The establishing and refurbishing of the first Department for Pathology of the Poultry Centre started in 1993. Three years later (1996), the fully equipped Laboratory for Pathological Histology started the integral preparation of permanent histological slides. Numerous differential histological and cytological staining (until now introduced, adopted and applied for professional and scientific purposes in more than 20 differential tissue stainings – particularly based on the instructions by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Washington, USA; Institut für Geflügelkrankheiten, Oberschleissheim, Germany) made possible, in addition to pathological anatomical test, the integral diagnostics of already known diseases in birds and poultry as well as previously unknown diseases of ostriches and wild and exotic birds. Pathological histological test is made possible by application of laboratory scientific microscopy system (Leica DMLB) and Video Imaging System with digital video camera (PIXERA PRO 150ES) connected to software.

Laboratory for Pathology conducts pathological anatomical testing of carcasses, organ systems or organs of poultry and other bird species and categories to determine the causes of disease upon submission of dead birds or birds suffering of various diseases by field veterinary services, farm owners and/or owners of small bird breeding facilities to the Laboratory and also where required by field visits by pathology experts and as part of scientific research (post-mortem autopsy and/or pathological histological test of organs /and biopsy samples/ of test animals). Pathological anatomical diagnostics is where required supplemented with pathological histological and cytological test; electronic microscopy test /mostly transmissive electronic microscopy, TEM/; immunohistochemical test /IHC/; microbiological, parasitological and toxicological test and molecular biology test methods (PCR). In case of suspected infectious or parasitic diseases which are prevented, identified and controlled by implementation of activities based on the applicable Decree on measures for the protection of animals from infectious and parasitic diseases issued by the Croatian Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development, organs and tissues are subject to supplemental tests in accordance with the Decree. Diagnostics based on IHC and TEM method (preparation of slides is not part of the Laboratory activities) is also an integral part of the activities of the Laboratory for Pathology.