Veterinary Diagnostic Techniques Quiz (hard)

Veterinary Diagnostic Techniques

• Cytology allows rapid analysis of various lesions such as skin scrapings, ear swabs, masses, and cavity effusions, assessing cell types and pathogenic organisms.
• Advantages of complete blood count (CBC) include rapid and relatively cheap assessment of WBC and RBC cell count, hemoglobin, platelet count, and more.
• Histopathology involves the study of tissue changes caused by disease, usually acquired during surgery, biopsy, or necropsy and fixed in formalin for microscopic analysis.
• Immunohistochemistry (IHC) combines histology, immunology, and chemistry to identify specific antigens and epitopes in tissues via their interaction with antibodies.
• IHC allows the identification of specific cell types and proteins in biopsies, aiding in the detection of various diseases, including viral antigens in tissues.
• Pathogen isolation involves identifying the genus and species of organisms in tissues, often requiring further work-up and fresh samples for accurate detection.
• Molecular biology techniques like PCR are indispensable for modern diagnostics, targeting and amplifying specific DNA segments from viruses, bacteria, and fungi.
• Virology techniques, including PCR and virus isolation, are used to detect viral nucleic acids and grow viruses in cell culture for further analysis.
• Bacteriology and mycology involve traditional culture on various media to detect bacteria and fungi, with tissues collected post-mortem or in the clinic.
• Veterinary diagnostic techniques are vital for identifying diseases and pathogens in animals, often requiring a combination of cytology, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular biology.
• These techniques allow for the rapid and accurate assessment of various diseases, including cancer, infectious diseases, and pathogen isolation in veterinary species.
• Collection of tissue samples, molecular biology techniques, and virology and bacteriology methods are essential for diagnosing and understanding diseases in veterinary medicine.