QSM Diagnostics is a company that provides pet owners with easy, fast, and accurate bacterial testing services for their pets, both in-clinic and at-home. We offer a wide range of testing kits that can be used by pet owners or veterinary professionals to quickly and accurately identify potential health issues in pets.

The benefits of using QSM Diagnostics' testing services include fast and accurate results, easy-to-use testing kits, and unparalleled support and service. By partnering with us, pet owners and veterinary professionals can access the latest in testing technology to help identify and address potential health issues in pets early on, before they become more serious.

QSM Diagnostics' testing services are highly accurate, providing reliable results that can help identify potential health issues in pets early on. Our testing kits are designed to be easy to use and provide fast results, ensuring that pet owners and veterinary professionals can make informed decisions about their pets' health quickly and confidently.

Testing kits can be purchased directly from our website or you can register your clinic to allow clients to purchase on FetchDX. We offer a range of testing kits to meet the needs of pet owners and veterinary professionals, and our customer service team is always available to answer any questions or provide additional support.

Veterinary professionals can partner with QSM Diagnostics by registering their clinic or purchasing test kits to sell in-office. By partnering with us, veterinary professionals can access accurate and reliable testing that can help them identify and address potential health issues in pets early on, before they become more serious.

QSM Diagnostics offers a comprehensive line of bacterial testing services for pets, including testing for urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, ear infections, and more. Our testing services are available both in-clinic and at-home, making it easy for pet owners to get fast and accurate results.

It depends on the kit. Ear and wound kits are good for 12 months. Urine kits are good for 36 months.

Kits should be stored at room temperature in a dry location.

As long as a veterinarian prescribes or tells a pet owner to purchase a kit to help diagnose an animal, yes insurance will reimburse the cost the same way that it does for tests performed at the clinic.

Our kits are more expensive than competitor products because our kits automatically reflex to run a Culture ID & Sensitivity if any signs of infection are observed. Having the results of a Culture ID & Sensitivity allows you to select the most appropriate antibiotic for you patient. For cost constrained pet owners or if C&S results are already known, veterinarians can purchase Urinalysis ONLY or Cytology ONLY kits. We do not offer these kits to pet owners, they must be dispensed by the veterinarian.

The cartridges have a 24-month shelf life from time of manufacture. An expiration date is printed on the shipping package and it is coded into the cartridge. The instrument will not run the test on an expired cartridge.

No. If you run out of elution buffer tubes, contact QSM Diagnostics to order additional tubes.

Do not clean the ear prior to collecting a sample. The more material collected on the swab the better. Ideally, collect as much material as possible using the QSM™ swab before collecting samples for any other test or removing debris from the ear to inspect with an otoscope.

The USB cable that is hard-wired in your OTTER EQ acts both as a power supply and for data transfer. Plug the Otter into a USB port on your computer – the Otter must be attached to a computer with the Otter QSM Software installed for you to see your results. You will need to install the software, prior to running your 1st test.

No, the cartridges do not contain biological material. The reaction that occurs on your otter cartridge is electrochemical – similar to the technology used on a glucose strip/glucometer. We recommend storing your cartridges at room temperature.

The elution solution has a 24-month shelf life from time of manufacture. An expiration date is printed on the shipping package and it is coded into the cartridge.

No. It is critical that you use swabs provided in the cartridge package. If you run out of QSMTM swabs, contact QSM Diagnostics to order additional swabs. Containers of QSMTM swabs are available for order separately to have available in examination areas.

No maintenance or calibration is required for the OTTER EQ. Each cartridge has an internal reference calibration. If your practice performs regular instrument validation, a reference sample kit is available for purchase from QSM Diagnostics. If you suspect that your instrument is not performing correctly, please contact technical support at QSM Diagnostics.

The graph is a scan of the current being measured by the instrument when QSMs react with the sensor surface on the cartridge. The software analyzes the graph to determine the concentration of the QSM in the sample. The graphs are individual measurements being completed by the instrument to determine the concentration of the QSM in the sample.

The Pseudomonas cartridge will only detect the presence of Pseudomonas in your sample and quantify the amount of QSM that is produced. The presence of a mixed infection will not affect Otter’s ability to identify Pseudomonas. At this time, Otter will not identify other pathogens. QSM is currently developing other tests that will expand the number of species detected by a single cartridge.

Due to the stability of pyocyanin (the QSM produced by Pseudomonas), if there is bioactive Pseudomonas present, even if medications are in the sample, the device will detect the bacteria. The medication does not interfere with the quantification. This makes the device a good choice during recheck exams for monitoring response to therapeutics.

As long as the swab is still wet, you can use it wet the sensor on the cartridge and perform the test as normal. If the swab is dry, you will need to open a new elution solution tube and wet the swab in it before wetting the sensor on the cartridge.

10k cartridges without issue.

No – Turn it on when ready to use. It heats up quickly to 37 C.

You shouldn’t run sensitivity for the ear test because values do not translate from oral (systemic) to topical medications. Most experts agree that you don’t need to run a sensitivity for first-time infection for UTI either. Vets should refer to the latest local antibiogram, which provides suggestions for treatment based on the ID. Antibiotic stewardship committees compile and update these documents at referral hospitals. Soon, these antibiograms will be provided in the Otter dashboard. From the most recent research and dermatologists' discussions, running a culture with sensitivity is not recommended. The culture ID alone is what is recommended, but most reference laboratories do not offer the two tests separately and most of the time and cost is in the culture ID.

Clean the Otter with a wet wipe or a cloth wetted with ethanol or similar disinfectant.

Clean the Otter with a wet wipe or a cloth wetted with ethanol or similar disinfectant.