People may experience minor discomfort or pressure as the skin sample is taken, but it should not be painful. There is a very slight risk of bleeding or infection after the sample is taken.

How long does a skin scraping take?

Once the skin cell sample is collected, it is placed on a microscope slide, mixed with oil, and evaluated under a microscope. Results are typically available within 30 minutes, unless a veterinarian may need a second opinion and it is submitted to an outside lab.

How do you take skin scrapings?

Suggestions for taking samples: Skin samples : using a sterile scalpel blade scrape the edge of the lesion and collect the skin scrapes into a dermapak, fold up and seal or alternatively onto a clean piece of paper, and then transfer this into a sterile universal.