How do I obtain
feather pluck?
Feather plucks are usually used for DNA sampling. This means we do not wish for them to be contaminated. Wear latex gloves
and remove a number (10 – 20) body feathers from the keel of the bird and check that there is some pulp within the rachis.
Place these immediately into a ziplock bag or container that is not contaminated and seal it shut.
How should I send an animal
for post mortem?
Please call us first to let us know you are sending an animal for post mortem. The animal needs to be wrapped up and placed
in a sealed plastic bag and placed in a box with a ice pack contained in waterproof material (this is due to the fact that
during transport condensation may occur and breakdown the outer wrapping which upsets the Post Office) and sent by Royal Mail
Special Delivery before 1am. Please do not send in a jiffy bag as they tend to get squashed during transit. Ideally a post
mortem should be performed within 48 hours for most species on fresh (not frozen tissues). For very small species placing
the animal whole (or with the coelomic cavity open) into 10% formalin and performing histopathology on the tissues may be
more useful than a decomposed specimen arriving for post mortem. Fish decompose quickly and you may be better phoning for
advice regarding appropriate sample collection in house.
Is there a test available to tell the age of a bird?
Unfortunately there
isn’t a test available to tell the age of bird. In most species it is possible to identify juveniles. A rough idea can
be given upon examination by an avian vet.
Is it possible to turn the temperature up on the incubator to make bacteria
grow faster?
Unfortunately it is not possible to do this as selective organisms require selective temperatures depending on their site
and species.
How do you bleed a Koi Carp?
Blood may be
withdrawn from a number of sites but the preferred site is the Caudal vein using either a lateral or ventral approach. Entry
site for the needle is approximately half way along the Caudal Peduncle, for the lateral approach the needle is inserted just
below the lateral line angled towards the head. When the bony vertebral column is encountered the needle is angled slightly
below to enter the Caudal vein. For the ventral approach the needle is inserted in the ventral mid line along side, or
just Caudal to the anal fin. When the vertebral column is encountered the needle is withdrawn slightly to enter the Caudral
vein. Fish blood is readily prone to haemolysis for this reason as little vacumn should be put on the syringe as possible
and vacumn blood collection tubes should be avoided. These methods will usually obtain blood from fish weighing over 25g,
in smaller fish, sadly, to obtain a blood sample, they have to be sacrificed and the tail cut off to expose the Caudal vein,
but great care must be taken not to dilute or contaminate the sample. Since fish blood clots rapidly Heparin is the most useful
anti-coagulant and all the equipment used (i.e. needles and syringes) should rinsed in Heparin.