501 DW Brooks Drive
Athens GA 30602
706-542-5911
706-542-5977 (f)
Website
The UGA Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory is one of two sister diagnostic laboratories managed by the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine. (They also have a Tifton location.) Fully accredited by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians, the Athens lab offers comprehensive diagnostic services including bacteriology, cytology, molecular diagnostics, necropsy, histopathology, toxicology, virology, serology, and electron microscopy.
The Athens VDL mission is to provide accurate, fast, and comprehensive diagnostic services to veterinarians, animal owners and the livestock industry. They provide testing for common animals and some exotic species, for endemic and non-endemic diseases, as well as zoonotic conditions that may impact the public health.
There are a couple important differences between the Tifton and Athens VDLs. For one thing, while both labs conduct Coggins testing, including AGID and ELISA testing with antibody detection, some of the individual tests conducted at each lab are different. You’ll also need to use a different submission form for the Athens VDL.
In addition to UPS and USPS, Lab Express offers a courier service for the Athens lab locations in the following counties: Barrow, Cherokee, Clarke, Clayton, Cobb, Dekalb, Douglas, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Henry, Jackson, Madison, Morgan, Newton, Oconee, Paulding, Rockdale and Walton. The service costs $10 per pickup, regardless of the number of samples you’re submitting.
Like any lab, prices and policies are subject to change at the UGA Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories. One recent change that long-time customers should know about is new rules for getting your test results over the phone. You now need your veterinarian’s license number and your unique laboratory account number in order for the information to be released over the phone. Otherwise, you can still get the results electronically or through the mail based on your indicated preference.