Poisonous Plant and Animal Identification

Lab Section	Toxicology
Test Description	Identification of plants and animals (primarily insects) suspected of being the cause of animal poisoning by ingestion or other routes of exposure
Species	All; feedstuffs

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Sample Type	Rumen contents Gastrointestinal contents Feedstuffs Plants Insects Animals Water
Container	Sealed leak-proof container
Special Submission Instructions	Provide rumen or gastrointestinal contents (as much as possible) in a leak-proof container. Ship with cold packs. Provide 240-450 (0.5-1 lb.) of feedstuffs or plants in a leak-proof container. If requesting blue-green algae identification: Add 5 ml of test water to 5 ml of 10% formalin. If it is not possible to add formalin to water, submit at least 100 ml of water in a leak-proof container and ship with a cold pack. Indicate on submission form if formalin has or has not been added to the water. Refer to “How to Submit a Sample” for instructions of shipping formalin-containing samples.
Turnaround time	7 business days

The University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (VMDL) is a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory and Missouri’s only laboratory accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians. The VMDL is a Level I Lab of the National Animal Health Laboratory Network, Tier I Lab of the FDA Veterinary Laboratory Response Network, and a National Poultry Improvement Plan authorized lab. The VMDL maintains an effective quality assurance and quality control program.

The VMDL has formal anatomical pathology, clinical pathology, and clinical microbiology training programs. The VMDL faculty hold academic appointments in the Departments of Veterinary Pathobiology and Veterinary Biomedical Sciences. The director is administratively responsible to the dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine for the overall operation of the laboratory and its multiple missions of public service, teaching, research and continuing education/extension.

The VMDL faculty and staff work diligently to provide relevant, timely and cost-effective diagnostic services to our clients and to create a positive learning environment for our students and residents. In 2024, veterinarians, animal owners and researchers from 103 Missouri counties and cities, as well as from 51 states and provinces outside Missouri, continued to rely on the Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory’s (VMDL) diagnostic services. The lab performed approximately 63,500 total cases and conducted nearly 204,500 tests.