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

Welcome Dr. Stacey Piotrowski, DVM, PhD, DACVP

The Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Lab is pleased to welcome our new Veterinary Pathology Manager, Dr. Stacey Piotrowski. Dr. Piotrowski earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Zoology from Michigan State University and her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the University of Illinois. She completed a postdoctoral training program in laboratory animal medicine and science in Houston, Texas. As a fellow in the National Institutes of Health Comparative Biomedical Scientist Training Program, Dr. Piotrowski completed her anatomic pathology residency at Purdue University and her PhD at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Her PhD research focused on the role of herpesviruses in neurodegenerative disease and dementia. She became a diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in 2021 and later served as a veterinary pathologist at the Emory National Primate Research Center before joining the C.E. Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and pug, traveling, cooking, reading and cheering on her favorite sports teams, especially the Green Bay Packers.

Testing Updates for KAHDL

The Toxicology section is pleased to announce the addition of mercury testing to its scope of services. This testing will be performed using the Direct Mercury Analyzer (DMA 80), which allows for accurate detection and quantification of mercury levels in both tissue and blood samples. Accepted specimens include liver and kidney tissue, in addition to whole blood. The analytical process utilizes thermal decomposition and atomic absorption technology to provide reliable and precise mercury detection. Current turnaround time for mercury testing is estimated at 8–10 business days from the time samples are received by the laboratory.Until KAHDL resumes in-house Serum Neutralization (SN) testing, samples requiring this test will be forwarded to the University of Georgia (UGA) Veterinary Diagnostic and Investigational Laboratory for analysis. KAHDL will ship SN samples to UGA once per week. Submitters will be responsible for the $8.00 testing fee, while KAHDL will cover shipping costs. This process will remain in place until SN testing is again available at KAHDL.

Certificates of Veterinary Inspection Update for Veterinarians

TDA Division of Animal Health will cease the sale of paper Certificates of Veterinary Inspections after June 30, 2027, or until our supply runs out. We encourage accredited veterinarians to use electronic CVI's (eCVI) when a CVI is required for intrastate or interstate movement of animals. Paper CVIs will continue to be accepted after that date; however, veterinarians are encouraged to begin adopting approved eCVI platforms now to improve accuracy, efficiency, record legibility, document security and disease traceability. For any questions, please contact us at 615-837-5120 or Animal.Health@tn.gov.

Feed us your Feedback 🍴

As part of our ongoing improvement efforts, we are seeking feedback about your experience with KAHDL. Your input is valuable and helps us better understand your needs and improve our services. Look for this month's featured feedback question on the final page of your report, and don't hesitate to share any additional comments or thoughts beyond the specific question asked.You can also visit our website to provide feedback at any time.