From left to right: Jonathan Butz, Mary Mengel, Dr. Christina Wilson

The Toxicology Section at the Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory provides diagnostic toxicology testing services to the state of Indiana in order to diagnose animal poisonings. Since 2008, the Toxicology Section has been led by Dr. Christina Wilson. In addition to Dr. Wilson, the section has two Laboratory Technicians, Mary Mengel and Jonathan Butz, both Purdue University alumni. The lab performs routine testing of biological specimens from animals and foodstuffs for drugs, toxins, or toxicants in order to help guarantee the health and safety of pet animals, livestock and the human food supply. This testing is accomplished using a variety of analytical instrumentation including liquid chromatography (rodenticides, vitamin E analysis), gas chromatography/electron capture detection/mass spectrometry (selenium, drug screens, pesticides, white snakeroot toxins), graphite furnace/atomic absorption spectrophotometry (heavy metal analyses), ELISAs (drug screens, mycotoxin screens), and gravimetric analyses (percent bone marrow fat, phosphorus, sulfur). If you have any questions or need guidance with regard to what toxicology tests to perform on a case, please feel free to contact the Toxicology Section.

For more information about the section or testing, please visit our Tests & Fees page