Use of cytology for tumor diagnosis in private veterinary practice.

Cytologic and histologic services were offered without charge to veterinarians in the greater Tulsa area by the Tulsa Registry of Canine and Feline Neoplasms. During the first 3 years of operation, all veterinarians treating dogs or cats used the histologic service and slightly less than one-half used the cytologic service. The number of cytologic accessions increased 77% during the 2nd year and 27% during the 3rd year. For corresponding years, the increase in histologic accessions was 5% and 11%. The 7 hospitals from which 79% to 90% of the cytologic specimens were received were compared with the 8 to 14 hospitals that used cytologic service infrequently. The frequency of use of cytology was not related to number of veterinarians in the hospital, number of animals seen in the hospital, or number of tissues received by the Registry from the hospital. The order of frequency of the most numerous cytologic specimens was fine-needle aspirations of masses in or beneath the skin, mammary preparations, effusion sediments, fine-needle aspirations from lymph nodes, and urine sediments.