New Tools to Fight Hidden Pet Threats: Millions of Dogs May Be Missing Critical Disease Testing

May 12

Antech™, a global leader in veterinary diagnostics and imaging, has announced the launch of two advanced tools designed to help veterinarians detect vector-borne diseases in pets with more precision than ever before.

These latest additions—the enhanced Accuplex™ screening test and an upgraded vector-borne disease PCR panel—arrive as tick-borne illnesses and heartworm cases continue to rise across North America. Despite growing risks, data from the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) suggest that tens of millions of dogs remain untested for exposure to these diseases each year.

What’s New:

Enhanced Accuplex™ now screens for seven pathogens, including antibodies for three Ehrlichia species, two Anaplasma species, Lyme disease, and heartworm antigen.
The new PCR panel, now the most comprehensive in the veterinary industry, detects a wide range of pathogens including Rocky Mountain spotted fever, babesiosis, and cytauxzoonosis—plus a resistance marker for atovaquone, used to guide treatment decisions.

“These upgrades are about making sure veterinarians have the right tools at the right time,” said Dr. Jimmy Barr, DVM, DACVECC, Chief Medical Officer of Mars Petcare’s Science & Diagnostics division and Antech. “The goal is to increase access to accurate diagnostics so pets receive care earlier and more effectively.”

Both tools support informed decision-making when animals present with vague or overlapping symptoms—common with many vector-borne illnesses. The Accuplex™ test is performed in Antech’s reference labs for consistent accuracy, while the PCR panel offers in-depth insight when infection is suspected but serology may fall short.

These launches follow the March debut of trūRapid™ FOUR, Antech’s in-house lateral flow test that enables quick, point-of-care screening using blood, serum, or plasma.

Together, this trio of offerings gives veterinarians the flexibility to screen pets for life-threatening conditions using either in-house tools or lab-based testing—whatever best fits the clinical need.

For more details, visit antechdiagnostics.com.