Comprehensive Solutions
Comprehensive laboratory testing including innovative, exclusive diagnostics.
IDEXX Reference Laboratories offers specialised equine testing and expertise.
IDEXX offers innovative new tests and delivers accurate, comprehensive results up front, so you can make more informed and confident medical decisions.
Overview
Equine Chemistry Testing with IDEXX SDMA Test
In addition to a complete range of routine tests, our innovative tests include:
- IDEXX SDMA is now validated for use in horses and can be ordered using the IRSP test code
- Endocrine testing, such as endogenous ACTH, insulin and dexamethasone suppression tests
- Bile acids so you can evaluate liver function
Equine Haematology Testing
IDEXX offers a comprehensive equine CBC. Manual slide review could reveal:
- Toxic change: an indicator of response to inflammation
- Left shift: release of immature neutrophils in response to inflammation
- Haemoparasites: e.g. Ehrlichia equi (Anaplasma phagocytophilum), Babesia and other parasites
- Atypical cells: e.g. leukemia
- Fibrinogen is always automatically included in the equine CBC for indication of inflammation
Equine Serology and Microbiology Testing
- Coggins testing by AGID and ELISA procedures
- A complete line of infectious disease serologic testing, including leptospirosis, Lyme disease and other tick-borne disease
- IgG testing for foals to indicate adequacy of passive transfer
- Automated microbiology system to allow more rapid culture results with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to improve selection of antibiotics
Featured Tests
IDEXX SDMA® testing
Earlier intervention for more effective management of kidney disease
SDMA, symmetric dimethylarginine, is produced in every cell and released into the body’s circulation during protein degradation. SDMA is excreted by the kidneys, making it a good marker for estimating kidney function. Identifying kidney disease earlier could help manage a horse's kidney disease more effectively.
Equine Diarrhoea RealPCR™ Panel
Faster, more definitive diagnoses of equine gastrointestinal diseases
Identifying the pathogens causing equine gastrointestinal disease is critical for determining treatments, implementing biosecurity protocols and managing the spread of disease. Treatment protocols can be costly and inconvenient, so a quick, accurate diagnosis is essential.
With the IDEXX Equine Diarrhoea RealPCR™ Panel, veterinarians can now submit one sample to test for either 6 or 10 gastrointestinal pathogens.
The Equine Diarrhoea RealPCR™ Panel is available in two configurations: Comprehensive and Standard. If a positive Salmonella PCR result is obtained with either panel, a culture and sensitivity test will be performed.
| Pathogen | Comprehensive Panel | Standard Panel | Culture* |
| Equine rotavirus | x | x | |
| Equine coronavirus | x | ||
| Cryptosporidium spp. | x | ||
| Salmonella spp. | x | x | x |
| Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin A | x | x | |
| Rhodococcus equi | x | ||
| Clostridium difficile Toxin A | x | x | |
| Clostridium difficile Toxin B | x | x | |
| Neorickettsia risticii | x | ||
| Lawsonia intracellularis | x | x |
Sample requirements
Faeces (1 gram minimum) in a sterile container. Keep refrigerated.
For packaging and shipping information, call 1300 44 33 99.
Turnaround times
Tests are performed Monday–Friday, with results available within 1–3 business days.
Equine Respiratory RealPCR™ Panel
Faster, more definitive diagnoses of equine respiratory disease
Identifying causative pathogens for respiratory disease is critical for determining treatments, implementing biosecurity protocols and managing the spread of disease. With the Comprehensive Equine Respiratory RealPCR™ Panel, veterinarians can now submit one specimen to test for up to nine respiratory diseases.
The Comprehensive Equine Respiratory RealPCR Panel consists of nine real-time PCR tests:
- Equine Adenovirus RealPCR Test
- Equine Influenza Virus (EIV/H3N8) RealPCR Test
- Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1), Type 2 (EHV-2), Type 4 (EHV-4) and Type 5 (EHV-5) RealPCR™ tests
- Equine Rhinitis A Virus (ERAV) and Equine Rhinitis B Virus (ERBV) RealPCR tests
- Streptococcus equi subsp. equi RealPCR Test with Culture (Includes culture [organism ID only] on selective media for ß-hemolytic Streptococcus spp.), Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis, and Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus RealPCR™ tests
- Optional add-on test: Equine Arteritis Virus RealPCR Test (must be selected on test requisition form)
Specimen requirements
Deep nasopharyngeal swabs (one from each nostril). Please submit dry, plastic-stemmed swabs, without transport media, in a sterile tube; keep refrigerated. Collect specimen prior to antibiotic administration.
Turnaround time
1–4 working days for RealPCR panel; allow additional time for culture
Equine Herpesvirus Types 1 (EHV-1) and 4 (EHV-4) RealPCR™ Tests
New weapons in the fight against infectious diseases
Equine Herpesvirus Types 1 (EHV-1) and 4 (EHV-4) RealPCR™ Tests are sensitive tests that use real-time PCR technology to deliver speed and accuracy in detecting the presence of EHV-1 and EHV-4 DNA.
Equine Herpesvirus Type 1
Numerous outbreaks of EHV-1 have hit the equine industry, resulting in great loss.
EHV-1, a virus often found latent in normal horses, can present as respiratory disease or neurologic disease, or cause abortions. Once in a population of horses, the virus is spread quickly and can cause devastating results.
The Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 (EHV-1) RealPCR™ Test helps you confidently:
- Diagnose horses exhibiting clinical signs consistent with EHV-1 disease
- Diagnose horses exposed to confirmed EHV-1 cases
- Isolate infected or exposed horses from other susceptible horses in a timely manner
- Identify EHV-1 strains containing a mutation that is highly associated with neurologic clinical signs
Equine Herpesvirus Type 4
Equine herpesvirus type 4 (EHV-4; equine rhinopneumonitis virus) is a health risk to equine populations worldwide. Disease severity depends on multiple factors and may be latent in normal horses. Because clinical signs are similar to other respiratory diseases, it is difficult to make a definitive diagnosis from clinical presentation alone.
The Equine Herpesvirus Type 4 (EHV-4) RealPCR™ Test identifies:
- EHV-4 in horses presenting with respiratory clinical signs
- Horses that have been exposed to confirmed EHV-4 cases
PCR methods help distinguish between EHV-4, EHV-1 and EHV-1 neuropathogenic strains
Horses presenting with respiratory disease may have a dual infection with both EHV-1 and EHV-4. With the EHV-4 and EHV-1 RealPCR™ Tests, an equine practitioner can quickly distinguish between EHV-4, EHV-1, and the EHV-1 neuropathogenic mutant strain, to manage disease and prevent the spread of the virus to other horses.
Specimen requirements
2 mL EDTA whole blood and/or deep nasopharyngeal swabs (one from each nostril). Please submit dry, plastic-stemmed swabs, without transport media, in a sterile tube; keep refrigerated.
Note: Nasal swabs are used to detect animals shedding the virus or that were recently exposed to a confirmed case. A whole blood specimen is recommended from symptomatic animals to detect viremia.
With IDEXX RealPCR tests, you can count on
- The latest innovation in PCR technology, with the virtual elimination of false positives.
- Fast answers, so you can work through your list of differential diagnoses faster.
Turnaround time
1–3 working days
Equine Faecal Egg Count Panel
When evaluating the effectiveness of a deworming program, simply determining the presence or absence of eggs is not enough.
The IDEXX Equine Faecal Egg Count Panel provides a quantitative analysis of egg count, so you can accurately monitor anthelmintic performance and recommend adjustments as necessary.
Consider running the IDEXX Equine Faecal Egg Count Panel when:
- Determining the worm burden within an individual horse or on a farm
- Evaluating anthelmintic efficacy
Additionally, this test will give you the information you need to help clients understand if their current deworming programs are working—and where you can make recommendations to improve effectiveness.
IDEXX Rhodococcus equi RealPCR™ Test
The IDEXX Rhodococcus equi (R. equi) RealPCR™ Test:
- Detects strains that contain the virulence plasmid (VapA gene)
- Includes culture confirmation of the presence of R. equi bacteria, virulent or avirulent strains
PCR methods are more rapid and sensitive than culture, and can identify virulent R. equi
Horses are unique in that the R. equi strains which cause disease almost all contain a plasmid that carries a virulence gene. VapA, whose function is not well understood, is necessary for clinical disease.
The detection of R. equi by standard bacterial culture can be difficult if the horse has received antibiotic therapy. Further, culture cannot identify strains that carry the virulence plasmid. PCR methods are not only more rapid and sensitive than culture, but also can identify virulent R. equi.
Sample requirements
- Recommended specimen is at least 5 mL of tracheal wash fluid placed in a sterile tube without preservatives.
- Ship with ice pack within 24 hours of collection if possible. If stored, refrigerate at 4°C but do not freeze.
Turnaround times
Test is performed daily, Monday–Friday, with results available within 48 hours.
IDEXX Streptococcus equi (S. equi) subsp. equi ELISA
Quantify Streptococcus equi subsp. equi antibody levels using the test that measures the immune reponse to the SeM protein, the major virulence factor of S. equi subsp. equi.
Performed on serum, this test provides antibody levels as titres in one of five different categories:
- Negative
- Weak positive
- Moderate positive
- High positive
- Very high positive
This test is very useful if you suspect:
- Recent infections or recent vaccinations
- The need for booster vaccinations
- Purpura hemorrhagica
- Metastatic abscesses (“bastard strangles”)
- Streptococcal myositis
Sample requirements
1 mL of serum.
Turnaround time
Results are available in 14 working days.
IDEXX Salmonella RealPCR™ and Culture ID Test
There’s a faster way to detect and contain Salmonella
The IDEXX Salmonella RealPCR™ Test helps you quickly identify and isolate contagious horses, even asymptomatic horses.
- Confirm the presence of Salmonella organisms quickly with our highly specific and sensitive Salmonella real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test.
- Isolate infected patients, implement therapy and identify environmental contamination in a more timely manner.
- Quickly identify diarrhea caused by Salmonella.
- Automatic culture identification of Salmonella spp. organisms for confirmation of positive PCR result.
Sample requirements
- Acceptable specimens include:
- Faecal swabs (in transport media without charcoal) with ice packs
- Faecal samples (1–5 grams in sterile containers) with ice packs
- Environmental swabs or wipes
- Ship sample within 24 hours of collection.
Turnaround times
Results available within 2 - 4 working days.