Abstract
This chapter provides an overview of tests commonly described in reptile medicine and their interpretation. Diagnostic testing should always be interpreted together with other findings, including history, clinical signs and adjunct testing methods. In reptile practice, molecular diagnostics are usually used to detect the nucleic acids of infectious agents. Haematology can be used to provide physiological information regarding the health of reptile patients. Biochemical analyses can provide physiological information about a reptile patient's health status. Serological testing is used in reptile medicine to determine whether an animal has been exposed to certain infectious agents. Cytological examination of samples can be used to make a diagnosis or to guide a clinician to additional diagnostic tests. In reptiles, neutralization tests have been used for multiple viruses including herpesviruses, adenoviruses, reoviruses and picornaviruses. Viral cultures are rarely used in reptile diagnostics and generally require highly specialized laboratories.