POCT (Point Of Care Testing)—Enabling Healing & Wellness

Veterinary practice has taken a leap with POCT (Point of Care Testing) which is implemented at clinics, hospitals, vet colleges, etc. Let’s find out how vets heal & care.
Point of Care Testing (POCT) is the diagnostic testing at the time and place of patient care. It brings the test conveniently and immediately to the patient and provides test result in time for diagnosis and treatment, leading to timely healing & wellness.
With POCT today our patients receive test results in time. When I make a home visit, it involves extensive use of transportable, portable and hand held instruments like glucose analyser, albumen analyser, nerve conduction study device and other kits. Portable ultrasonography machine is also part of POCT as it can test various parameters such as pregnancy, urinary retention, fetal maceration, etc. Various commercial kits are also available in the market which detect bacteria in urine, diagnosis of parvovirus and coronavirus infection, primary immume response of leptospirosis and chondrodystrophy, etc.
Dr Aeknath Virendra, Department of Veterinary Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Mumbai Veterinary College, Mumbai.
We successfully and effectively implement POCT at our clinic. I can say this has direct impact up to 70 percent of healthcare related decisions. We use special blood cell differential counters available in different versions like bench-top and portable and analysers for blood gases, electrolytes, cardiac troponin, C-reactive protein as indicators of various infections, cardiac muscle damage and level of inflammation. We have recently introduced lateral flow immunoassay test for heartworm, canine parvo virus, ehrlichia, giardia, anaplasma, lyme disease, feline leukemia and rabies. We routinely use SNAP test for leishmaniasis.
Dr. Ankur Narad Jain,
RGCN Pet Clinic, Bhopal
We take help from veterinary colleges which provide us portable blood gas and critical care analysers, portable clinical analyser, clinical chemistry analyser, glucometer, etc. POCT enables us to produce results faster with the help of rapid test kits and portable devices. It is extremely beneficial for our patients. We also conduct tests for canine heartworm, lyme disease, ehrilichia canis, canine parvo virus, canine distemper, canine corona virus, canine influenza virus, canine adenovirus, toxoplasma, rotavirus, etc.
Dr OP Shrivastava,
Getwell Dog Clinic, Jabalpur, MP
POCT has been an integral part of our clinic. We use veterinary specific equipments for blood and urine tests as well as X-ray and ultrasound machines for diagnostic imaging. We have found that it makes our work more efficient. We get results quickly and can begin or modify treatment accordingly. Diagnostics are an integral and important part of veterinary practice.Treatment is always better when diagnostics are done early. Over the past couple of decades, pet parents have also begun to understand the value of diagnostic tests for successful treatment of their pets. POCTs have become an indispensable part of veterinary practice.Dr Freya Javeri, Dr Chirag Dave’s Pets Clinic, Ahemdabad

We are able to give pet parents quick and accurate detection of diseases at times. Sometimes there are confusing symptoms and it is challenging for vets to treat and diagnose. Now, on the spot detection of disease is possible with some antigen kits of different diseases, such as parvovirus antigen kit, which is for testing canine faeces and examining in 10 minutes with minimum cost and 90 percent accuracy and others are heart worm test, corona virus test and so on. We use Wood’s lamp techniques for fungal disease detection.” Dr Hemant Jain, Dogs, Cats & Birds Clinic, Nagpur
Over the last two years we have been implementing POCT. We have various types of auto analysers for instant test results, which is why pet parents don’t need to wait longer for test results. It’s helpful for us to come to a diagnosis faster and accurately. It has helped us to accurately diagnose anaemia, liver dysfunction and thyroid disorders. With the help of POCT, it’s very helpful for onsite testing facility to maximize efficiency in our veterinary practice. Dr Suranjan Sarkar, Pluto Pet Clinic, Ranchi
We introduced POCT facility at our clinic in 2016. Since then we are implementing it for maximum accuracy and to know the cause of diseases like hematological as well as biochemical parameters of patients showing the status of the patient’s organs like liver, kidney, heart and chances of recovery of patients from fatal diseases. We use canine parvo & canine distemper kit which detects life threatening viral diseases in the early stages and start symptomatic treatment as early as possible. In POCT, we also use equipments like BP measuring instrument, infrared thermometer, light microscope with camera for blood protozoal identification, skin scrapping, etc. Dr Vikas Sharma, Amino Pet Care, Patna
It’s essential to have POCT. Having POCT is a huge benefit for us as it helps us in treating our patients fast and accurately. With this testing we provide quick and confirmatory diagnosis which help tremendously in improving treatment, changing medication and reducing recovery time. We tie-up with universities and veterinary hospitals for advanced equipments, such as USG machine, whole blood serum and urine analysers, simple microscope, etc. Dr Nilofar Desai, Senior Veterinary Officer, RRSA Foundation, Anand, Gujarat
We have a path lab and very much keen about POCT. We are equipped with kits and equipments for sonography and others. We conduct POCT involving readymade Elisa kits which are designed for immediate differentiation between different types of blood organisms such as rickettsial and protozoan infections. POCT is a helpful tool for prognosis and in maximizing efficiency in veterinary practice. In the clinic, we also have sonography unit, digital x-ray machines and storage of blood, urine and serum for confirmatory diagnosis of any pathological condition. Dr Supriya Shukla, Professor,  Veterinary College, Mhow, MP
In my opinion POCT is very helpful for the pets and pet parents as well. By installing automatic analysers for on-the-spot blood tests we shorten the testing process in which we normally send samples to the labs and wait results for hours and days. Such process helps us get clear diagnoses of the patients and they can undergo treatments immediately. Besides, we use a simple microscope that is quite beneficial as it is easy and portable anywhere. POCT is considered to be one of the advanced methods in modern vet practice.
Dr Yanglem Pushpa, CEO & Consultant, Dr Yanglemcha Pets Clinic, Imphal (West), Manipur