Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

What Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory does

The Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KVDL) is a full-service, AAVLD-accredited veterinary diagnostic facility operated as an organizational unit of Kansas State University's College of Veterinary Medicine in Manhattan, Kansas. It runs 13 specialized laboratories — Rabies, Virology, Molecular Diagnostics, Toxicology, Serology, Parasitology, Clinical Pathology, Comparative Hematology, Histopathology, Immunohistochemistry, and Bacteriology/Mycology — offering over 600 distinct diagnostic tests covering molecular diagnostics (real-time PCR, genotyping, DNA sequencing, next-generation sequencing), serology (Brucella, EIA Coggins, Canine/Avian Export), toxicology screening (GCMS toxicant screens, mycotoxin, heavy metal, nitrate, blue-green algae panels), histopathology, and comparative hematology (including proprietary canine DEA 1.1 and feline A/B/AB blood typing cards). The Rabies Laboratory is one of the highest-volume rabies serology centers in the world, processing 80,000–100,000+ samples annually via FAVN, RFFIT, and ELISA methods, with 60+ years of continuous operation.

KVDL's revenue model is a transaction-fee, per-test pricing structure with fees published in an online test catalog. Prepayment is preferred on all submissions, account clients receive monthly invoicing with 30-day payment terms, 1.5% monthly interest accrues on overdue balances, and accounts past 60 days are placed on hold and past 90 days referred to collections. Service distribution is multi-channel: a self-serve VetView online portal and FAVN online submission form with a discount for faster turnaround, iOS/Android mobile application for veterinarians to track submissions and receive notifications, mail-in submission forms with UPS/FedEx shipping label generation, and direct B2B sales supported by clinical consultations. A supplementary revenue stream is generated through shipping and handling label services. The laboratory also fulfills a public-service and academic mandate as part of a land-grant university, including disease surveillance, outbreak response, and teaching/research support, and draws funding from testing fees, university allocations, and likely federal/state grants for research initiatives.

Name

Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory

Legal name

Kansas State University

Website

https://ksvdl.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KVDL) is a full-service, AAVLD-accredited veterinary diagnostic facility operated by Kansas State University, offering over 600 diagnostic tests across 13 specialized laboratories for veterinarians, livestock producers, government agencies, researchers, and pet owners nationwide and internationally.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory Services

NAICS

Medical Laboratories (621511), Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (62151), Veterinary Services (541940)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Medical Laboratories (8071)

akta.pro primary industry

Reference Laboratory Testing (Clinical Pathology & Chemistry) (HLAMADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Veterinary Microbiology & Infectious Disease Testing (Culture/PCR/Serology) (HLAMADAC), Molecular & Genetic Testing (Breed, Hereditary Disease, Oncology) (HLAMADAE), Food Animal & Herd Health Diagnostics (Surveillance, Production Medicine Lab Testing) (HLAMADAL), Necropsy & Post-Mortem Diagnostic Services (HLAMADAK), Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratories & Pathology (AFAEANAF)

Keywords

• Veterinary diagnostic testing
• Rabies serology testing
• Animal disease surveillance
• Livestock diagnostic services
• Molecular diagnostic laboratory

Headquarters

HQ city

Manhattan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Diagnostic Testing Services: Fees charged for diagnostic testing services across 13 laboratories covering bacteriology, virology, serology, molecular diagnostics, toxicology, histopathology, clinical pathology, parasitology, and rabies testing. Prepayment is preferred; payment due upon receipt of monthly invoice for account clients.
2. Shipping and Handling: UPS and FedEx shipping label generation services for sample submission.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KVDL) is a full-service, AAVLD-accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory operated by Kansas State University. It delivers over 600 types of diagnostic tests across 13 specialized laboratories covering bacteriology, virology, serology, molecular diagnostics, toxicology, histopathology, clinical pathology, parasitology, comparative hematology, immunohistochemistry, and rabies testing. The lab provides disease detection, surveillance, and outbreak response services to veterinarians, livestock producers, public agencies, and researchers across Kansas, all 50 U.S. states, and 52 countries.

Product overview

Kansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (KVDL) is a full-service, AAVLD-accredited diagnostic laboratory operated by Kansas State University. The organization provides over 600 types of diagnostic tests across 13 specialized laboratory sections for disease detection, surveillance, and outbreak response. The portfolio consists of core diagnostic services organized by specialty: the Rabies Laboratory (offering FAVN, RFFIT, and ELISA testing for pet travel and vaccine verification), Virology Laboratory (virus isolation, antibody/antigen detection), Molecular Diagnostics (PCR, genotyping, DNA sequencing, NGS), Toxicology Laboratory (screening for toxins, heavy metals, mycotoxins), Serology, Parasitology, Clinical Pathology, Comparative Hematology, Histopathology, Immunohistochemistry, and Bacteriology/Mycology. Client-facing digital products include the VetView Portal for catalog search and results access, and the KVDL Mobile App for tracking submissions and receiving notifications. KVDL serves veterinarians, producers, public agencies, and researchers across Kansas and the nation, with operations supporting both service diagnostics and academic research/teaching.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rabies Laboratory Testing Services One of the highest-volume rabies serology centers in the world, providing both animal and human testing services including FAVN, RFFIT, and ELISA methods, processing over 80,000-100,000 samples annually. Serves veterinarians, pet owners, and international travelers needing rabies certification.
• Virology Laboratory Testing Services Provides diagnostic services for virus isolation and identification, antibody and antigen detection (SN, HI, ELISA, IFA), and Core Vaccine Titer Screen testing for veterinary practitioners.
• Toxicology Laboratory Testing Services Offers toxicology testing including blue-green algae testing, lead testing, nitrate testing, trace mineral and heavy metal testing, GCMS toxicant screens, serum vitamin testing, mycotoxin panels, ionophore panels, anticoagulant panels, and ergot alkaloid panels.
• Molecular Diagnostics Laboratory Services Provides PCR testing, molecular genotyping, and DNA sequencing services including real-time PCR for pathogens, strain analysis, next-generation sequencing, and comprehensive pathogen identification for BVDV, PCV2, PRRSV, and other pathogens.
• Serology Laboratory Testing Services Provides serological testing services including Brucella, EIA Coggins, Canine Export, Avian Export, and STAT testing for veterinary disease surveillance and export certification.
• Parasitology Laboratory Testing Services AAVLD-accredited parasitology diagnostic services to practicing veterinarians, the Veterinary Health Center, researchers, and industry.
• Comparative Hematology Laboratory Services Provides hematology testing including iron and TIBC, ferritin assay, non-heme iron, haptoglobin, ceruloplasmin, and blood typing for cats (A, B, AB) and dogs (DEA 1.1) using proprietary blood typing cards.
• Histopathology Laboratory Services Processes formalin fixed tissues and prepares glass slides for microscopic examination, including routine H&E staining and special stains interpreted by board certified pathologists.
• Immunohistochemistry Laboratory Services Uses antigen-antibody interactions with special staining techniques on fixed tissues for diagnosis of infectious diseases and characterization of neoplastic diseases.
• Bacteriology and Mycology Laboratory Services Provides diagnostic bacteriology and mycology services including aerobic and anaerobic culture, antimicrobial susceptibility testing, ELISA-based detection of Clostridium difficile toxins, and culture-based Mycoplasma detection.
• Clinical Pathology Laboratory Services AAVLD-accredited clinical pathology diagnostic services to practicing veterinarians, the Veterinary Health Center, researchers, and industry.
• VetView Client Portal Online client portal for searching test catalog, viewing test results, managing accessions, and accessing submission forms. Includes FAVN online submission form providing faster results at a discount.
• KVDL Mobile Application Mobile application allowing veterinarians to track submissions from arrival through final results, receive instant notifications when results are available, browse and order additional tests, and access instructional videos. Available on iOS and Android.
• FAVN Test (Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization)
• Core Vaccine Titer Screen
• BLV PCR Proviral Load Testing

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 400,000 individual tests completed in 2020
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Partnership for World Rabies Day poster competition 2025, collaborating on rabies awareness and education initiatives in Kansas schools. KDHE works with KVDL and other partners to promote rabies prevention and control programs.
• One Health Commission Bat Rabies Education Team (BRET)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration on World Rabies Day initiatives to raise awareness about rabies prevention, community responsibility, and safe coexistence with wildlife through educational programs.
• United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024USDA-APHIS recognizes Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory as an approved laboratory to conduct rabies serology of pets for export purposes including the European Union. Ongoing regulatory collaboration for animal health.
• Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKVDL is a member of APHL, supporting collaboration between veterinary and public health laboratories for monitoring and responding to zoonotic disease threats.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Antech Diagnostics (Mars Petcare): Large commercial veterinary reference laboratory chain owned by Mars Petcare, directly competing with KVDL on B2B veterinary diagnostic testing for companion animals and increasingly livestock.
• University of Georgia Athens Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory: UGA's AAVLD-accredited veterinary diagnostic lab offering comprehensive testing services for Georgia veterinarians, livestock producers, and researchers - a structurally similar public-university reference lab peer.
• Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory: University-affiliated AAVLD-accredited full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory at Texas A&M, structurally most comparable peer (public-university, multi-lab, full-service test menu).
• Purdue University Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory: Purdue's AAVLD-accredited full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory serving Indiana veterinarians and producers with a comparable test menu and university-affiliated structure.
• Colorado State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory: CSU's AAVLD-accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory serving Colorado veterinarians and producers with multi-disciplinary testing capability, structurally analogous to KVDL.
• Cornell University Animal Health Diagnostic Center: Cornell's AAVLD-accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory offering comprehensive testing services with strong research integration, a peer in the public-university reference lab category.
• Michigan State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory: MSU's AAVLD-accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory providing multi-species testing across bacteriology, virology, molecular diagnostics, and toxicology - directly comparable scope and structure.
• Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory: ISU's AAVLD-accredited veterinary diagnostic laboratory with strong livestock and food-animal testing focus, comparable in mission, scale, and university affiliation to KVDL.
• IDEXX Reference Laboratories (IDEXX): The dominant commercial veterinary reference laboratory network in North America and the most direct competitor to KVDL on routine and specialty veterinary diagnostics, with broader commercial reach and faster turnaround.

Broad incumbents

• CDC Rabies Laboratory: Federal reference laboratory providing rabies diagnostic and serology expertise and serving as a coordinating authority for U.S. rabies testing - a public-sector incumbent that overlaps with KVDL's rabies franchise.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KStateVDL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCtx-lIIXqj5PAMQYryXaRhA
• Facebookfacebook.com/119087164841934
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kansas-state-veterinary-diagnostic-laboratory

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kansas State Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory