Purdue launches online clinical pathology program
Dogs and cats are skilled at communicating with their owners, but when it comes to illness, they often hide signs of pain and weakness. That makes early diagnosis challenging — and underscores the importance of clinical pathology in everyday veterinary care.
To help veterinary professionals strengthen those diagnostic skills, Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine has partnered with Laboratory Retrievers, LLC to launch a new online continuing education program focused on veterinary clinical pathology.
The program is designed to build confidence in interpreting laboratory data, using interactive case-based learning to help participants analyze complete blood counts (CBCs), review cytograms, and recognize blood cell abnormalities more efficiently. The 2026 course includes four self-paced modules, along with optional weekly one-hour live sessions led by expert instructors. It is delivered entirely online, and participants can even use their computers as virtual microscopes to evaluate cell morphology.
The goal is to provide flexible, accessible training while maintaining a highly interactive learning experience.
Laboratory Retrievers, LLC is led by three well-known names in veterinary medicine: Al Rebar, DVM, PhD, DACVP; Dennis DeNicola, DVM, PhD, DACVP; and Fred Metzger, DVM, MRCVS, DABVP. Together, they bring more than a century of combined experience in clinical pathology, academia, and clinical practice.
Rebar spent 40 years as a clinical pathology faculty member at Purdue, also serving as a department head and dean. DeNicola, also a former Purdue faculty member, directed the teaching hospital’s clinical pathology laboratory and trained generations of veterinary students, interns, and residents. Metzger is a diplomate of the American Board of Veterinary Practitioners, an adjunct professor at Penn State, and founder of VCA Metzger Animal Hospital in Pennsylvania. All three have been recognized as distinguished alumni of Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine.
The partnership is rooted in a long history of mentorship and collaboration. Rebar taught and mentored both DeNicola and Metzger, and the three have worked together professionally for decades. That shared background shapes the way they teach, combining academic rigor with real-world clinical application.
Each brings a distinct perspective to the course. Rebar emphasizes a structured, question-driven approach to interpreting laboratory data. DeNicola focuses on laboratory methodology, instrumentation, and quality control. Metzger centers his teaching on practical insights and clinical relevance for practitioners.
The collaboration is also a way to give back to the institution that helped launch their careers. A portion of the program’s proceeds will support Purdue’s newly named Rebar-DeNicola International Veterinary Clinical Pathology Resource Center, helping sustain its educational mission.
The first module of the online continuing education program begins in March 2026. Participants can enroll in individual modules or register for the full series at a discounted rate, creating an accessible pathway for veterinary professionals looking to strengthen their diagnostic skills in clinical pathology.
