How do I submit tissue for evaluation?
1. Create an account on the main page. Please remember and use the same username and password as all subsequent submissions and results will be linked to this account
2. Select the tab labeled "Submission Form". Complete the form with the pertinent information regarding the patient signalment and history.
3. Select a method of payment and then select "Submit".
4. Select the tab labeled View Submissions then select View link under the Submission column on the right side which corresponds to the case that was just submitted.
5. Review the information that is on this submission form. If there are any inaccuracies that would affect interpretation, please contact the service by email to have the information changed.
6. IMPORTANT. Please note the submission ID at the top of this page. Label the container containing the specimen with the submission ID, the referring veterinarian or clinic information and the animal identification information (name, species, etc).
7. If this is a neonatal post-mortem and the whole animal is being submitted for evaluation at OSU, PLEASE CONTACT THE SERVICE FIRST. This is to ensure someone is on-site to receive the puppy. Please call 614-292-2797 or email premanandan.1@osu.edu. (THIS SERVICE HAS BEEN PUT ON HOLD).
8. Mail the specimen container to :
Attn : Christopher Premanandan
Theriogenology and Reproductive Pathology Service
The Ohio State University
College of Veterinary Medicine
Goss Laboratory
1925 Coffey Road
Columbus, OH 43210
8. You will be notified when your results are ready by email. To check your results, select View Submissions and select the corresponding link under the View Results column on the right side. You can generate a PDF from this site for your medical records. Results are generally available two business days after the specimen is received. You will be notified if there will be a delay in reporting results.
9. If additional assistance is needed, please feel free to contact me (Office number - 614-292-2797).
How should I fix samples prior to submission?
10% neutral buffered formalin can be used for preservation of all tissues requiring standard hematoxylin and eosin stained sections. Bouin’s can also be utilized for additional preservation of microscopic details (i.e. nuclear features); however, please keep in mind that standard Bouin’s preservative can cause excessive hardening of tissue and can be hazardous (explosive) under certain conditions. I do not prefer one preservative over another. Please utilize whichever is most convenient to your practice. A 10:1 ratio of formalin to tissue and tissue thickness of 0.5 cm is ideal. If a cytology is also being sent for evaluation, please make sure that its is kept separate from the container of fixative to avoid ruining the cytology preparation.
How should I prepare small specimens for submission (endometrial biopsies, testicular biopsies, etc)?
These can be placed whole in fixative without further manipulation. In fact, further manipulation on small delicate unfixed specimens can result in substantial crush artifact rendering the tissue useless. Extremely small specimens (1-3 mm in size) can be placed in microbiopsy cassettes (https://www.fishersci.com/shop/products/cell-safe-biopsy-capsule-2/p-3188181) to insure that the specimen is not lost during processing.
How should I prepare large specimens for submission?
These can be handled one of two ways :
- The entire specimen can be placed whole into a container of formalin. The ratio of formalin to tissue should be 10:1. The tissue should be sectioned or “bread-loafed” at regular intervals (preferably at 1 cm intervals or less). These sections do NOT have to make through the entire specimen (i.e. cutting the tissue into independent portions) if maintenance of anatomic relationships is important.
- A representative portion of the specimen can be submitted instead of the whole tissue. Please keep in mind that there are limitations with this method since the diagnostic portion of the tissue may not be present and the pathologist will have no back-up tissue to utilize. However, this method is more cost effective in terms of shipping.
How should I submit tissues for microbiology or toxicology testing?
Fresh chilled tissues or culturette swabs can be sent chilled with the formalin fixed samples. Whole tissues often provide better results than culturette swabs particularly for culture.
IMPORTANT Please submit a separate submission (accession) for any ancillary diagnostic testing that you wish to have performed. This allows me to notify you of histopathology results independent of ancillary testing results as the histopathology results are often available sooner.
Research/Teaching Disclosure
Please note that all samples submitted to Comparative Theriogenology and Reproductive Pathology Service for testing become the property of The Ohio State University and may be tested as part of state/federal surveillance programs, utilized for research purposes, utilized for teaching purposes and/or development of new assays.