was reading on another board, instead of a snap4, vet did a PCR? I'm having a brain fog..to not only test for tick diseases , but level of infection if any?

Getting ready to take mine in, and I think we discussed this before, and I know I wrote it down 'somewhere', but I'm thinking going this route vs Snap4..something more comprehensive..So am I asking to do a PCR?
thanks

PCR looks for actual DNA fragments. So if it's positive, it's really there. However, a negative tells you just about nothing, since the fragments might not be in the blood you pulled, or could be hiding out in tissue. Some panels run both, often vets don't understand that a neg on a PCR is pretty useless info.

Being on your side of the country, I wonder if cornell or ncsu (north carolina) has a panel that's not too sky high. I don't know the panels that Antech or idexx offers, out here, I would send to protatek. Which does your vet normally use - antech or idexx?

I wish there were a a 100% foolproof way to do this!

Antech..interesting, maybe I'll do a little sleuthing around
THANKS!

I am in NJ and I send out to Protatek. My vet draws and prepares the sample and I overnight it to AZ. Even after paying the office visit and Fedex overnight, it is still less expensive (not to mention more thorough as Protatek searches for the highest number vs just a range) than Antech.

Antech has a new-ish tick panel that we haven't seen used on the list. I can't remember if that is the one that is predominantly PCR, would have to look.

Sleachy brought up a good point about the cost. You can run their panel, and even add on some of the other ehrlichia, and ship, typically cheaper than many of these other panels. I always shipped on my own to avoid the clinic upcharge.