Necropsies

Necropsies are performed Monday-Friday, except certain holidays when VDL is closed. Turnaround time is 7-14 working days for production animals; 7-21 working days for companion animals, horses and camelids; 1- 8 weeks for zoo and wildlife. Depending on complexity of case and types of ancillary diagnostics, case turnaround time may be extended. Depending on the necropsy case findings, the necropsy fee may include gross examination, histopathology, bacteriology, electron microscopy, immunohistochemistry, molecular diagnostics, and virology. Tests that are outsourced to another lab will be charged at cost. If additional tests are requested by the owner or rDVM, these tests will incur additional charges, at the discretion of the pathologist. If only certain tests are requested, the submission form should clearly state the request. If the clinical syndrome is similar to a reportable disease, we are obligated to test for the agent(s) of concern. The appropriate submission form must accompany each case at the time of drop-off. A case is defined as single or multiple animals/specimens submitted during a single day, from the same owner, from animals of a similar age and from a similar environment. A case may also include non-animal specimens, such as feed, water, bedding, etc. The minimum charge for this exam is $95.00.