March 2026 C. E. Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory Newsletter

Newsletter banner with silhouettes of various animals

Winter Storm Fern

Winter Fern ice damage.

While 2026 began with great momentum, none of us could have anticipated the challenges brought by Winter Storm Fern. At Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, we hope you and your family were minimally affected. We regret that we were unable to provide services for a period of two weeks and sincerely apologize for any inconvenience or loss of samples or impact on animals that may have occurred.We appreciate your patience and support as we worked diligently to restore full laboratory operations. To better serve you, client feedback surveys are being included with reports and are also available on our website. We value your comments and concerns.Thank you for your continued trust in KAHDL. Together, we look forward to making 2026 a year of growth and resilience.

New Sample Submission Forms

Exterior of the Animal Diagnostic Lab.

KAHDL has developed seven new sample submission forms to streamline the test selection process. Forms have been organized by species and include: Ruminant Sample Submission Form, Avian Sample Submission Form, Caprine/Ovine Sample Submission Form, Equine Sample Submission Form, Porcine Sample Submission Form, and Companion-Exotic Sample Submission Form. Each form identifies available tests alongside their corresponding sections, specimen requirements and offers the option to select panel-specific testing. Submissions containing more than five animals will also need to include our new Herd/Flock Master List Form. The new forms are available on our website. Submission forms not provided on our website have been discontinued. For inquiries regarding the new forms or submission process, please contact the laboratory at 615-837-5125.

New Animal ID Policy

Beginning March 30th, we will begin entering all Animal IDs when the client has provided one of the following:
  • Submissions must include a master list of all Animal IDs.
  • Master list can consist of the new KAHDL RE F-31 Herd/Flock Master List Form or the client can email the Excel Official Master List to kord.lab@tn.gov (must be received prior to accessioning samples).
  • Clients can enter accessions via our Portal. 
  • Animal IDs recorded only on specimen tubes and unaccompanied by a master list will not be shown on reports.
  • Animal IDs will be visible on the final report, though they may not appear on preliminary reports.

Histology:
A Cornerstone of Diagnostic Excellence at KAHDL

Microscopic view of stained histology kidney slide.

The Histology section is a cornerstone of animal disease diagnostics at KAHDL. Tissue samples submitted in 10% neutral buffered formalin (NBF) whether surgically removed biopsies, tumor masses, tissue samples from field necropsies, or specimens from in‑house necropsies are routed to Histology for processing. These samples undergo several key processes before being returned as slides to the veterinary pathologists for diagnostic evaluation.