September 2023
Newsletter Content
Did You Know?
Serological testing for listeria is no longer available. KAHDL can still test for listeria in aborted fetal tissue(s) including placenta. For more information on submission requirements call the lab at (615)837-5125.
Pathologist Spotlight | Tina Fisher, DVM
Dr. Tina Fisher is a Veterinary Anatomic Pathologist at the Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory. She graduated from The Ohio State University’s School of Veterinary Medicine in 1991. From there, she went to Washington State University (WSU) where she completed a residency in veterinary anatomic pathology. In 2000, Dr. Fisher also earned her PhD in veterinary science at WSU. After graduation, Dr. Fisher worked at the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory performing diagnostic pathology and teaching residents. She relocated to Tennessee and began working at KAHDL in 2002 and has been a member of our laboratory ever since. During her time with KAHDL, Dr. Fisher has performed many functions, including serving as our Assistant Director for a time. Today, she primarily performs small animal necropsies and evaluates biopsies. In addition, she is particularly skilled at training new histotechnicians, and we are thankful to have her on our team.
Fun fact about Dr. Fisher: Her undergraduate degree (University of Cincinnati) is in organic chemistry. After college, she worked for several years making dyes and pigments, and her company’s biggest success was making the dyes for the first color printers and xerox machines.
External Parasites of Chickens
There are a lot of different parasites found in chickens. Parasites cause decrease in egg laying, loss of eyesight, infection and death. It can be a challenge for owners to identify and treat the present parasites. Click the link below to learn about the different external parasites found on chickens.
Internship Spotlight
What made you decide to intern with KAHDL?
I decided to do this internship because I am interested in learning about different career options in veterinary medicine. I knew this would be a great opportunity to gain hands-on experience and valuable knowledge from pathologists working in the field.
What did you learn from this internship?
I learned more about veterinary pathology and how it fits in with the other fields of veterinary medicine. I learned how to do hands-on post-mortem examination of large and small animals. I saw firsthand how valuable cooperation and teamwork is when conducting a necropsy to maintain an efficient workflow.
What was one thing that surprised you?
The main thing that surprised me was how detailed oriented a pathologist must be in order to determine a cause of death. Also, the pathologist’s ability to read the animal’s history and already have a list of possible illnesses in their mind before stepping out on the necropsy floor.
Would you recommend this internship program to a friend or fellow student? Why or why not?
I would highly recommend this internship to anyone who wants to gain a unique hands-on experience in a different field of veterinary medicine. The staff are very welcoming and knowledgeable. They go out of their way to answer questions and are always willing to share their knowledge.
Blackleg in Cattle
Blackleg is a disease of pastured animals and tends to occur in the summer when pastures are moist and growing. Detailed pathogenesis of blackleg is still uncertain, but many of the following proposed life cycle have been confirmed. Death ensues rapidly and seldom does the animal survive more than 24-36 hours after the onset of symptoms. Click on the link below to read more about the lifecycle and diagnosis of blackleg.
KAHDL wants your feedback
comments, and reviews. The feedback link can be found on the final report email. Questions change monthly and we encourage you to comment frequently to help us improve services.
