News Alerts & Announcements

10/30/2024: The PADLS laboratories recently held their annual Veterinarian Conference for practitioners in the state. The conference was attended by 68 Veterinarians, students and Animal Health officials from around the state where they heard presentations on issues effecting PA Animal Agriculture and the PADLS laboratory system.
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.

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

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

More Info
New Test Offering : Theileria orientalis PCR
Theileria orientalis PCR testing is now available as a diagnostic test through the PADLS lab at PVL-Harrisburg. See the link: Theileria PCR test Testing can be requested by submitting 5 ml EDTA Blood (purple top tube). Spleen tissue can be submitted for dead animals. Fee for testing diagnostic samples starting December 1st 2025 is $50/sample. The fee includes cost of detection, genotyping and screening for another pathogen Anaplasma marginale.
Weekend Lab Schedule - HPAI testing
Effective April 15, 2026, weekend testing is no longer 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.
Sick or dead wild birds should be reported to the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 833-PGC-HUNT or pgc-wildlifehealth@pa.gov
Manheim Field Office
The Manheim Field Office will reopen on April 15, 2026 and will remain open in the absence of a HPAI control area.
Shipping Guidance
Shipping reminder for sending samples to PADLS labs: PADLS labs have reported several cases where samples shipped through USPS have not arrived in a timely manner, which potentially compromises sample integrity and test results. The labs are not responsible for any issues resulting from a delay in shipment prior to arrival at the lab. Any issues found will be marked with a quality notice and submitters will be notified as appropriate. PADLS recommends use of a carrier that can guarantee overnight delivery. More details on shipping and sample packing recommendations can be found on the PADLS website
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.
Response to reported HPAI affecting dairy cattle
For the latest updates regarding HPAI affecting dairy cattle, please see the HPAI in Dairy Cattle option under the Disease Information menu.
HPAI Testing for Companion Animals
Testing of cats for HPAI is available at the PADLS laboratories under certain circumstances. More information, including sample guidance, submission forms, and shipping information, is available on the PADLS website, and on the AVMA’s resource page (Avian influenza A (H5N1) in cats | American Veterinary Medical Association). Veterinarians may request testing of cats exhibiting clinical signs of H5N1 in the following circumstances if any of these criteria apply:
  1. Cat resides on a dairy farm or otherwise exposed to raw milk
  2. Cat has outdoor access and potential for contact with wild birds
  3. Cat is fed a raw diet
Options for testing include:
  1. Antemortem testing: Veterinarians may submit a deep nasal or oropharyngeal swab with a request for HPAI testing.
  2. Postmortem testing: Veterinarians may request testing for HPAI on cats submitted for rabies testing. HPAI testing will not be performed until rabies testing is complete.
Veterinarians are reminded to report domestic animals suspected of having rabies to the Department. If none of the above apply, HPAI testing in companion animals requires approval from the Department. Test requests directly from owners without a referring veterinarian will not be accepted. Veterinarians should contact PADLS prior to sample submission. Backyard poultry should not be submitted to PADLS without prearrangement if HPAI is suspected. In many cases the bird can be swabbed and the swab can be submitted for testing instead of the deceased animal.
Out-Of-State Testing Fee Surcharge
A 30% surcharge* is applied for out-of-state submission. Please contact the laboratory before submitting any out-of-state cases if you need more information.
*Individual tests may have a different out-of-state surcharge. Please see the fee schedule.
BLV Antibody Test Kit, Lot P241113 Recall: Update from PADLS Labs
VMRD, INC. issued a voluntary Stop Sale/Stop Use recall of its BLV Antibody Test Kit lot P241113 on July 2, 2025
VMRD replaced all kits and PADLS labs retested retained serum samples with the new BLV ELISA kit lot P250521; the change of kit lot had minimal impact on reported results except for one herd.
As of July 25, 2025, all potentially affected clients have been notified that they can resubmit samples for validated testing at no cost.
Out-of-State Mammalian Necropsy submission pre-approval
Out-of-State mammalaian necropsy submissions require pre-approval by the receiving laboratory. After hours submissions may not be possible. Carcasses cannot be released from the laboratory once submitted, so after hours submissions which have not been pre-approved will be subject to disposal at the owner's expense.
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.

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

The PADLS-NBC Mammalian Pathology Autopsy Service routinely accepts cases for biopsy/immunohistochemistry (fixed tissue), autopsy/necropsy, and rabies testing. Our laboratory is open for submissions Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30 pm.


All mammalian autopsy submissions and samples for rabies testing require a call-ahead prior to arrival at NBC. Priority may be given to large animal/food animal submissions and cases with infectious disease/herd health concerns.

  • During normal business hours, please call (610) 925-6232
  • Outside of business hours, please call (610) 444-5800 and ask for the on-call pathologist
  • After-hours drop-off of autopsy or rabies submissions is not available at our lab. Drop off hours are:
    • Monday through Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm
    • Weekends and holidays, 6am-1pm
  • Forensic/Legal type cases must be pre-arranged, please call for availability
  • Out-of-state submissions may be deferred to their in-state diagnostic laboratories
  • Small/companion animal submissions may be referred to the Penn Vet Diagnostic Laboratories (Philadelphia campus)

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.