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Go to Animal Care and Use Committee

Professional Services

The DCM provides a complete program of veterinary care including:

  • daily assessment of animal health
  • prevention, control, diagnosis, and treatment of animal disease and injury
  • consultation with researchers on handling, restraint, anesthesia, analgesia and euthanasia
  • surgical and procedure facilities (to reserve these facilities, contact the special projects coordinator (448-5656).
Department of Comparative Medicine (DCM) personnel are available to offer technical assistance to investigators and their staff. Veterinarians and veterinary technicians are available to perform procedures such as drug administration, body fluid collection (i.e., blood, urine), anesthesia, radiography, and surgical assistance. To arrange for these services, contact the DCM at 448-5656. Services may require payment by the principal investigator per established per diem rate sheet. Contact the Department of Comparative Medicine for prices of services (448-5656).

Radiography Services

DCM maintains radiography facilities for diagnostic and experimental use in Nash animal facilities. Diagnostic radiography services are provided at no cost to per diem investigators for those animals which experience spontaneous illness not related to experiment. Services are billed to the investigator for all experimental radiographic services. For radiology services, contact the DCM at 448-5656.

Surgical and Anesthesiology Services

The Department of Comparative Medicine maintains and operates two surgical suites which are suitable for major operative procedures on both small and large laboratory animals. Each surgical suite is equipped with state of the art anesthesia and monitoring equipment as well as a full line of surgical instruments. Equipment and expertise are available to support routine and specialized surgical procedures including cardiovascular, neurosurgical, and others. The professional staff of DCM are available to perform surgical and anesthetic procedures in support of research protocols, both in collaborative efforts and on a fee for service basis.

Diagnostic Laboratory Services

The Diagnostic Laboratory offers clinical laboratory services to investigators in the biomedical community as well as the veterinary staff. We have ability to run a selected tests including Hematology, Selected Chemistry, Serology/Immunology and specialize in the diagnostic and research needs of laboratory animals. Other tests are contracted to an outside laboratory which has a veterinary pathologist on staff-adjunct faculty (Dr. Elizabeth Wilson). New tests are continuously being added as the experimental needs change and numbers of requests warrants them. The veterinary staff is committed to assuring the support to investigators through in-house and reference contract services. Consultation and training is also available.

The DCM Diagnostic Laboratory services are provided Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Laboratory is located in the Nash basement through the Special projects coordinator. Computerized lab reports usually with species specific reference ranges can be picked up through the coordinator as determined by test. Supplies for sample submission are provided at no cost to users of the laboratory. Testing may be provided at no cost to per diem investigators as approved by a DCM veterinarian for those animals which experience spontaneous illness or death. For additional pricing information, turn around times or guidance on sample submission contact the special projects coordinator for information (448-5656).

Diagnostic Resources

  1. Clinical Laboratory; The diagnostic resources of the DCM are comprised of one diagnostic laboratory in Nash with a total space of 600 sq. ft. The Nash lab also has the ability for certain DCM research lab needs. The diagnostic facilities in Coleman area under the oversight of the Special projects coordinator (448-5656). The capabilities of the Nash diagnostic laboratories include: parasitology; clinical chemistry (I-Stat) (Reflotron), (although clinical chemistries are often sent out to private laboratories); and microbiology, including a Microscan Gram-negative Diagnostic system and serology (ELISA) for a limited number of rodent viruses.

    2.  
  2. Necropsy/histology: Gross necropsies are performed by veterinary staff in one of three necropsy rooms in Nash, Coleman, (250 sq. ft. gross necropsy laboratory in Coleman; and a 200 square foot necropsy room in Nash) At present all histopathology and routine microbiological isolation (tissues, cultures and/or slides) procedures are done by an outside Memphis laboratory. Dr. Elizabeth Wilson (adjunct faculty DCM and ACVP, clinical pathologist) at this lab consults with DCM veterinarians and when necessary consults with Dr. Jerald Rehg, D.V.M., (DCM affiliated faculty member) and Director of the St. Jude Animal Resource Program. Dr. Rehg is board certified by both ACLAM and ACVP.

    3.  
  3. Commercial laboratories are used for rodent virus serology confirmation (suspect and positive in-house results) and for clinical chemistries. Initial sentinel rodent serology using an Immunocomb system is done in house. The state diagnostic resources are routinely used for sheep, pig and goat serology as inventory dictates.

Necropsy Services

Necropsy services are provided Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm or as scheduled on emergency need. Request for necropsy service on nights, weekends, and holidays should be directly submitted to the veterinary technician or clinical veterinarian on call, the necropsy facilities are located in Nash and Coleman. Each facility is equipped with a down-draft necropsy table. The necropsy room is available for investigator use free-of-charge providing the facility is cleaned after use and all animal wastes are properly disposed. Pathology services are provided at no cost to per diem investigators as approved by a DCM clinical faculty or post doctoral veterinarian for those animals which experience spontaneous illness or death. Contact the DCM office for prices of services (448-5656). Animals which unexpectedly die after experimental procedures will be necropsies at labor charge or as determined by responsible veterinarian for academic information. Fees are charged for pathology services rendered in support of an experimental study. These services are at the discretion of the adjunct contract Pathologist whose scientific collaboration should be sought prior to initiating the study.

Upon receipt of an animal carcass and completed necropsy request, the necropsy room staff enters the information into the laboratory log, performs the dissection, and obtains specimens for culture, histology evaluation, and other pertinent studies. A final report, combining gross and histopathology findings with laboratory test results, is sent to the investigator and to the DCM clinicians.

Investigators wishing to obtain additional information or perform necropsies should contact the Special Projects Coordinator (448-5656). Assistance in learning necropsy procedures is available free of charge from veterinary staff.

Minor Procedures and Facilities

Procedural rooms located in Nash, Coleman, and Wittenborg are available for minor procedures such as bleeding, injections, treatments, etc. in all species, and can be used for rodent surgery. These rooms are available for use by investigative personnel on a first-come, first-served basis.

To arrange to use one of these rooms, contact the Special Projects Coordinator at 448-5656.

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