Veterinary healthcare, specifically laboratory diagnostics, is growing year on year even in a down economy as a result of increased pet ownership and increased spending on vet care. In the U.S., an estimated 62% of households own a pet. With a total of 78 million pet dogs and 86 million pet cats in the U.S. alone, there is a continuous need for veterinary visits and diagnostic evaluation. In 2011, it is estimated that 14 billion USD will be spent on veterinary care1.
Servicing many of these needs are veterinary laboratories that rely on accurate and precise diagnostic testing. Siemens Healthineers is committed to providing a variety of veterinary immunoassays to serve this need. With thyroid disease accounting for the most common endocrine disorder in both dogs and cats, ensuring that the animals are diagnosed properly with the most reliable assays is critical.
The IMMULITE® immunoassay systems from Siemens Healthineers provide veterinary-specific thyroid assays that offer ease of use, accuracy, and precision with a fast turnaround time. In addition, Siemens offers an assay to aid in the diagnosis of pancreatic dysfunction, TLI (trypsin-like inhibitor), an important diagnostic tool for veterinarians and laboratories.
References:
1. 2011-2012 APPA National Pet Owners Survey
2. Veterinary Practice News. www.veterinarypracticenews.com posted April 12, 2011 by W. Jean Dodds, DVM
3. Brochure on Hyperthyroidism in Cats. Prepared b the American Association of Feline Practitioners and the Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University, College of Veterinary Medicine 2007
4. Veterinary Clinical pathology clerkship program. www.vet.uga.edu Feline Hyperthyroidism. By Jeff S. Stortz, DVM; Kenneth S. Latimer, DVM, PhD; Heather L. Tarpley, DVM; Bruce E. LeRoy, DVM, PhD, Perry J. Bain, DVM, PhD, T. Michelle Wall, DVM, DACVIM
5. IDEXX Laboratories. Diagnostic Update. March 2011.IDEXX Reference laboratories new Free T4 Test
6. Boretti, FS, Reusch C.E.- Diagnostic specificity of canine thyrotropin in the diagnosis of Hypothyroidism in dogs. EJCAP 2006,16:185-189
7. The Merck Veterinary Manual. © 2011; Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc