Pathology

Mammalian Necropsy Services Update

Necropsy Service

Clients may submit fresh, recently dead animals for post-mortem examination, including agricultural animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, deer, camelids, poultry, game birds, fish, and zoo animals. Dogs and cats may be submitted for necropsy (see special instructions). Other companion animals, and non-human primates are not currently accepted for necropsy at ADL. While the ADL is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (excluding holidays), deliveries of dead animals or samples may be made 24 hours a day on any day of the week (instructions are posted on our loading dock at the rear of the building). Live animals may be submitted only by prior arrangement and during working hours (euthanasia fees will apply). DO NOT leave live animals in the cooler nor on the loading dock. Carcasses should be chilled if possible; do not freeze. Referring veterinarians or clients are encouraged to notify the lab and consult with the pathologist before sending the carcass. A clinical history written by the referring veterinarian or herd/flock manager must accompany the submission. Insurance cases and cases with the potential for litigation must be identified as such and may incur additional fees. No portion of any animal may be returned after submission. Ancillary tests beyond the gross examination are at the discretion of the pathologist within the limits of the tier selected by the submitter. Turn-around time is approximately two weeks.

Field Necropsy/Diarrhea Panel Submissions

Fresh and formalin-fixed tissues from field necropsies may be submitted for evaluation. Unless specific tests are requested, test selection is at the discretion of the pathologist within the limits of the tier selected by the submitter. Turn-around time is approximately one to two weeks. Please follow the shipping guidelines when submitting samples. Field necropsy mailers are available for purchase through our laboratory.

Fresh fecal samples may be submitted for a complete panel of tests to determine the cause of diarrhea. Depending of the age and species of animal affected, this panel may include bacteriology, parasitology, and molecular biology.

Avian Pathology

Dr. Megan Lighty, Avian Pathologist
Email: mul132@psu.edu
Office: 814-863-0837

__________________________________________________

Dr. Kayla Niel, Avian Diagnostic and Outreach Veterinarian
Email: krn127@psu.edu
Office: 814-863-0837

__________________________________________________

Mammalian Pathology

Dr. Dane Rahoi
Email: dmr6597@psu.edu
Office: 814-863-0837

Necropsy Technicians

Current Fee Schedule

Test Look-up Form and User Guide

Dear Clients of the ADL,

On behalf of the Animal Diagnostic Lab (ADL) at Penn State, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation for your understanding and patience during the recent disruption in our mammalian necropsy service. I am pleased to announce that effective immediately livestock and equine cases can be submitted to ADL without calling ahead. Until mid-August we will still be somewhat restricted in the number of small, companion, and exotic animal cases we are able to accept, so please call 814-863-0837 before submitting those.

I am also very pleased to let you know that on August 1, 2024 we will be adding a second mammalian pathologist to our team.  Dr. Andrew Thiel is a native Pennsylvanian, hailing from Hermitage, a city in Mercer County in far western PA. He graduated from Lehigh University and went on to earn his DVM from the University of Florida. He spent some time in small animal practice before beginning a pathology residency at the University of Illinois Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in 2020. For the last 10 months he has been working as a contract anatomic pathologist and instructor at Illinois, averaging almost 5 cases per day - including food animal, equine, companion animal, and exotics cases.  At the same time, he averaged more than 70 surgical biopsy cases per week! His references speak very highly of him as a knowledgeable, even-keeled, and reliable pathologist, who is no stranger to a heavy and busy caseload. In his free time, Dr. Thiel enjoys fly fishing, carving wooden wands, playing the saxophone, and smoking meat. (We hope to make extensive use of one or more of those talents for our lab lunches!)  I very much look forward to having Dr. Thiel join our excellent team of faculty and staff at the ADL, and providing you with mammalian diagnostic pathology services alongside Dr. Dane Rahoi.

Comprehensive avian/poultry necropsy services continue to be offered by Drs. Lighty and Niel. I'd like to offer my congratulations and thanks to Dr. Jonathan Elissa as he successfully wraps up his poultry pathology residency. At the same time, please join me in welcoming Dr. Emily Frye, a recent DVM graduate from Colorado State, who will be our new resident effective July 1st.

For any questions, please feel free to reach out via email at adlhelp@psu.edu, or by phone at 814-863-0837. You can also contact me directly at eph1@psu.edu or (814) 769-0061 (cell).

Sincerely,

Ernest

Ernest Hovingh

Director, Animal Diagnostic Laboratory

Extension Veterinarian and Clinical Professor