Research Assays

The Gastrointestinal Laboratory (GI Lab) plays an active role in the study of gastrointestinal disorders in dogs and cats. We also develop new diagnostic tests that may one day be useful in diagnosing gastrointestinal disorders and we try to study new therapeutic strategies for groups of patients with gastrointestinal disease.

The assays listed below are available for research batch submissions only and not for individual diagnostics. Please contact us directly for pricing (sread@cvm.tamu.edu)

Fecal Bile Acids Panel

Measurement of key primary and secondary bile acids, their taurine and glycine conjugates, as well as iso- and oxo- forms, that can give important information about microbiota and host metabolism.

Fecal Short Chain Fatty Acids

Measurement of 4 short chain and 2 branched chain fatty acids. Produced during microbial fermentation of fiber in the gut, SCFA act as an important energy source for colonocytes.

Serum Uremic Toxins

Total (free and protein-bound) measurement of 2 uremic toxins that are produced by the gut microbiota and accumulate in serum in kidney disease.

Serum C4

Measurement of 7α-hydroxy-4-cholesten-3-one (C4), an intermediate in the synthesis of bile acids from cholesterol, is indicative of hepatic bile acid synthesis and FXR activation.

Fecal Fatty Acids and Sterols

Measurement of 12 long-chain fatty acids and 10 sterols that can give information about host diet, digestion, metabolism, and gut health.

Calprotectin

Cytokines

Fecal IgA