{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T21:19:21Z","timestamp":1769635161846,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":55,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1769558400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"National Funds through FCT\/MCTES under the project","award":["UID\/00772\/2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UID\/00772\/2025"]}]},{"name":"FCT PhD scholarship","award":["2024.03153.BD"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2024.03153.BD"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Visible-Near-Infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy, spanning approximately 400 to 2500 nm, is an innovative technology with growing relevance for diagnostics performed at the point of care (POC). This review explores the potential of Vis-NIR in veterinary medicine, highlighting its advantages over complex techniques like Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) by being rapid, non-invasive, reagent-free, and compatible with miniaturized, portable devices. The methodology involves directing a broadband light source, often using LEDs, toward the sample (e.g., blood, urine, faeces), collecting spectral information related to molecular vibrations, which is then analyzed using chemometric methods. Successful veterinary applications include hemogram analysis in dogs, cats, and Atlantic salmon, and quantifying blood in ovine faeces for parasite detection. Key limitations include spectral interference from strong absorbers like water and hemoglobin, and the limited penetration depth of light. However, combining Vis-NIR with Self-Learning Artificial Intelligence (SLAI) is shown to isolate and mitigate these multi-scale interferences. Vis-NIR spectroscopy serves as an important complement to centralized laboratory testing, holding significant potential to accelerate clinical decisions, minimize stress on animals during assessment, and improve diagnostic capabilities for both human and animal health, aligning with the One Health concept.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani16030401","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]],"date-time":"2026-01-28T08:48:04Z","timestamp":1769590084000},"page":"401","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Point-of-Care Veterinary Diagnostics Using Vis\u2013NIR Spectroscopy: Current Opportunities and Future Directions"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"16","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-9307-9187","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sofia","family":"Rosa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Science Research Centre (CECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7114-6918","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana C.","family":"Silvestre-Ferreira","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Science Research Centre (CECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Veterinary Science, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Associated Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9058-3147","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rui","family":"Martins","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute for Systems and Computer Engineering, Technology and Science (INESC TEC), 4200-465 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6130-8381","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Felisbina Lu\u00edsa","family":"Queiroga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Animal and Veterinary Science Research Centre (CECAV), University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Department of Veterinary Science, University of Tr\u00e1s-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal"},{"name":"Associated Laboratory for Animal and Veterinary Science (AL4AnimalS), 1300-477 Lisboa, Portugal"},{"name":"Center for the Study of Animal Sciences (CECA-ICETA), University of Porto, 4099-002 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,28]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barroso, T.G., Queir\u00f3s, C., Monteiro-Silva, F., Santos, F., Greg\u00f3rio, A.H., and Martins, R.C. 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