Abaxis, Inc., a medical products company manufacturing point-of-care blood analysis systems, announced the company's Animal Health group has added two new rapid diagnostic tests, the VetScan Canine Parvovirus Rapid Test and the VetScan Giardia Rapid Test. The VetScan Canine Parvovirus Rapid Test was launched in March 2011 and the VetScan Giardia Rapid Test began selling in May 2011 and both rapid tests have been well received by the veterinary community. The Parvo and Giardia rapid tests are the latest addition to the VetScan rapid diagnostic test product line that already includes the successful Canine Heartworm Rapid Test, which was launched in January of 2009.

Canine Parvovirus is a highly contagious and potentially life threatening disease that usually attacks the gastrointestinal tract causing vomiting, diarrhoea, and dehydration. Canine Parvovirus is most common in puppies 6-20 weeks old. Giardiasis is also a gastrointestinal infection caused by the protozoan parasite Giardia. Symptoms of Giardia infection include diarrhoea and weight loss and infection is also more common in younger pets.

Michael Solomon, director of business development for Abaxis Animal Health commented, "The launch of these two new products demonstrates Abaxis' commitment to the veterinary market. The company will continue to add high quality and cost-effective diagnostic tests to its product portfolio in order to best serve the veterinarians, their clients and their patients."

Martin Mulroy, vice president of sales and marketing for Abaxis Animal Health commented, "The addition of these two rapid tests strengthens Abaxis' overall presence in the marketplace by providing the veterinarian with more in-house testing options from a trusted partner. The VetScan Parvo and Giardia rapid tests are just two more additions to the continually growing VetScan family of products. We will continue to provide animal health providers innovative, reliable, and low-cost solutions to enhance their practices."

Abaxis develops, manufactures and markets portable blood analysis systems for use in any veterinary or human patient-care setting to provide clinicians with rapid blood constituent measurements. The system consists of a compact, 5.1 kilogram (11.2 pounds), portable analyzer and a series of single-use plastic discs, called reagent discs or rotors, which contain all the chemicals required to perform a panel of up to 13 tests on veterinary patients and 14 tests on human patients.