Diagnostic laboratories

The Central Laboratory of the Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine offers analytical services for the Veterinary Teaching Hospital sections and researchers in the faculty and for other partners. The laboratory is equipped with modern clinical chemistry and haematology analysers. The laboratory receives approximately 13 000 referrals annually from the Veterinary Teaching Hospital sections in Helsinki. The number of distinct analyses performed is around 43 000. Some 2000 to 3000 requests are further remitted to specialised laboratories in Finland, in Europe or in the United States.

The Department of Production Animal Medicine has a laboratory of its own where students can practice clinical diagnostic work. The laboratory annually examines about 3000 clinical samples from patients from the ambulatory practice and from the hospital, as well as samples for research purposes. Samples mainly comprise milk samples for bacteriology and blood samples for haematology and blood chemistry, but also include sperm and other samples. Students participate in the diagnostic work and under supervision, examine samples from their own patients and participate in interpreting the results. The laboratory also provides services for research.

The Section of Pathology and Parasitology in the Department of Basic Veterinary Science provides diagnostic services for its own disciplines. Services in Pathology include necropsy as well biopsy and cytology service. Samples originate mainly from the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, but samples from private veterinarians and animal owners are also analysed. Under the supervision of teachers, undergraduate students participate in diagnostic necropsy work, but the responsibility of the report rests with the teacher. Diagnostic in Parasitology small-scale activity and consists is mainly of referral sample analysis either from the Central Laboratory of the Department of Equine and Small Animal Medicine or from extramural veterinary clinics, as well as small number of feacal or ectoparasite samples from individual animal owners.

Central clinical support services

The Hospital’s digital imaging unit features digital x-ray equipment, consisting of one equine and two small-animal x-ray devices, ultrasonic equipment, a computer tomograph (CT) and MRI equipment. For now, the CT and MRI devices are only used for small animals. Moreover, the small-animal dental clinic has x-ray equipment, and the small-animal internal medicine ward has two cardiac ultrasound devices and a C-arm.

The Small Animal Internal Medicine Unit is equipped with video based endoscopic equipment for minimal invasive examination and treatment of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and urinary tract diseases with fl exible and rigid endoscopy. The endoscopic service also includes diagnostic laparoscopy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Endoscopic images are stored in the individual patient files.

The Production Animal Hospital has an old x-ray device for small animals and a new mobile ultrasound device for big animals. Small animals and horses are mainly anaesthetised using inhaled anesthetic agents. The Small Animal Hospital has its own anaesthesia staff, one veterinary surgeon and four animal keepers.

Some 32 000 diagnostic tests are also performed annually by the University Veterinary Hospital personnel and students on-site or on emergency duty from 5000 referrals. Blood gas and electrolyte analysis as well as basic haematology and dry chemistry tests are available in the clinics. At the end of 2009, the Faculty’s clinical diagnostic microbiological laboratory will begin operating.