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Animal Testing
What is Parvovirus and why is early diagnosis essential?
Canine Parvovirus (CPV) is a highly contagious pathogen primarily affecting dogs. This virus can also infect other mammals including cats. If untreated, the risk of death may be high. Thus, a rapid and early diagnosis could save their lives.
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Detection of the virus can help you select an appropriate treatment regimen for your animals, prevent the spread of the virus and save them from secondary infections.
Why we recommend a PCR test over an ELISA test
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The sensitivity of an ELISA test depends on the Ag/Ab concentration and the availability. Thus, it could lead to false positive or negative results. In contrast, our PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test detects the viral genome and produces no false positive or negative results. This is because it is dependent on the availability of the virus but not its products or Abs.
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The positive result of an ELISA test can be caused by organisms other than the target. On the other hand, our PCR test detects genetic sequences unique to the target pathogen. Therefore, its specificity is much higher than an ELISA test.
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The accuracy of the ELISA test varies, and it depends on the Ag/Ab availability. Our PCR test offers a consistent accuracy of 99%.
What is tick fever and why may early detection be crucial?
Tick fever is a common canine disease in Sri Lanka which is caused through the bite of an infected tick carrying an insidious and deadly organism. Scientifically, it is known as Canine Ehrlichiosis and Canine Babesiosis.
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Early detection may prevent the dog from experiencing severe anemic conditions caused by the disease due to the highly pathogenic nature of it. Furthermore, the specific detection will help choose a suitable treatment regimen for your dog.
Why microscopy and antibody tests are not ideal
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Some stages of the parasite life cycle cannot be observed through the microscope. Therefore, the probability of obtaining false results is high.
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It takes several days to develop antibodies against a certain infection in the body. Hence, it is difficult to diagnose the infection early.
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Antibodies may be present in the body even after the disease is cured. Thus, if the test is done after the infection is cured, the result may be false positive.
What we offer
We are the first firm to provide a PCR based animal disease testing service in Sri Lanka. We offer tests which detect Canine Parvovirus, Canine Distemper, Canine Babesiosis and Canine Ehrlichiosis.
In addition to animal disease testing, we provide a cattle parentage testing service through the use of DNA typing.