Veterinary diagnostics

SRUC Veterinary Services offers quality-assured farm and companion animal clinical pathology, histopathology and post mortem services. We provide a rapid turnaround of test results, with full interpretation either by email or web portal, and provide specialist advice to veterinary surgeons throughout the UK.

Our friendly veterinary investigation officers all have a broad knowledge of animal health and production systems, and many have further specialist qualifications. They are supported by an experienced team of laboratory scientists and technical staff.

In our modern laboratory facilities, we test in the areas of clinical biochemistry, haematology, serology, molecular biology (virus detection), microbiology, histopathology, cytology and parasitology.

We offer on-site post mortem examinations for all species at our Disease Surveillance Centres and in partnership with University of Glasgow Vet School, as well as a companion animal, wildlife and forensic post mortem examinations at Pentlands Science Park outside Edinburgh. We can also provide health planning advice for livestock units on a commercial basis, working with the veterinary practice that is providing primary veterinary care.

The Scottish Government provides funding to support investigations of complex or unusual livestock disease outbreaks. This allows our Veterinary Investigation Officers to carry out more in-depth projects into disease syndromes that could impact herds and flocks on a national scale. To do this we might visit a farm and work with the local veterinary practice in order to collect more information on cases where the disease presentation is atypical or the cause is not clear.