Black Quarter (Clostridium chauvoei) RT-PCR
Black quarter (BQ) RT-PCR looks for the DNA of Clostridium chauvoei in affected muscle or a swab. It can help your vet confirm black quarter, a fast and often fatal muscle infection of young cattle and buffaloes.
- Sample
- Affected muscle or swab
- Quantity
- As advised
- Report
- Confirmed when you book
- Collection
- Free in Bhopal
What this test checks
- Clostridium chauvoei DNA in affected muscle or a swab taken by your vet
- Whether a sudden death or muscle swelling is likely to be black quarter rather than a similar infection
When your vet may advise it
- A young cow or buffalo with sudden lameness and a hot, swollen muscle
- A swelling that crackles when pressed, with high fever and dullness
- A young animal found dead with no clear cause, when your vet takes samples
- Several sudden deaths in young stock, so the cause can be confirmed
About this test
Black quarter, also called blackleg, is caused by Clostridium chauvoei, a germ whose spores live in soil. It mostly affects young, well-grown cattle and buffaloes. Signs come on suddenly: high fever, lameness and a hot, painful swelling in a heavy muscle such as the hip, thigh or shoulder. The swelling may crackle when pressed because of gas under the skin. Many animals die quickly or are simply found dead. PCR detects the germ's DNA and helps tell black quarter apart from other germ infections that look alike. A registered veterinarian interprets the result with the history and post-mortem findings.
How to prepare
Only a vet should sample a dead animal; do not cut open the carcass yourself, as sudden death may also be anthrax, which can infect people. The lab confirms the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book.
Questions about BQ RT-PCR
What are the signs of black quarter in cattle and buffaloes?
Who should I tell if I suspect black quarter in my herd?
Before you book this test
Why this notice: so you know, before you book, how a test is done, what its limits are and who is responsible.
- Where it is tested. Some tests are done wholly or partly by an independent partner laboratory. The lab tells you before booking if this test is sent out, and the report names the laboratory that did it.
- What a result can and cannot tell you. No test is right every time. A normal result does not rule out every disease, and an abnormal result does not prove one. A registered veterinarian should read the report with the animal’s signs and history before any treatment is started, changed or stopped.
- The sample. A sample that is clotted, too small, wrongly labelled, leaking or too old may be rejected or reported with a note, and the lab may ask for a fresh one.
- Reporting time. Confirmed when you book. Times are estimates, not guarantees, and the lab confirms the time when you book.
- Emergencies. A booking or a pending report must not delay urgent care. If an animal has collapsed, struggles to breathe, has fits or bleeds heavily, call a veterinarian at once.
Please read our Terms of Service, Medical Disclaimer, Privacy Policy and Refund and Cancellation Policy. Pashupatinath Vet Lab is operated by Duaji Healthcare and Tech Private Limited. This page is general information and does not replace a veterinarian’s advice.
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