Aquatic, Amphibian & Reptile Pathology

Aqua Pathology – 1st site

Aqua Pathology – Additional site

Aqua Pathology – Small Fish, Reptile, Amphibian, Bird, Marine Invertebrate

Specimen requirements: Tissue in 10% formalin
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, marine invertebrates
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 21 business days
Test Methodology: Histopathologic examination and diagnosis of formalin-fixed tissue sets or entire specimens, which are approximately 6 inches or less in size and typically generate 6 or less glass slides per set/specimen. One to three specimens from the same environment (e.g. tank, pen) may be submitted for one fee.
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFSF, Outside: LFSFO

Aqua Pathology – Large Fish, Reptile, Amphibian, Bird, Marine Invertebrate (1 animal)

Specimen requirements: Tissue in 10% formalin
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, marine invertebrates
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 21 business days
Test Methodology: Histopathologic examination and diagnosis of formalin-fixed tissue sets or entire formalin-fixed specimens, which are approximately 7 inches or greater in size and generate 7 or more glass slides per set/specimen. One animal or first animal of a group from the same environment (e.g. tank or pen).
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFLF, Outside: LFLFO

Aqua Pathology – Large Fish, Reptile, Amphibian, Bird, Marine Invertebrate (2-5 animals)

Specimen requirements: Tissue in 10% formalin
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, marine invertebrates
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 21 business days
Test Methodology: Histopathologic examination and diagnosis of formalin-fixed tissue sets or entire formalin-fixed specimens, which are approximately 7 inches or greater in size and generate 7 or more glass slides per set/specimen. Two to five additional specimens of a group from the same environment (e.g. tank or pen) as the first large specimen may be submitted, each for this fee.
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFLF2, Outside: LFLF2O

Aqua Pathology – Marine Mammal (Less than 20 Tissues)

Specimen requirements: Tissue in 10% formalin
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Marine mammals, e.g. pinnipeds, cetaceans
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 45 business days
Test Methodology: Histopathologic examination and diagnosis of formalin-fixed tissue sets from individual marine mammals.
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFMMH, Outside: LFMMHO

Aqua Pathology – Marine Mammal (Greater than 21 Tissues)

Aqua Pathology – Necropsy of Small Fish, Reptile, Amphibian, Bird, Marine Invertebrate (<100g)

Specimen requirements: Tissue fresh unfrozen
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, marine invertebrates
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 21 business days
Test Methodology: Necropsy and diagnosis of fresh unfrozen tissue specimens (entire animals or parts of animals), which are approximately 100 grams or less in size. One to three specimens from the same environment (e.g. tank, pen) may be submitted for one fee. Histopathologic examination is included but done at the discretion of the pathologist.
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFNM1, Outside: LFNM1O

Aqua Pathology – Necropsy of Large Fish, Reptile, Amphibian, Bird, Marine Invertebrate (1 animal, <2 kgs)

Specimen requirements: Tissue fresh unfrozen
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, marine invertebrates
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 21 business days
Test Methodology: Necropsy and diagnosis of fresh unfrozen tissue specimens (entire animals or parts of animals), which are approximately greater than 100 gr but less than 2 kg in size. One animal or first animal of a group from the same environment (e.g. tank or pen). Histopathologic examination is included but done at the discretion of the pathologist.
Test Codes: IN Hospital: LFNM2, Outside: LFNM2O

Aqua Pathology – Necropsy of Large Fish, Reptile, Amphibian, Bird, Marine Invertebrate (1 animal, <10 kgs)

Specimen requirements: Tissue fresh unfrozen
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, marine invertebrates
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 21 business days
Test Methodology:Necropsy and diagnosis of fresh unfrozen tissue specimens (entire animals or parts of animals), which are approximately greater than 2 kg but less than 10 kg in size. One animal or first animal of a group from the same environment (e.g. tank or pen). Histopathologic examination is included but done at the discretion of the pathologist
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFNM3, Outside:LFNM3O

Aqua Pathology – Necropsy of Large Fish, Reptile, Amphibian, Bird, Marine Invertebrate (1 animal, >10 kgs)

Specimen requirements: Tissue fresh unfrozen
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, marine invertebrates
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 21 business days
Test Methodology: Necropsy and diagnosis of fresh unfrozen tissue specimens (entire animals or parts of animals), which are approximately greater than 10 kg in size. One animal or first animal of a group from the same environment (e.g. tank or pen). Histopathologic examination is included but done at the discretion of the pathologist.
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFNM4, Outside: LFNM4O

Aqua Pathology – Necropsy of Marine Mammal <100 kgs

Specimen requirements: Fresh (unfrozen) cadaver transported to UFVDL Necropsy Facility
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Marine mammals, e.g. pinnipeds, cetaceans
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 45 business days
Test Methodology: Necropsy of individual marine mammals, e.g. pinnipeds and cetaceans, which includes histopathologic examination of tissues if necessary for a diagnosis.
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFMM1, Outside: LFMM1O

Aqua Pathology – Necropsy of Marine Mammal >100 kgs

Aqua Pathology – Slide Review and Report (1-5 slides)

Specimen requirements: Stained histologic sections mounted on glass slides
Comments: Photographs of clinical lesions are welcome
Acceptable Species: Fish, Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds, Marine Invertebrates, Marine Mammals
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 21 business days
Test Methodology: Histopathologic examination and report generation for already prepared histologic sections submitted as glass slides. Fees vary according to numbers of slides examined in the submission, e.g. 1-5 slides, 6-12 slides, 13-20 slides or 21+ slides
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFSL1, Outside 1-5 slides: LFSL1O

Aqua Pathology – Slide Review and Report (6-12 slides)

Aqua Pathology – Slide Review and Report (13-20 slides)

Aqua Pathology – Slide Review and Report (21+ slides)

Aqua Pathology – Fluid Analysis

Specimen requirements: 1 mL fluid; slides (2 direct and 2 sediment smears) prepared at time of sampling
Comments: Any type of fluids (e.g., body cavity effusions, synovial fluid, tracheal wash, bronchoalveolar lavage etc.). Results include (as applicable): cell counts (if possible), specific gravity, color and transparency, and cytological review.
Acceptable Species: All species accepted
Storage: Refrigerate fluid, slides at room temperature
Shipping: Ship on cold packs overnight (fluid) or ambient (slides)
Estimated turn-around time: 1-2 days
Test Methodology: Cell counts, specific gravity, and slide review
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFCBC1, Outside: LFCBC1O

Aqua Pathology – Blood Film Path Review

Specimen requirements: Blood films (prepared at time of blood sample collection)
Comments: Reported results include qualitative and quantitative assessment of all three cell lines.
Acceptable Species: All species accepted
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 1-2 days
Test Methodology: Slide review
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFCBF1, Outside: LFCBF1O

Aqua Pathology – Cytopathology

Specimen requirements: Slides (prepared at time of cytology sample collection)
Comments: Includes fine needle aspirates, tissue discharge, tissue imprints, scrapings, bone marrow, and any other tissue specimen prepared as a cytology specimen on slides. Full cytology review report will be provided.
Acceptable Species: All species accepted
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 1-2 days
Test Methodology: Slide review
Test Codes: 1st Site: In Hospital: LFC1 Outside: LFC1O
Additional Sites: In Hospital: LFC1A Outside: LFC1AO

Aqua Pathology – Bone Marrow Cytology

Specimen requirements: Slides (prepared at time of cytology sample collection)
Comments: Full cytology review report will be provided.
Acceptable Species: All species accepted
Storage: Room temperature
Shipping: Ambient
Estimated turn-around time: 1-3 days
Test Methodology: Slide review
Test Codes: In Hospital: LFBMC, Outside: LFBMCO

Meet the Team

Department of Comparative, Diagnostic & Population Medicine

Robert J Ossiboff DVM, PhD, DACVP

Clinical Associate Professor – Aquatic Pathology/Anatomic Pathology

rossiboff@ufl.edu

I was born and raised in rural southern New Jersey, and I have always had an active interest in wildlife, and in particular, in amphibians and reptiles. I completed my undergraduate degree at Loyola University Chicago, and started studying veterinary medicine at Cornell University in the fall of 2003. During the summer of 2004, I participated in the Leadership Program for Veterinary Students at Cornell University. After this first official exposure to laboratory research, I decided that I wanted to couple infectious disease research with my veterinary training, and I was accepted into the combined DVM/PhD program at Cornell the following spring. I completed my PhD studying virus-receptor interactions and pathogenicity determinants of feline caliciviruses in the summer of 2009, and completed my DVM in 2010.

It became very clear to me while completing my DVM and PhD that I wanted to apply my training in molecular virology/infectious diseases and veterinary medicine to increase the understanding of diseases of reptiles and amphibians. And to better be able to recognize and diagnose reptile and amphibian disease, I elected to pursue a residency in anatomic pathology. I completed the first two years of my anatomic pathology residency at Cornell, and my final residency year with the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo. I became a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Pathologists in 2013. I stayed on at the Wildlife Conservation Society for an additional year as a Molecular Pathology fellow to gain additional experience in molecular diagnostic test development. I returned to Cornell in 2014 for a postdoctoral fellowship in Wildlife Pathology before accepting a position with the Zoo Pathology Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. In 2017, I was offered an incredible and unexpected opportunity to help build and establish the Aquatic, Amphibian, and Reptile Pathology Program at the College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Florida.

My training has afforded me some incredible research and diagnostic opportunities, both in the lab and in the field. And every day I have the chance to see incredible case material. While amphibians and reptiles may not immediately come to mind when you think of aquatics, they are an integral part of most aquatic ecosystems. My hope is to continue to improve the state of disease detection, diagnosis, and treatment in reptiles and amphibians – and to share some of my enthusiasm regarding the pathology and diseases of herpetofauna with others who share a similar interest.

When not working, I like to spend time with my family, enjoying nature, and practicing photography.

Large Animal Clinical Sciences

Nicole Stacy

Clinical Associate Professor – Aquatic Pathology

stacyn@ufl.edu

I received my DVM from the Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Germany, after which I completed a small animal rotating internship at the Small Animal Referral Clinical Piding, Germany. I completed a clinical pathology residency and clinical instructorship at the University of Florida and received a Dr.Med.Vet. from the Vetsuisse Faculty of the University of Berne, Switzerland. I am board certified in veterinary clinical pathology and have specialized in non-domestic species clinical pathology for fifteen years. My primary area of interest is clinical pathology of exotic species, especially aquatics, and its application to wildlife conservation. In addition to diagnostic service and teaching, I am strongly interested in improving clinical diagnostics and understanding pathophysiology in aquatic and other non-domestic species.

Department of Comparative, Diagnostic & Population Medicine

Felipe Pierezan DVM, MS, PhD, DACVP

Clinical Associate Professor – Anatomic Pathology

fpierezan@ufl.edu

Dr. Pierezan is a board-certified veterinary anatomic pathologist. During his academic training and professional career he has always held enthusiasm and passion for diagnostic pathology. A majority of his prior teaching and research activities have been driven by the diagnostic routine, even after deciding to focus his research on fish pathology concurrently with his university establishing a fish pathology service. Currently, his research projects and publications are primarily related to fish diseases with a focus on the diagnosis of infectious agents, metal toxicity, and immune responses combining pathology and molecular methods.

Meet the Team

Robert J Ossiboff DVM, PhD, DACVP

Nicole Stacy

Felipe Pierezan DVM, MS, PhD, DACVP

IFAS

Veterinary Hospitals

Animal Airwaves