Laboratory

The on-site laboratory at the Sussex Equine Hospital is staffed by a team of qualified, experienced technicians. The lab can process samples 7 days a week if necessary, allowing vets to obtain diagnostic information about the patients in their care accurately and quickly, enabling them to formulate treatment plans promptly.

The lab process blood for haematology which gives information about problems such as infection and anaemia.

Biochemistry, which assesses the patient's internal organ function, particularly the liver and kidneys.

Serum amyloid A (SAA) and fibrinogen are routinely examined to indicate how severe or longstanding a condition may be.

Hormone analysis can be performed on blood samples, for example progesterone levels are assessed to see where mares are in their reproductive cycles.

Electrolyte levels can be used to monitor patients in the hospital, particularly horses recovering from colic surgery. Urinalysis, looking for problems with the kidneys is available.

Samples such as tracheal washes and bronchoalveolar lavages can be analysed, allowing investigation of airway function.

The cells present are examined in conjunction with bacterial cultures.

Examination of faecal matter for worm egg canis, is a service that we provide to enable the vets to give appropriate advice on worming protocols in an effort to reduce the risk of resistance to anthelmintics developing and to save you money.

Bacteriology is an important aspect of the work carried out in the lab. Culturing samples obtained from sites of infection in patients allows the identification of the infective bacteria.

Once the bacteria has been identified the lab works out which antibiotics the bacteria is most sensitive to, allowing prescription of the most effective antibiotic and therefore reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance developing.

The lab is a CEM accredited lab, allowing the stud vets to obtain certification of mares that are to be covered rapidly. There are a multitude of other types of samples that the on-site lab can process, such as skin scrapes for ringworm, rotavirus tests and IgG testing of foals.

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