We do not currently have an online system for our veterinary clients to view, update, or make changes to their laboratory testing accounts.

Any billing questions should be directed to [email protected].

Invoices are sent out monthly and any billing correspondence will be sent to the billing email on file for your clinic account. If the default billing email needs to be updated you may request changes by email.

Please note that monthly invoices are not cumulative, so your clinic might have multiple open invoices at once. Please reach out if you have any questions or would like to inquire about any open invoices for your clinic.

Yes, payment can be made by credit card using our online payment site and is the preferred form of payment. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept credit card payment information over the phone.

To pay by CREDIT CARD, please use the following link and instructions below:

https://controller.ofa.ncsu.edu/non-student-credit-card-payments/.

1. Press “Click Here to Make a Payment”
2. Enter Invoice, Payment, & Contact Information
3. Click “Checkout”

To ensure that payment is posted to the correct account, you MUST follow the instructions below when completing the online payment form:

Company Name: Enter Clinic Name
Contact Name: Enter DVM name
Payment Purpose: Enter “Vector Borne Testing”
Invoice Number: Enter invoice number – beginning with “DL” (listed at top of invoice)
NCSU Contact Name: Brittany Thomas
NCSU Department: (Leave Blank)
Project Number: (Leave Blank)
Account Information: Enter University Customer Number – beginning with “NS” (found on top right corner of invoice)
Payment Amount: Enter the “Amount Due” found on the referenced invoice

Yes, we are able to accept payment by check after testing has been invoiced.

• PLEASE NOTE: Payment cannot be accepted when submitted at the time of testing. Please do not send payment for testing with submission paperwork.

It is important that the laboratory invoice number and correct mailing address are used to ensure that check payments are received by the correct department and correctly applied to your account.

In the memo section of the check, include your Invoice Number beginning with “DL” and the University Customer Number beginning with “NS.”

Please remit payment to the following address:

North Carolina State University

University Accounting – Accounts Receivable

Box 7203

Raleigh, NC 27695-7203

Yes, we can accept electronic funds transfer payments. To pay by ACH Transfer, information is available upon request, please email [email protected] for payment setup instructions.

After receiving the instructions, if you have any questions or need to speak to someone directly to confirm bank details you may reach out to the University Controller’s Office by phone at 919-515-7460 or via email at [email protected].

We are able to reference a PO number on your monthly invoice, if needed. Please reach out to us via email if you need to change a PO for an upcoming invoice. POs should be provided to us at the time of service and should be sent via email to [email protected].

If you need to download or update your NC State University W-9 Form you may download it from the University Controller’s Office website at:
https://controller.ofa.ncsu.edu/university-tax-compliance/documents-and-forms/

Our current laboratory testing pricing can be found listed in our online order choice catalog located under our VBDDL Diagnostic Testing Guidelines. All prices listed in our online catalog are up-to-date and reflect current pricing. As both a research and diagnostic laboratory, we try to keep our testing affordable and only implement price increases as needed to offset increases in laboratory testing costs. If there are any upcoming pricing or testing changes, they will be announced on our website and will be reflected in our Test Catalog.  

If you are in need of an annual itemized estimated quote for testing services, please reach out to us via email at [email protected] and make sure to provide the requested test code, test name, quantity of tests needed in the quote.

If you are a Federal, Military, or other organization that would need a testing agreement or other documentation required for procurement of services you may reach out to us via email at [email protected] to initiate this request. 

Please note that this documentation will need to be reviewed by our Contracts & Grants team and may be routed for further review and approval through the University. This process can sometimes take 2-3 weeks for completion. If you, or a prior contact, within your organization has maintained a testing agreement or contract with us in the past, please provide the contract number and contact information from your previous contract.

At this point in time, we do not offer discounts for the testing of pets owned by veterinary professionals as we try to offer our testing at the lowest price possible to all of our clients. If you are a veterinarian and feel like your pet presents a unique medical case, or if testing is of clinical relevance, please reach out to us via email at  [email protected]  to request a consultation with one of our clinicians.

If you are contacting us from a veterinary research institution and are interested in a testing collaboration with our laboratory, please reach out to us via email at [email protected] with additional information on your project and goals. If your project aligns with our research goals and interests, we may be able to offer bulk discounted testing rates for your study. In this case, we would request that you acknowledge the Vector Borne Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (VBDDL) at NC State University in any research publications that result from your study. If materials and methods are needed for testing completed by our laboratory, we would be happy to co-author that section of that publication with you.

For specific sample requirements per test, please see our full test catalog above.

We recommend sending EDTA-anticoagulated whole blood (lavender top tube) and serum (serum separating tube), red top tube, or tiger top tube) with each test submission. There is no cost associated with holding samples for potential additional add-on tests. We request that you send at least 2mL of each sample type, but tests can be run with as little as 0.5mL volume. The 0.5mL volume does not allow for samples to be banked for troubleshooting and/or repeated testing. Our serology IFA tests and the SNAP®4DX®Plus are run with serum and PCR tests are run with DNA extracted from EDTA whole blood.

We recommend that both serum and EDTA whole blood be submitted regardless of which testing is requested. It is useful to have pre-treatment samples banked back for acute and convalescent pairing of serology tests and for testing of pre-antibiotic samples by PCR. Samples are banked back for at least two years and additional testing can be requested at any time.

Any sample type can be submitted for PCR testing (we do not recommend PCR testing on separated serum due to low cellularity in the samples, but it can be done). An additional charge of $75 must be added to cover the costs of the special handling required to extract DNA manually from fresh/frozen tissue or from formalin-fixed paraffin embedded samples.

Fresh (frozen or refrigerated) tissues are the preferred sample type for non-blood submissions. Fresh tissue samples can be stored in an EDTA or no additive tube with sterile saline to prevent the tissue from drying out. Tissue samples stored in formalin solution are not recommended as prolonged exposure to formalin causes DNA crosslinking which can result in false negative PCR results.

Vascular tissue samples such as spleen or liver are standard tissue types for PCR testing, but any type of tissue can be tested. We usually recommend testing tissues that are showing signs of pathology.

Tissues can be pooled together and tested as a single sample or can be tested separately (please indicate on request form how you would like samples tested if sending multiple tissue types). Formalin-fixed or parafin embedded samples can be submitted by sending the whole tissue block or by sending pre-prepared scrolls (please send at least 10 scrolls if not sending a whole block).

Bone marrow aspirates are also commonly submitted samples for PCR testing and generally do not require a $75 tissue extraction fee. Please make sure to send sample in a lavender top tube and clearly indicate on the submission form and the sample tube that the sample is from bone marrow so it is not confused with EDTA whole blood.

Lymph node aspirates can be useful samples for diagnosing vector-borne pathogens by PCR. Testing lymph node tissue is can increase the sensitivity when submitting samples for Leishmania PCR testing. You may also add lymph node aspirates to a small volume of EDTA whole blood ( ≤ 0.5mL) to enrich the blood sample (there is no tissue processing fee for this sample).

Other aspirate samples can be submitted on slides. Please make sure to send at least 3-4 slides and make sure they are appropriately labeled with the sample type/source. Slides are usually pooled together for testing to ensure that there is enough sample for DNA extraction.

When sending alternative sample types, it is recommended that the standard EDTA whole blood and serum samples be submitted as well for holding or additional testing.

All types of serum can be submitted for testing. Icterus, hemolysis, and /or lipemia should not interfere with IFA test results.

Any species of animal can be tested by PCR methodology. IFA serology testing, however, can only be performed on canine or feline samples since our assays depend on reagents that are host species specific (see IFA interpretation below).

Our first level of PCR testing is performed at a genus level and is usually broad enough to detect vector borne disease pathogens that may infect a wide variety of host species. If a novel/unusual pathogen is detected, the result is verified by additional testing and DNA sequencing.

Please reach out to us via email if there are any questions about specific pathogens that you would like to identify in a patient. We are unable to perform diagnostic testing on human samples.

If in need of human testing, please contact Galaxy Diagnostics or other diagnostic laboratories approved to test human samples.

Appropriate antimicrobial administration should have minimal to no effect on acute and convalescent serology testing but may decrease the number of circulating organisms to levels below detection by PCR testing. Sample collection prior to antimicrobial treatments is ideal; however, PCR testing may still be useful even after antimicrobial therapy is started.

Studies have shown that PCR tests do not immediately become negative after the initiation of antimicrobials. Furthermore, many antibiotics (that are not anti-rickettsial agents) are unlikely to affect vector-borne pathogens.

Immunosuppressive therapy is not a contraindication for PCR or serology testing, Use of immunosuppressive therapy may increase the pathogen load in some patients, and its effect on antibody development in vector borne pathogen infections is unclear. Prior immunosuppressive therapy should not deter further vector-borne disease testing.

Samples that are drawn should be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks prior to testing. We do NOT recommend freezing samples, as the freeze/thaw process can affect the DNA structure, and therefore PCR results.

If the patient has already begun treatment and the samples have been in the refrigerator for over 2 weeks, then we still recommend testing the pre-treatment sample anyway.

All samples are stored for at least 2 years. Samples can be removed from long-term storage in the event that additional testing is needed during this time period.

Add-on testing availability is dependent upon the sample volume requirements for each test and the amount of sample available in long-term storage. 

As a veterinary research laboratory we also reserve the right to use archived samples for research purposes, always respecting privacy rights of the contributing animal, owner and veterinarian.

Samples can be shipped via UPS or FedEX to:

NCSU/CVM, VBDDL, RM 462A
1060 William Moore Drive Raleigh, NC 27607
Phone #: 919-513-8279

• We do not recommend shipping samples with a delivery date longer than two days from ship date.
• Samples cannot be shipped via priority mail or through the US Postal Service since there is a significant delay in package delivery to our location.
• Samples should be shipped with an icepack to keep samples cool
• Samples must be properly labeled with the patient’s name and sample type and must have matching submission paperwork enclosed with the sample.
• If sending samples from multiple patients, it is advised that a packing list also be included with the shipment (indicating the patient names and specimen types of all samples in package).
• Submitted samples must always satisfy federal shipping regulations in the event of breakage/leakage, (i.e. wrap in absorbent towels or bubble wrap and place in sealed plastic bag within a Styrofoam or cardboard box). It is helpful to seal the tops of tubes with parafilm when packaging the sample to help decrease the chance of leakage during shipment.

Our laboratory is closed on Saturday and Sunday. Any blood samples collected on Friday or Saturday can be held in the refrigerator and shipped on Monday.

Our laboratory is closed on most federal holidays. North Carolina State University also has a mandatory closing for energy conservation during the winter holiday. Please check our website for details on our hours of operation.

Samples may be stored in the refrigerator for at least two weeks (this is especially useful if trying to save on shipping costs by batching multiple samples in a single shipment).

General Permit Information

Guidelines for the shipping and handling of animal blood products imported into to the U.S. for Export testing is regulated by APHIS. Under Guidleline 1102, shipments containing canine and feline materials (blood, serum, plasma, tissue etc) do not require an APHIS Veterinary Services (VS) permit, but will be subject to inspection and review at the U.S. port of entry. Proper labelling and documentation can help avoid delays during this process. 

APHIS USDA Import Permit

APHIS offers an online  “Veterinary Services Permitting Assistant” that is a very helpful tool in evaluating what permits may be needed for your patient.

APHIS Guidelines for Canine & Feline Materials:

A USDA import permit will not be required for feline or canine origin material that has not been inoculated with or exposed to any livestock or poultry disease agent.  In order to facilitate correct identification of the shipment and to ensure timely delivery, USDA, AHPIS, VS recommends that the following documentation accompany each shipment:

1. A written statement identifying the material and naming the animal species, 
2. A written statement confirming that the material does not contain any other animal derived material (i.e., does not contain any livestock or poultry origin material). 
3. A written statement confirming that the material was not derived from feline or canine species which were inoculated with or exposed to any infectious agents of USDA agricultural concern.

If the feline or canine material to be imported cannot meet these criteria, then a USDA import permit may be required.

Declaration Letter for Canine/Feline Samples

Aside from any permits that may be required, your Declaration Letter is the most valuable document needed to ship samples to our laboratory. While you may include a copy of your shipment declaration letter inside your package, it is important that you provide multiple copies, alongside your other shipping documents, affixed to the outside of your package for easy retrieval and review. Please also ensure that your declaration letter is on your company letterhead and contains your physical location address, contact information, authorizing signature, and date.

To avoid delays in shipment processing at U.S. point of entry, please review and ensure your shipment meets the following standards and include them on your shipment declaration letter:

The enclosed material consists of blood, serum, fluid, and/or tissue of canine or feline origin, and is subject to USDA Guidelines for Importation #1102 Feline and Canine Materials. I understand that a USDA Import Permit is not required for this material since it meets the following conditions:

1.     The material in this shipment is:

(INDICATE SPECIES ORIGIN,  SAMPLE TYPE, VOLUME, QUANTITY OF SPECIMENS, AND ANY IDENTIFIERS)

2.     The material does not contain any other animal-derived material (i.e., does not contain any livestock or poultry origin material). 

3.     The enclosed material did not come from animals which were inoculated with or exposed to any infectious agents of USDA agricultural concern.

The enclosed material is also in accordance with 42 CFR Section 71.54 of the Public Health Service Foreign Quarantine Regulators

1.     This material is a diagnostic specimen not known by the importer to contain, or suspected by the importer of containing, an infectious biological agent.

2.     The enclosed material will be restricted to laboratory areas and conditions that meet the requirements in the CDC/NIH publication “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories.”

3.     All material in this package is for laboratory use only and is not for the use in production of biologics for humans or animals.

4.     The enclosed material has been packaged according to 49 CFR Sections 171-180 and has been packed in compliance with IATA packing instruction 650 “UN3373 – Biological Substance, Category B.”

I declare that the above information is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.

Signature:

Printed Name:

Date:

For all international shippers shipping blood/serum* samples from exotic animals (non-canine/feline) please check the CITES appendices for a list of species requiring  export permits or special certificates: www.cites.org/eng/app/appendices.php

Additional information about required permits (by country) can be found by reaching out to the contacts on the National CITES authorities list.(https://www.cites.org/cms/index.php/component/cp/)

An CDC import permit is required for most all international shipments containing samples of non-canine/feline origin. The application process can take up to two weeks to complete, but once permits are established they are typically vaid for 1 year. Samples of agricultural or wildlife origin may require additional permits issued by the U.S. Department of Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). Please see this link with details about information needed to apply for an import permit through our laboratory: (How to Request a VBDDL Import Permit)

If your country of shipment or country of sample origin is noted as a region classified as affected with Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), samples would need to be safety tested for FMD at the Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) in NY prior to sending to our lab for testing. We can help facilitate applying for the two import permits needed for this process. Please see this link for more information

*It is important to note that sending DNA samples instead of blood, serum, or tissue specimens are the preferred for some countries and can be easier to ship

Please review this list to confirm any restrictions of importation of samples from countries not cleared of APHIS- recognized animal health statuses: (https://www.aphis.usda.gov/regionalization-evaluation-services/region-health-status)

If your country of shipment or country of sample origin is noted as a region classified as affected with Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), samples would need to be safety tested for FMD at the Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (FADDL) in NY prior to sending to our lab for testing. We can help facilitate applying for the two import permits needed for this process. Please see this link with details about information needed to apply for an import permit through our laboratory: (How to Request a VBDDL Import Permit)

Once we receive the information to initiate the permit request, here are the following next steps:

1. Two separate import permits will need to be reviewed and approved by APHIS – one directly from the shipper to FADDL for FMD testing and another to the VBDDL for transport of the material to the VBDDL if the materials test negative. (There is a $600 permit application fee for this process).
2. If these permits are issued, FADDL: 1) will contact the VBDDL for more information about the materials in order to conduct a risk assessment for personnel working with the materials, and 2) will work with the shipper to arrange the import.
3. Samples must be sent directly from the shipper to FADDL for testing. The cost of testing is ~$55 per sample. Samples must be split into two separate tubes – one vial for FADDL for testing, and a second unopened tube to be forwarded to our laboratory once the the materials test negative through the FADDL

If needing to apply for a CDC Import Permit, we will need to submit for the permit on your behalf. The permit issuance process can take up to two weeks to complete but once permits are established they are typically valid for 1 year. There is a $300 permit application fee that can be billed to your laboratory account. If this is something you are in need of, please contact us via email at [email protected] and provide us with the following information so that we can initiate the permit application:

1.      Veterinarian Name:

2.     Clinic Name:

3.     Clinic Address:

4.     City, State/Province, Country:

5.     Postal Code:

6.     Email Address:

7.     Phone Number:

8.     What is the sample? Blood, Serum, Tissue, etc?:

9.     Animal Source (Species):

10.  Single Use Permit or Recurring Permit?:

Unfortunately, our laboratory does not have any special shipping promotions or pre-paid shipping labels available.

All test cancellations must be submitted in writing via email to [email protected] within 24 business hours of the sample being received in our laboratory. Testing that has already been completed or begun is unable to be canceled, and we will confirm with you via email what testing (if any) will be invoiced.

Immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) detects and quantifies antibodies that cross react to whole-cell vector-borne pathogens. IFAT can be performed on animal serum, provided the fluorescent-labeled secondary antibody conjugate is specific for that animal’s antibodies (i.e. dog serum must be tested with canine-specific conjugate and cat serum must be tested with feline-specific conjugate). The VBDDL only performs IFATs on canine and feline serum samples. The VBDDL performs 2-fold serial dilutions (1:2, 1:4, 1:8, 1:16, etc.) of submitted serum samples. Individual diagnostic laboratories may perform different serial dilutions of the serum, and thus may establish different endpoint titers to indicate positive or negative results. Because of this, it is recommended to use the same diagnostic laboratory when comparing IFAT results. The VBDDL considers an end point titer of ≥1:64, positive for exposure.

IFAT is a serological diagnostic modality that can be used to identify exposure to or infection with vector-borne pathogens. Antibodies made in response to pathogens can take several weeks post-exposure to become detectable, thus serology is not appropriate for the diagnosis of most acute diseases.

Comparison of antibody titers in serum collected from acute and convalescent time points can indicate an active infection. When comparing acute and convalescent antibody titers, a 4-fold increase (i.e. 2 dilutions if 2-fold serial dilutions were performed on the serum) in the convalescent titer indicates an active infection. Detection of antibodies at a single point in time may represent a past exposure or an active infection.

It is important to remember IFAT depends on a technician for microscopy and visual interpretation of IFAT antigen slides; thus, end-point titer decisions may vary by 1-2 dilutions, depending on visual interpretation difference between different technicians. This is a limitation of IFAT serology.

General guidelines for interpreting serology testing:

• Detects antibodies, not the pathogen so for many vector-borne disease, you may only be identifying a previous exposure or a cross-reaction with a similar organism.
• Not optimal for detecting acute infections (~2 weeks to mount and antibody response).
• A 4 fold or greater increase in titers measured ~2-4 weeks apart (acute and convalescent samples) indicate a recent active infection (optimal to test samples in parallel) example: 1:64 → 1:256 = 4 fold increase.
• In general, serology is not useful for discrimination of species or subspecies for most vector-borne pathogens.
• Duration of antibodies present after a vector-borne pathogen has been cleared varies.

IFAT is a serological diagnostic modality that detects antibodies against vector-borne pathogens.

A seronegative IFAT result (< 1:64) indicates antibodies were not detected against a specific pathogen. End-point titers of 1:16 and 1:32 are not considered positive due to high degree of non-specific reactivity that can occur when antibodies are highly concentrated. 

A seronegative IFAT could indicate the animal was not exposed to a particular vector-borne pathogen or antibodies have not yet been generated in response to infection. Antibodies made in response to pathogens can take several weeks post-exposure to become detectable.

False negative results can generate negative titers. If you suspect a false result, please contact the VBDDL and we can perform repeat testing in many instances.

Babesia serology can exhibit considerable cross-reactivity between species, meaning a positive Babesia gibsoni ELISA result may reflect antibodies to B. vogeli or some other Babesia spp., rather than B. gibsoni. Because treatment recommendations differ between large and small Babesia species, we do not recommend relying on serology alone to differentiate species.

We recommend Babesia PCR testing to identify the infecting species. However, a negative PCR result does not rule out infection, as the pathogen load may be below the assay’s limit of detection.

For dogs that are Babesia-seropositive but PCR-negative and have clinical findings consistent with babesiosis, treatment decisions may need to be made without confirmation of the infecting species. In these cases, treatment is based on the clinical presentation, available diagnostic results, and suspected infection, with monitoring for clinical improvement.

IFA titers can vary by one dilution (twofold) between testing runs due to minor differences in pipetting and individual interpretation of fluorescence. This variability is an inherent limitation of the IFA method and does not necessarily indicate a meaningful change in the antibody level

IFAT Positive and SNAP® 4DX® Plus Negative

• Titers may be below limit of SNAP® 4DX® Plus detection
• New species or strain of pathogen that cross reacts w/ whole cells in IFAT but not peptide in SNAP® 4DX® Plus
• IFA detects earlier Ab response (IgM)
• IFAT false positive or SNAP^® 4DX^® Plus false negative

IFAT Negative and SNAP® 4DX® Plus Positive

• Additional pathogens tested for on SNAP^® 4DX^® Plus but not IFAT (e.g. ewingii)
• Dog previously SNAP^® 4DX^® Plus positive (dogs can remain SNAP+ for years)
• IFA false negative / SNAP^® 4DX^® Plus positive

SNAP®4DX®plus test kit is designed to detect antibodies seroreactive to tick-borne diseases and uses a conjugate that is not species-specific (e.g. can bind to antibodies from animals other than dogs); however, it is licensed only for use in dogs.

Several studies report using feline and equine sera with SNAP®4DX®plus to detect seroreactivity to Anaplasma spp, Ehrlichia spp, and Borrelia burgdorferi peptides. False-negative heartworm antigen results are common in cats due to low adult worm burdens, male-only infections, and antigen–antibody complex formation. Heat treatment may improve antigen detection but is not performed because it may interfere with antibody testing.

Clinicians who choose to use tests not licensed for use in a particular animal, should do so with the understanding that the sera may not consistently react with small peptides validated for canine seroreactivity, potentially generating inaccurate results.

A positive PCR test indicates the presence of pathogen DNA in the clinical sample, which supports a recent or current infection. All positive PCRs are confirmed with either DNA sequence analysis and/or a second species-specific PCR. Occasionally we may report results as equivocal if we obtain a weak positive screening result and are unable to repeat or confirm the original positive PCR. In these cases, you will be provided with a free PCR test to use immediately or at a later date for retesting.

PCR is a highly sensitive method for the detection of pathogen DNA; however, false-negative results may occur if pathogen is not in the specimen submitted for testing or if the pathogen load is below the limit of detection. The stage of infection can impact pathogen load. For example, vector-borne pathogen load is typically higher when sampled during the acute phase of an infection.

Clinicians should not consider a PCR result of “Not Detected” as conclusive evidence for the absence of an infection, but rather that the pathogen DNA was not detected in a particular sample at a particular point in time. Combining molecular and serologic modalities can improve the likelihood of obtaining a diagnosis.

• Even the most sensitive DNA detection methods can produce false negatives due to extremely low levels of DNA in a given sample. We overcome this testing limitation by enriching samples for three weeks in a patented enrichment media called BAPGM (Bartonella Alpha Proteobacteria Growth Medium), which increases the bacterial load in patient samples up to detectable levels for PCR testing.
• PCRs are ran on the original sample and after enrichment culture (at 7, 14, and 21 day timepoints) to ensure that we capture any viable or nonviable DNA present in the sample.

We take special care in making sure that our testing is thorough and results are reported accurately.

Our PCR and Serology generally takes 3-10 business days to complete from the date that the sample is received in our lab. Our turn-around time can also vary in cases where results need to be confirmed or repeated.

Our BAPGM testing can takes 4-5 weeks to complete. PCR testing is performed on day 0, 7, 14, and 21 of the culture, so preliminary reports will be delivered as those results are finalized.

Please contact us by email at [email protected] with any preliminary result inquiries.

Our lab system accessions testing by test type. You will receive a separate report for each test (SNAP4DX, Serology, PCR, etc.). Results are sent out automatically via email by our laboratory system as they are finalized. Once the final results are reviewed and approved, you will receive a full final report.

Our lab system is only able to have one email address listed per clinic. We strongly recommend that this email address is a shared hospital address rather than a particular doctor or staff member. We also recommend adding [email protected] to your email contacts. This way emails are not automatically filtered into the SPAM or JUNK folders.

Our lab system requires a submitting veterinarian be documented for every lab submission. If the veterinarian is left blank on the form, or if the full first and last name of the veterinarian is not provided, the lab report will be defaulted to “Provided, Not.” Please make sure that the submitting veterinarian’s first and last name are provided for every submission to avoid this issue.

Our clinicians are available to consult on cases with veterinarians. To request a consult, please send us an email at [email protected] to request our online consult form. Our clinicians are not available to consult directly with owners regarding their pets.

If you are unable to access the online consult form, please reach out to us via email at [email protected] and let us know that you are unable to access the form.

Our clinicians do their best to reach out as soon as they are available. The typical timeframe to expect a response is within 2 business days. If you have not heard back from a clinician within this time frame, please send us an email at [email protected] so that we can touch base with the clinicians and someone can reach out to discuss the case.

The VBDDL is open Monday through Friday from 9am EST until 5pm EST.

Email is the best form of contact for us here at the VBDDL. You can also leave us a voicemail with your contact information and we will receive a notification via email. We try to return calls and emails within 24 business hours.

We recommend going to www.tickcheck.com for testing and identifying ticks after removal.

We recommend the Companion Animal Parasite Council for information regarding vector borne diseases in animals.

We recommend the CDC Website for information regarding vector borne diseases in humans.

• Rickettsia typhi infection in a clinically-ill dog from Houston, Texas
• Detection of Vector-Borne Infections in Lions and Tigers at Two Zoos in Tennessee and Oklahoma, USA
• Visceral leishmaniasis in a New York foxhound kennel
• Serosurvey of anti-Babesia antibodies in stray dogs and American pit bull terriers and American staffordshire terriers from North Carolina
• Efficacy of combined atovaquone and azithromycin for therapy of chronic Babesia gibsoni (Asian genotype) infections in dogs
• Efficacy of Atovaquone and Azithromycin or Imidocarb Dipropionate in Cats with Acute Cytauxzoonosis
• Re-emergence of Babesia conradae and effective treatment of infected dogs with atovaquone and azithromycin
• Infection with Panola Mountain Ehrlichia sp. in a dog with atypical lymphocytes and clonal T-Cell expansion
• Regional Seroreactivity and Vector-Borne Disease Co-Exposures in Dogs in the United States from 2004–2010: Utility of Canine Surveillance
• A serological survey of tick-borne pathogens in dogs in North America and the Caribbean as assessed by Anaplasma phagocytophilum, A. platys, Ehrlichia canis, E. chaffeensis, E. ewingii, and Borrelia burgdorferi species-specific peptides
• Serological and molecular analysis of feline vector-borne anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis using species-specific peptides and PCR
• Improved molecular detection of Babesia infections in animals using a novel quantitative real-time PCR diagnostic assay targeting mitochondrial DNA
• Bartonella Seroepidemiology in Dogs from North America, 2008–2014
• Clinical, morphological, and molecular characterization of an undetermined Babesia species in a maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus)
• Babesia gibsoni cytochrome b mutations in canine blood samples submitted to a US veterinary diagnostic laboratory
• Genetic conservation of Cytauxzoon felis antigens and mRNA expression in the schizont life-stage
• Clinicopathological findings in 41 dogs (2008‐2018) naturally infected with Ehrlichia ewingii
• An update on the treatment of canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (Ehrlichia canis)
• Feline Vector-Borne Diseases in North America
• Prevalence of Babesia spp. and clinical characteristics of Babesia vulpes infections in North American dogs
• Ecological and Socioeconomic Factors Associated with Bartonella henselae Exposure in Dogs Tested for Vector-Borne Diseases in North Carolina 
• Molecular identification of vector-borne organisms in Ehrlichia seropositive Nicaraguan horses and first report of Rickettsia felis infection in the horse
• Babesia sp. infection in a zoo-housed polar bear (Ursus maritimus) 
• A retrospective study of vector‐borne disease prevalence in dogs with proteinuria: Southeastern United States
• Molecular prevalence of Bartonella, Babesia, and hemotropic Mycoplasma species in dogs with hemangiosarcoma from across the United States 
• Bartonella rochalimae, a newly recognized pathogen in dogs
• Comparison of Anaplasma and Ehrlichia species – specific peptide ELISAs with whole organism-based immunofluorescent assays for serologic diagnosis of anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis in dogs
• Novel Rickettsia Species Infecting Dogs, United States
• Molecular Characteristics of Rickettsia in Ticks Collected along the Southern Border of Mongolia
• Demographics and travel history of imported and autochthonous cases of leishmaniosis in dogs in the United States and Canada, 2006 to 2019

Accreditation
Accreditation Letter

• CITES (International Shipping of Exotic Specimens)
• CDC – How to Avoid Tick Bites
• NCSU Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory
• Entomology-Image Gallery (Ticks)
• Companion Animal Parasite Council Recommendations

• Babesia
• Bartonella
• Ehrlichiosis & Anaplasmosis
• Leishmaniasis
• Lyme Disease
• Cytauxzoonosis
• Hepatozoonosis