Surveillance services
The School of Veterinary Medicine provides a post-mortem examination (PME) service for farmed livestock, in our state-of-the-art, purpose-built facilities. The service is delivered by our Post Mortem team in conjunction with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA)
Closed for building works
The Veterinary Pathology Centre will be closed for building works from 29 May as of 3pm and we are unfortunately unable to accept any post mortem submissions at present.
Our Educational Memorial Programme and Histology Service are still fully open.
We aim to reopen late August/early September - updates will be provided on the website.
For Farm Surveillance: Please contact the Starcross Veterinary Investigation Centre on 03000 600 020 to be redirected to your nearest available facility.
For domestic/private post mortems: Please contact your next nearest Veterinary University who may be able to assist you.
What are the benefits?
Surveillance activities enable us to monitor existing endemic diseases as well as detecting new and emerging exotic diseases. This protects individual animals, farms and the national herd and flock.
- A PME is often the only way to identify the presence of one or more concurrent diseases and to confirm the cause(s) of sudden death. This knowledge allows the rest of the herd or flock to be appropriately managed and/or treated.
- When diseases result in similar or vague signs of illness, a PME may be the only way to differentiate between them.
- Samples provided after death can provide valuable information about the deceased animal and surviving members of the group.
- Farm productivity can be improved by PME-informed treatment and management.
- Surveillance activities enable us to monitor existing (endemic) as well as detecting new and emerging (exotic) diseases. This protects individual animals, farms and the national herd and flock.
About our surveillance service
How does the service operate?
The referring vet calls the Veterinary Pathology Centre at the University of Surrey and provides the essential details of the case to enable triage by our pathologists.
Carcases will only be considered for PME if the animal:
- Has died within the last 48 hours - please phone us on +44 (0)1483 689823 if otherwise.
- Is delivered to the University’s PME facility directly or using a carcase delivery service (if available) - you can check your eligibility for free carcass collection service using the APHA postcode search tool.
In line with our operating procedures, any data concerning the animal owner will remain confidential. Data will be held by the University of Surrey and will not be shared without full consent. If a notifiable disease is suspected, the School of Veterinary Medicine has a legal requirement to report this to Defra.
Fees
In many cases farm animal PMEs and additional testing are subsidised by APHA, however, please contact us to check before submitting.
For cases that are not eligible for APHA subsidy, the full cost of the PME and additional testing will be passed onto the submitting vet.
Surveillance post-mortem price list
Hours of service
Between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
In order to make same-day post mortem feasible, carcases should be delivered by 3pm.
Delivery directions
All visitors should report to the reception at the front of the building.
Surveillance team
Dr Sarhad Alnajjar
Lecturer in Veterinary Pathology
Pablo Diaz Santana
Resident in Veterinary Anatomic Pathology
Dr Sai Fingerhood
Teaching Fellow (Veterinary Anatomic Pathologist)
Marta Hernández
Lecturer (Veterinary Anatomic Pathologist)
Tom Hussey
Post Mortem Facilities Manager
Jae Kingswell
Veterinary Pathology Centre Coordinator
Professor Roberto La Ragione
Professor of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology and Head of the School of Biosciences
Javier Marrero
Lecturer (Veterinary Anatomic Pathologist)
Katy Walker
Pathology Laboratory Manager
