News Alerts & Announcements

12/15/2023: The Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory System (PADLS) was recently awarded renewal of its full accreditation status by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians (AAVLD). Accreditation attests that a laboratory adheres to documented processes and established quality control practices in conformance with internationally recognized standards. The five-year renewal is valid through December 2028.
12/11/2023: The PADLS laboratories held their annual Veterinarian Conference for practitioners in the state. Veterinarians from around the state participated in this event to hear about current animal health concerns and what resources are available from the PADLS laboratories.
12/15/2022: The PADLS laboratories held their annual Veterinarian Conference, this years focus was the health of small ruminant animals. Veterinarians from around the state participated in this event to hear about current animal health concerns and what resources are available from the PADLS laboratories.
4/16/2022: PA Department Of Agriculture Confirms First Case Of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza In Lancaster County (Pennsylvania Pressroom).
04/13/2021: Russell Redding, PA Secretary of Agriculture, recently held a Facebook Live event to discuss the efforts of the department and the PADLS laboratory system as Investments in Animal Agriculture. You can view the complete session on the Departments Facebook page, or by checking HERE.
09/15/2015: The Penn State Extension provides information about the Avian Influenza and guidance in biosecurity measures.

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03/27/2015: The USDA provides biosecurity recommendations to protect poultry flocks from avian influenza.

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03/27/2015: Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture provides guidance regarding avian influenza.

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Response to reported Influenza A affecting dairy cattle


In response to reports of influenza A virus affecting dairy cattle in 8 states (no PA herds have been affected at this time), PDA has developed a standardized response protocol for handling affected herds, including herds which may be located on a premises with poultry. Influenza A in cattle is classified as an “emerging” disease, and has recently been added to the Pennsylvania Dangerous Transmissible Disease list by temporary quarantine order.

Cattle or poultry suspects should be reported through the PDA emergency line, at 717-772-2852, option 1. The veterinarian on call will return your call ASAP.

Key points in the response protocol are below:

  1. If clinical signs in the dairy herd meet the USDA case definition (see below), please contact your veterinarian, who should call the PDA emergency line immediately:
    • Sudden drop in feed intake in lactating dairy cows with concurrent decreased rumination and rumen motility
    • Subsequent marked drop in herd level milk production. Cows may have thickened milk that appears colostrum-like or may produce very little or no milk.
    • Abnormal manure ranging from dry/tacky to diarrhea.
  2. If sick or dead birds are present on the dairy premises:
    • If wild birds, contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission (1-833-PGC-WILD or 1-833-742-9453) or USDA Wildlife Services ( 717-236-9451) for assistance. These agencies may also be able to assist you with wild bird mitigation
    • If domestic poultry, report to PDA using the emergency line at 717-772-2852, option 1.
  3. If the dairy case definition is met, PDA will advise the herd veterinarian to collect samples for testing. In some cases the producer may collect samples under the supervision of the herd veterinarian if the proper sampling supplies are available. If the case definition is not met, the PDA on-call veterinarian will work with the herd veterinarian to investigate any other regulatory disease as appropriate.
  4. Appropriate sampling for Influenza A testing in dairy cattle includes:
    • Collect samples from up to 10 affected animals and 10 unaffected cattle that are in milk. Unaffected cattle samples should be matched with parity and stage of lactation. Collect 3-10 ml individual milk samples in sterile tubes (preferred sample). Collect samples from all four quarters into one tube.
    • If milk cannot be collected from enough animals, collect one nasal swab per animal (for non-lactating animals) and place it in a suitable viral transport medium, including 3-5 ml PBS (phosphate-buffered saline), normal saline or BHI broth to test 20 animals total. Do not pool samples-use one swab from one animal per tube.
    • Have your herd veterinarian coordinate with PDA regarding testing at PADLS labs.
    • Samples which are collected by the producer must be submitted to PADLS with the veterinarian’s name included on the general submission form.

Animal Diagnostic Lab (PSU) Mammalian Necropsy Services


We’re excited to announce that effective immediately, the Animal Diagnostic Lab (PSU) is accepting mammalian necropsy cases. Our new mammalian pathologist, Dane Rahoi, DVM, Dipl. ACVP, is eager to work with you to solve disease situations you and your clients are facing.

We’re still working on hiring a second pathologist to work alongside Dr. Rahoi, so there may be an occasional time when our response time might be slightly delayed. Please feel free to call with any questions or concerns! ADL Main office - (814) 863-0837; Dr. Rahoi - (814) 865-3728; Dr. Hovingh - (814) 863-3745

There is no longer a need to call ahead to submit a case to the lab. Outside of regular hours and on weekends, carcasses may once again be left in the necropsy cooler. Please make sure the appropriate paperwork is completed. And just a reminder that on “home game” weekends it can be a significant challenge, if not impossible, to get to the ADL, so plan accordingly if your clients need to drop off a carcass those weekends.

PA Veterinary Lab


Beginning on June 20, 2023, the Pennsylvania Veterinary Laboratory in Harrisburg (PVL) is adjusting its avian specimen drop-off time to be 10:30 am for same-day testing results, subject to change as needed. This change does not affect the drop-off times at Penn State's Animal Diagnostic Lab or New Bolton Center.

Manheim Field Office: The Manheim Field Office is scheduled to reopen for submission of swabs, blood, and other similar sample types ONLY on Monday May 8, 2023. Birds should NOT be submitted through the Field Office until further notice.
Any questions, please contact: Sherrill Davison; 610-636-1683 (cell); sdavison@vet.upenn.edu

New Bolton Center Lab (PADLS-NBC) Mammalian Pathology Services

The PADLS-NBC Mammalian Pathology Autopsy Service is OPEN as of May 1, 2023. This includes all autopsy and rabies testing submissions.

Due to continued staffing shortages, the PADLS-NBC Mammalian Pathology Service will be requiring pathologist approval for all autopsy cases prior to submission/arrival at NBC. This will NOT impact avian submissions, biopsy submissions, or field autopsy (fixed tissue) submissions. Case turnaround time may be delayed, so please contact us directly regarding any urgent submissions.


The following policies remain in effect until further notice:

  • All mammalian autopsy submissions require a call-ahead and pathologist approval prior to arrival on the NBC campus. Priority will be given to large animal/food animal submissions and cases with infectious disease concerns/herd health.
    • During normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm), please call (610) 925-6232
    • Outside of business hours, please call (610) 444-5800 and ask for the on-call pathologist
  • Autopsy submission (animal drop-off) hours are:
    • Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm
    • Weekends and holidays, 6am-1pm
  • Forensic/Legal type cases will not be accepted, with few exceptions
  • Out-of-state submissions will be deferred to in-state diagnostic laboratories*, with few exceptions

Alternative options for autopsy services include:

Thank you for your continued patience.

HPAI Permitting: For permitting questions call (223) 666-2555. For fastest response, leave a message including your contact info, or email RA-AG-PAPERMITS@PA.GOV
We will respond promptly.

HPAI Weekend Schedule: Effective April 20, 2023, weekend testing is no longer be available except for approved emergency sick bird calls. The PADLS emergency testing for sick birds must be authorized by BAHDS (call 717-772-2852, option 1). Please do not bring samples for HPAI testing to any PADLS lab on a weekend or holiday without prior authorization and instructions.

SARS CoV-2 Sampling Protocol for PVL:

With continued evolving situation, preauthorization for SARS-CoV-2 testing of animals is no longer required but the specimen must be submitted through a veterinary clinic following our collection and shipping guidelines. Please call the lab to discuss submission @717-787-8808


Licensed veterinarian:
  • Submit a nasal swab (preferred) and oropharyngeal (or oral) swab in 1-3 mL of Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) broth or Viral Transport Medium (VTM). It is acceptable to discard approximately half of the BHI if provided with 5.5 mL tubes of BHI to obtain the proper amount of BHI broth in the tube. Rectal swab/feces can also be submitted but are not preferred specimens.
  • Use synthetic (dacron or rayon) tipped, plastic shaft swabs. Do NOT use calcium-alginate, cotton tipped or wooden shaft swabs. Swabs submitted in collection media with gel are not acceptable.
  • Package specimens as directed by IATA shipping guidelines as for any other diagnostic specimen. Ship specimens overnight on iced gel pack with a completed General PADLS submission form, available at http://padls.agriculture.pa.gov/PdfFiles/forms/GeneralSubmissionForm.pdf. Freeze specimens prior to shipping if they will not reach the lab within 48 hours of collection.
  • Testing fee at PVL is currently $50/specimen unless waived with prior authorization.

Samples may be shipped by the licensed veterinarian using whatever overnight shipment or courier service they prefer to get them to the Pennsylvania Veterinary Lab (2305 N. Cameron St. Harrisburg, PA 17110). Do not use priority mail.

With the current mail and postal issues, we are encouraging adoption of electronic submissions for EIA testing. PVL now offers a total of 4 different Coggins submission/reporting methods and 3 of them are electronic:

  1. VS Form 10-11 (dated FEB 2018 or later) - hardcopy results are currently mailed via USPS
  2. PALIMS Mobile App - along with the PADLS Online Portal, this electronic option provides faster access to results – No Feeshttp://padls.agriculture.pa.gov/PdfFiles/forms/EIAMobileAppSubmissions.pdf
  3. GlobalVetLink - web-based electronic system; fast access to results- Fee-based service https://www.globalvetlink.com/eia/
  4. VSPS - USDA's web-based electronic system; fast access to results - No Fees USDA APHIS | Veterinary Services Process Streamlining (VSPS)

With current postal delays, we are temporarily advising, especially for “urgent” or “rush” cases, that those samples where possible are either hand delivered or sent via an overnight courier service with a guaranteed sample delivery at the laboratory.

PADLS Announces Updated Mobile App

The PADLS labs have announced the release of their new updated mobile app. The mobile app can be used by USDA Level 2 accredited veterinarians to submit EIA/Coggins test requests to the PADLS lab system. The updated Mobile App meets the requirements implemented with the USDA's recently released guidance for EIA testing. For veterinarians who have previously used the USALIMS Mobile App, you will need to download the new app onto your Android or iOS device. The app can be found in your app store by searching for "PA LIMS Mobile App". For veterinarians who have not previously used the mobile app, but would like to start using it, you can visit
http://padls.agriculture.pa.gov/PdfFiles/forms/EIAMobileAppSubmissions.pdf
to view the PALIMS Mobile App User Guide which contains instructions on signing up for an account.

Amid Universities Moving Remote for COVID-19, Pennsylvania’s Animal Laboratory System Remains Open

To read the official announcement, see
https://www.media.pa.gov/Pages/Agriculture_details.aspx?newsid=897
For regular updates on any changes to PDA services, check
https://www.agriculture.pa.gov/Pages/COVID-19.aspx

NOTICE: The USDA has published new guidance for laboratories testing for EIA/Coggins that will go into effect on April 15, 2020. Veterinarians submitting specimens for EIA/Coggins testing must comply by the new guidance, or their specimens can not be tested. There is a new revision of the VS-10-11 submission form that must be used. For details on the new form and instructions for filling it out, please click the following link:

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