Fix specimens in 10% buffered formalin and submit in wide-mouth, leak-proof containers.

• Place tissues in formalin immediately following collection.
• For large biopsy specimens (spleens, legs, etc.), please submit whole if able to get the specimen to the diagnostic lab on the day of removal to allow assessment by the pathologist. Otherwise take multiple 5 mm thin sections at the junction of the mass and normal tissue for submission.
• For larger organs, prepare 5 mm thin representative tissue sections (1/4 inch or about the thickness of a wooden pencil) in 10% formalin. Cat hearts or smaller may be submitted whole.
• The ratio of tissue to formalin should be 1 volume tissue to 10 volumes of formalin. Neutral-buffered formalin is available from commercial sources.
• Do not freeze formalin-fixed tissues, as the tissue will be sufficiently damaged to preclude critical histopathological examination.
• Improper handling or fixation of tissue can induce artifacts that may result in nondiagnostic or unsuitable specimens.
• Label the container (not the lid) with names of veterinarian, owner, and animal. This allows clinic and laboratory personnel to verify specimen identity.

Provide signalment, a complete history, and summary of surgical or necropsy findings; forms available here: Submission Forms.

Dermatologic Cases

Skin biopsies should be obtained from multiple sites (these will be treated as one submission). Submit pertinent history including results from any prior antibiotic or corticosteroid therapy, endocrine assays, skin scrapes and any other clinical data. Draw the distribution of lesions on the animal figure included on the Biopsy/Dermatopathology Submission Form. Submission of fresh, unfixed, tissue for culture may be helpful in cases of suspected pyoderma not responsive to antibiotics.

Tumor Biopsies

Tumors (or suspected tumors) must be documented and packaged so the pathology report can be clearly correlated with the clinical findings for each tumor mass.

• Multiple tumors from the same location can be placed in the same container. If specific information is needed for each mass, place in separate container and label accordingly on the container and case history.
• For multiple tumors from more than one location on the same animal, place each specimen in a separate container. Label the container to correspond with the description of the tumor in the case history.  Example: Container A, 5 mm skin mass, right elbow; Container B, 7 mm subcutaneous mass from dorsal midline, Container C, 10 mm mass from right hock.
• Please include signalment, document location, include a brief history if necessary, and indicate if the tumor is completely removed, submitted, and margins are desired on the Biopsy/Dermatopathology Submission Form: Click Here
• Tumor biopsies that are not properly documented and separated may be handled as nonconforming specimens, resulting in delays in processing.

Practitioner Necropsy

The clinical history and findings can help to target tissues to collect for histopathologic examination. Please also indicate number of other animals affected. In cases with no history or sudden death, a complete set of tissues should be collected. Please include observations at necropsy on the form even if it is to state nothing was observed. Refer to the following guide for routine tissue collection during necropsy.

• Bacteriology and Virology: fresh liver, kidney, lung, spleen, large and small intestine (ligated segments), and brain. Keep refrigerated and ship with cold packs.
  Please submit in separate, labeled bags.
• Histopathology:  affected tissues with lesions, brain, heart, lung, liver, spleen, kidney, stomach, small intestine, large intestine (2-cm length, not ligated), lymph node, urinary bladder, skeletal muscle, bone marrow and thymus on young animals. Fix tissues in neutral-buffered formalin.
• Toxicology:  stomach content or stomach if empty, liver and kidney on all animals. Submit large sections of tissue or even 1/2 of each kidney in small animals. Include aqueous and vitreous humor on large animals. Keep refrigerated or freeze and ship with cold packs. Also send hay, feed, and baits, etc. if any is still available when suspecting contaminated feed sources or malicious poisoning. Testing can only be done on certain tissues please see the attached form: Toxicology Sample Size Recommendation
• Serology: Blood in a red top tube. For fetuses, thoracic fluid can be submitted in a red top tube.

When in doubt as to which specimens and tissues to collect, call the laboratory (334-844-4987) and ask to speak to the pathologist on duty.  See additional information under related sections and refer to shipping instructions.