Diagnostic testing and services

Lab services and specimen submission requirements

Learn about the diagnostic services offered by the B.C. Animal Health Centre (AHC), submission guidelines, and packaging and shipping samples.

• Animal Health Centre Services and Fee Schedule Guide (PDF, 2.3 MB) 
  Includes details about the all the AHC departments:
  • Bacteriology
  • Histopathology
  • Molecular diagnostics
  • Parasitology
  • Pathology (necropsy)
  • Serology
  • Virology
• Search available tests at the AHC

Please be advised that some services are limited or unavailable as the AHC continues to recover from the November 2021 flood. If the AHC is unable to provide the diagnostic services you need at this time, please use an alternative laboratory (PDF, 159 KB).

• Beekeepers should reference these submission guidelines when submitting specimens for disease identification.

Submission forms

All diagnostic testing and services must include a completed a submission form. Only fully completed official submission forms will be accepted by the BC Animal Health Centre (AHC):

• Avian submission form (PDF, 662 KB)
• Mammalian submission form (PDF, 736 KB)
• Wildlife submission form (PDF, 859 KB)
• Environmental submission form (PDF, 757 KB)
• Fish - Pacific Ocean watershed submission form (PDF, 855 KB)
• Fish - Not from Pacific Ocean watershed submission form (PDF, 866 KB)

If you wish to have an animal’s remains released from the AHC to a private crematorium for cremation, include a completed release form in your submission.

• Release of animal remains for cremation (PDF, 59.7 KB)

If you are submitting fish NOT from Pacific Ocean watershed, review this important information.

Please view the link information if you wish to submit under the Salmonella Dublin Investigation and Management Program,