Anti IgG Added
Color Development

10. Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis
Retro virus (similar to HIV, FIV, EIA)
Transmission
infected animal’s blood cells
Milk Blood Saliva Semen
Symptoms
Arthritis form:
swollen knees hard udder decreased milk production
shortened productive life span
Encephalitis form:
Paralysis and death
Treatment
None
Eradication strategy: Test and Cull

11. Swollen
Knees
In CAE
Positive
Goat

12. Arthritis in CAE Positive Goat

13. Hard Udder in CAE Positive Goat

14. Encephalitis in CAE Positive Goat

15. Caseous Lymphadenitis
Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis
Transmission
Draining fluid/exudate from abscesses enter via:
Oral intake (licking abscess)
Breaks in the skin
Symptoms
Subcutaneous abscesses
Internal abscesses
Treatment
Lance/Drain/Disinfect
Inject with Formalin

16. CL Abscess

17. CL abscesses

18. CL abscess in Lung of Goat

19. Johne’s Disease
Mycobacterium paratuberculosis
Infection of the lining of the Intestinal tract leading to
chronic inflammation and loss of ability to absorb nutrients
Transmission
Oral intake of infected feces
Symptoms
Moderate to fast loss of body condition with good appetite
Diarrhea
Treatment
None
Eradication Strategy
Test and Cull

20. Johne’s Disease

21. Johne’s Disease

22. Zoonotic Diseases
Diseases of animals that infect and harm Humans
Q fever
Rickettsia Coxiella burnettii
Transmitted by birthing fluids of infected animals
Symptoms
Goats Humans
Late term Abortions Rash and flu like symptoms
Weak kids occasionally fatal, vegetative
cardiac valve destruction
Treatment: Various antibiotics including Tetracycline
Toxoplasmosis
Parasite Toxoplasma gondii
Transmitted in milk and feces of infected animals
Symptoms
Goats Humans
None Severe birth defects
Treatment: Various antibiotics including Tetracycline

23. Holding goat
for blood
Collection

24. One person
blood collection

25. One person
blood collection

26. One person
blood collection