MADRAS VETERINARY COLLEGE

The pathology program at Madras Veterinary College is based on a distinguished service begun by eminent professors like (late) Dr. V.K.Iyer, (late) Dr.I.M. Azizuddin, (late) Dr.K.P.Chandrasekaran, (late) Dr.S. Damodaran, Dr.R.Ramakrishnan, Dr.A.Sundararaj, (late) Dr. S.A. Shakir, Dr.B.Murali Manohar and Dr.C.Balachandaran who have all enjoyed long and distinguished careers based on national reputation in research and diagnostic pathology. Today, the faculties, undergraduate, post graduate and doctoral students, at Madras Veterinary College continue to build on the foundations set during the last 100 years. Situated in India's best university namely the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, the pathology faculty are dedicated to providing high quality teaching, diagnostic, and research services to the students, field veterinarians, private practitioners, poultry industry, private institutes, government research institutes, zoological institutes, equine clubs, pharmacy colleges, national parks, local zoo, snake parks, crocodile bank, military farms etc within the state and outside the state. Faculty members of the department collaborate with many other colleagues from other disciplines in order to advance the study and diagnosis of animal diseases and research. Pathologists consult regularly with other departments like, Microbiology, Biotechnology, Public Health, Central University Laboratory and Toxicology Laboratory on treatment of cases presented to the Veterinary College Teaching Hospital to identify infectious and toxic agents in necropsy samples and others received not only from the hospital but from different parts of the state. Additionally, faculty members and students actively participate in poultry, canine, laboratory animal and recently wild animal research. Most of the applied research has been carried out keeping in minds the farmers and pet owners so that the results of the research work would have a direct beneficial impact.

Objectives

• To impart high standards of undergraduate, post graduate and doctoral teaching
• To diagnose and control diseases in domestic and wild animals
• To carry out quality research
• To offer continuing veterinary education programmes for field veterinarians/ faculty from other institutes in necropsy diagnostic techniques, sample collection etc.

Education

Under-graduate

Veterinary pathology provides a critical link between the basic and clinical sciences. Teaching in the Pathology Department is carried out by the Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors and a few invited specialists. Our faculty fulfills essential roles in teaching under- graduate students, diagnosis of diseases in domestic animals and wild animals and control of animal diseases. The Department provides teaching in four years of the undergraduate curriculum. It also provides teaching in a final year clinical course in Veterinary Medicine (interdepartmental).

Lectures notes and practical class materials are available on the web server as e – content. Details of the courses are mentioned below:

Under-graduate courses:

• VPP – 211 General Veterinary Pathology 1+1
• VPP – 221 Systemic Veterinary Pathology 2+1
• VPP – 311 Special Veterinary Pathology I 2+1
• VPP – 321 Avian Pathology 1+1
• VPP - 322 Aquatic Animal Diseases, Health Care and Management 1+1
• VLD – 411 Veterinary Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnosis – I 0+1
• VLD – 421 Veterinary Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Diagnosis – II 0+1

Post-graduate and Doctorate Programme

The Madras Veterinary College pathology programme is one of the best in the nation, graduating 104 M.V.Scs and 27 Ph.Ds. since 1956 and 1979 respectively. Many post graduates and doctorates have gone on to leadership positions in industry and academia nationally and internationally. Anatomic pathology students are exposed to a wide range of case materials, are encouraged to pursue research interests and have opportunities to participate and present case reports in conferences and seminars. The post graduate and doctoral programmes are designed to prepare competitively selected veterinarians for careers in veterinary diagnostic pathology, or industry, or to provide a foundation for entering a career in pharmaceutical research. The department has two adjunct faculty members from United States of America who help in teaching post –graduate and doctoral students. They are Dr. Ron Tyler (Senior) BS, DVM, Ph.D. (American Board Certified in Anatomic Pathology, Clinical Pathology and Toxicology) at present an Independent consultant and Dr. Srinivasa Rao, DVM, Ph.D., Diplomate ACVP, Chief, Laboratory Animal Medicine, Animal Program Director, Vaccine Research Center, National Institute of Health, Maryland USA who is also an Assistant Professor (Adjunct) Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, John Hopkins University of School of Medicine, USA. The post-graduate and doctoral students are taught the following courses respectively:

Post Graduate Diploma Courses

A one year Post- Graduate Diploma course in Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosis (VLD) is also offered.

Diagnostic Services

Postmortem Service

The Necropsy laboratory section at Department of Veterinary Pathology provides comprehensive diagnostic services including general post mortem examinations, Rabies diagnosis, forensic diagnosis, biopsy evaluation, cytology evaluation and diagnostic immunohistochemistry. The necropsy section dissects deceased animals and grossly examines all the organs to determine the cause of death or illness produced by the disease. Necessary tissue samples will be collected in 10% neutral buffered formalin for histopathological examination. Further these tissues will be examined microscopically and interpreted. Samples will also be submitted to other labs within the college campus or university campus research laboratories for bacteriology, virology, toxicology, parasitology, and clinical pathology testing. The necropsy service accepts the following dead animals (carcasses): cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, exotic birds, wild animals, and laboratory animals. Except for university farm animals no live animals are accepted. These animals are humanely euthanized by the hospital veterinarian before conducting the necropsy. Staffs also perform field necropsies by going to the national parks, zoo, livestock farms etc., on request. For general postmortem examination of carcasses referred from the teaching hospital, clients have to pay a fee unless and otherwise it is referred for diagnostic pathology. Services are provided free for Rabies diagnosis and all postmortems referred from government run organizations (farms, zoos, and state run dispensaries). Communication of results is done by mail or by post or through mobile phones in emergency cases. Annually about 800 necropsies are performed.

Surgical Pathology Service

This section also evaluates fresh and fixed tissue samples from necropsies performed elsewhere by field/ zoo veterinarians. Samples for the Surgical Pathology Service should be fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin and sent in appropriate containers to prevent leakage. All specimens should be accompanied by a letter with all details including contact information, species of the patient, age, tissue particulars as well as a complete and relevant medical history.

This section also offers comprehensive diagnostic services like blood smear examination, cytology, histopathology, and biopsy evaluation. Services are provided on a fee basis for samples received from practitioners; post graduate students, doctoral students from other government/ private institutes, industry. After interpretation the results will be communicated. This histopathological unit processes over 5000 specimens per annum.

Research

In addition to post-graduate and doctoral students, faculties participate in both collaborative and independent research endeavors. Individual faculty members have strong research interests in domestic animals, poultry, laboratory animals and wildlife pathology. These research efforts are supported by a wide array of sophisticated facilities located within the department and throughout the college. Most of the members of the faculty have been awarded doctoral degrees in Veterinary Pathology and have interest and experience in a wide range of animals including companion animals, birds, livestock and wildlife.

Research Projects Completed

• Therapeutic efficacy and toxicity studies of Nandhi mezhagu and cancergajkesari in 7-12 dimethyl benzanthracene induced mammary tumors in rats 2007-08.
• Anti-oxidant effects of turmeric in aflatoxin induced liver damage in chicken 2004-05.
• Part II scheme on "Studies on Mycotoxicoisis with special reference to immunoassay diagnosis and pathology" completed during 2003.
• University Plan scheme on "Studies on the Oncogenesis and etiopathology of Sinus Tumor in Bovines" completed during 2002.
• Tami Nadu State Science and Technology Student Project on " Efficacy of Plant extracts (Acaypha bidica, Melia ozadirachta, Pongamia glabra) in the treatment of canine infectious dermattis' complted during June 2000.
• Department of Biotechnology Research scheme on "Establishment of cell cultures derived from hepatopancereas and ovary of Penaeid shrimps" was carried out during 1999-2000.
• ICAR Research Project on " Study of neoplasms of the upper respiratory tract in Bovines" was carried out during 1977-1982.
• ICA Research Project on "Studies on the etiology and Pathology of chronic hill haematuria in Tamil Nadu" was carried out during 1977-1980.
• Department of Science and Technology scheme "Studies o transmissible venereal tumour in canines" was carried out during 1977-1980.
• ICAR Research Project on"Studies on Avian Leucosis Complex" was carried out during 1975-1978.
• ICAR Research Project on "Etiopathogenesis of Necrotic hepatitis in Poultry" was carried out during 1975-1978.

Others

DST sponsored Funds for Infrastructural Development 2005-2010

Physical and Infrastructural Facilities

• Microtome autocut
• Microtome-Leica
• A.O. precision microtome
• Leica automatic tissue processor
• Olympus multihead microscope
• Reichert Jung microtome
• Metzler balance
• Nikon binocular research microscopes
• Polyvar biofield photomicroscope with Fluorescent attachment (CCTV, Panasonic
  monitor, fibre optic power supply) with light guide
• Cytospin
• Nikon camera with zoom lens and automatic flash
• Diamond knives
• Carl-Zeiss microscope-Axiolab
• Image analyzer
• KERN electronic balance
• Gel Doc XR Documentation System 220v
• Eppendorff mastercycler gradient with in-situ block
• Eppendorf refrigerated centrifuge
• Semi autoanalyser for serum biochemistry

Workshops / Trainings Conducted

• National Workshop on Wild and Pet Bird Medicine, 28th January to 11th February 2013.
• Workshop on Establishing a Model Stranding Network in South East India: Marine Mammal Necropsy and Stranding Response Training" Collaboration with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and National Marine Fisheries Service (USA), November 8th – 11th 2011.
• Workshop on " Toxicologic Pathology", October 4th – 9th 2011.
  Training programme on "Basic laboratory techniques in histopathology" Department of Veterinary Pathology, Madras Veterinary College, Chennai-600007, from 17th to 21st January, 2011.
• Co-organised "Protocol for the Care and Safety of Wild Animals during Transportation with Special Reference to Deer Species", January 2011.
• Organised Training Programme on Semi auto biochemical Analyzer under IAMWARM from 15th to 17th April 2009.
• Organised TNIAMWARM training programme.to the Veterinarians of Department of Animal Husbandry, Government of Tamilnadu during the 2009-2010.
• Organised International training programme on Laboratory Techniques in Histopathology and Clinical Pathology to the Laboratory Technician of Royal Government of Bhutan from 19th October to 14th November 2009.
• Organised ASCAD (Assistance to States for the Control of Animal Diseases) seminars and training programmes sponsored by Govt. of India through Dept. Animal Husbandry, Tamil Nadu during the years of 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007.
• Organised Training programme on "Postmortem Techniques, Collection, Preparation and Preservation of Samples" during 5th to 15th February 2001.
• Organised training programme on "Postmortem Techniques, Collection, Preparation and Preservation of Samples" during 12th to 26th November 1996 .
• Organised training programme on "Postmortem Techniques, Collection, Preparation and Preservation of Samples" during 12th to 26th February 1996.

Externship Trainings Conducted

• Externship training programme on "Diagnostic Veterinary Pathology and Molecular Pathology", June 2011.
• International externship training programme on "Diagnostic Veterinary Pathology", October 2011 for one student from Nepal.
• International externship programme on "Diagnostic Veterinary Pathology", June/July 2011 for two students from USA.

Other achievements

• First to identify Rubarth's disease, Pullet disease, Jaagsiekte, Caprine Pleuropneumonia and Inclusion body hepatitis.
• Nipple aspiration fluid cytology technique was developed for early diagnosis of canine mammary tumours.
• Developed a very good museum of gross lesions of various diseases and disease conditions collected over a period of 75 years.

Extension

Periodical advice is given to the owners who bring their carcasses for Rabies diagnosis or general pm examinations. Treatment or quarantine protocols are also advised to owners during disease outbreaks in collaboration with other departments if needed.

Future Programmes

• To organise summer school programmes and short courses for pathologists and allied faculty members of different Veterinary colleges under State Agricultural Universities on topics like, Canine Pathology, Wildlife Pathology, Avian Pathology, Lab animal Pathology and Oncology.
• To offer continuing education training programs on necropsy diagnosis and sample collection for field veterinarians.
• To offer internship/externship programmes for national/international students.
• To organise International trainings/ workshops on "Postmortem Techniques and sample collection for the veterinarians of developing countries".
• To establish a good molecular pathology laboratory.
• To apply molecular techniques in diagnosis of animal diseases, cancer and avian mycotoxicoses.
• To carry out research in collaboration with reputed state/national/ international universities or private organizations.

Faculty

• Dr. Ganne Venkata Sudhakar Rao, Professor and Head
• Dr. S.Ramesh, Professor
• Dr. S.Hemalatha, Professor
• Dr. N.Pazhanivel, Professor
• Dr. K.Nagarajan, Assistant Professor
• Dr. M.Thangapandiyan, Assistant Professor
• Dr. R.Mahaprabhu, Assistant Professor
• Dr. V.Kumar, Assistant Professor

Contact

The Professor and Head

Department of Veterinary Pathology,

Madras Veterinary College, Chennai – 600 007.

Telephone : 044-25304000 | Ext. 2088

Email: hodvppmvc@tanuvas.org.in