vetcyto gives you quick and reliable diagnosis
Diagnosis is the backbone of the efficient treatment!
If you have felt a lump or a mass anywhere on your animal, you should ask a veterinarian to perform a cytology!
Lumps can be benign (not cause any harm) or malignant, in the latter cases diagnosis is especially important as it guides the treatment!
Correct and timely treatment can help get rid of the tumor completely or to preserve the best life quality for as long as possible.
Cytology can:
– distinguish between benign and malignant tumors
– detect infectious disease agents (babesia, bacteria, nematodes)
Cytology can evaluate cells of skin, internal organs (liver, spleen, kidney, pancreas, etc.) cavity fluids, blood and other tissues.
How is the cytology sample obtained?
Veterinarian will perform a full examination of the animal and take a cytology sample. If the lump is in the skin – the skin above the mass is cleaned and then a needle is inserted into the mass (several times, in different angles). If an internal organ is sampled it can be done under the guidance of an ultrasound.
The process is no more painful or dangerous than any injection, never the less, only a licenced veterinarian can do that.
Cells obtained are transferred to a glass slide, air dried, stained and evaluated under the microscope.
Who can take the cytology sample and who can evaluate it?
The sample can be taken by any licenced veterinarian, in complex cases additional equipment may be required (an ultrasound or a CT).
VetCyto cooperates with any licenced veterinarian and clinic.
Easy cytology diagnoses freequently are reviewd in the clinic. More difficult cases should be referred to a specialized laboratory.
Does the sampling process activate the tumor?
Short answer is: no.
Tumor seeding across the injection line is very rare in both veterinary and human medicine.
Suspicion of a tumor is not a contraindication but an indication for cytology!
Veterinarian always evaluates the health of each animal and benefits of each chosen diagnostic test.
Sampling of urinary bladder tumor through the abdominal wall is not recommended; instead catetrisation is recommended.
Why cytology is a good diagnostic method?
Treatment depends on the diagnosis, therefore veterinarian needs to know what exactly to treat. In every case veterinarian needs to know wether pills, injections or surgery will be the best treatment!
For example, if a dog has a palpable formation in the area of the jaw, it is not possible to tell from the outside what is increased – lymph node or salivary gland – this can be determined by cytology.
The diagnosis leads to better treatment!
Does a cytological sample always help to establish a diagnosis?
No test is 100% reliable. Cytological diagnosis is hampered by insufficient number of cells in the sample, improper storage of the sample, shipment, artifacts, etc.factors.
At VetCyto there are two good ways around these problems – repeated sample within a month is evaluated for free.
VetCyto does not have restriction on the number of submitted slides – submitt as many as you wish!
VetCyto experience
Cytological examinations are performed by Dr. med.vet. Inese Berzina, a licensed veterinarian with more than 15 years of experience in the field of Clinical Pathology. Inese Berzina has studied in the United States, Ireland, Spain, Sweden and other countries; she is currently undergoing the European School of Advanced Veterinary Studies Oncology certificate course.
