Clinical Laboratory Test Sample Requirements and Information

Label all tubes with Case # and Owner last name; date, time, & anticoagulant if appropriate.

Test

Anticoagulant

Comments

Hematology, Retic, Platelet count, Coombs, Blood Type

EDTA (Purple top)

(For avian-reptile, see below)

Mix by inversion; > 3/4 full; discard if clotted. Use EDTA "bullet" tubes for sample volumes 1/2 ml or less. 

Avian or Reptile CBC

Avian: EDTA

Reptile/Ostrich: Heparin

Citrate is ideal for Ostrich.

Coagulation: FDP, PT, APTT, factor assays

Citrate

(Blue top)

Must fill appropriately (add "draw" volume stated on box of tubes). Mix.

Chemistry,

Glucose curves during lab hours

Lithium heparin (Green top) for quicker turn around or Clot tube (Red top).

“Lithium Heparin only” if Avian or Reptile +/- Equine

Separate plasma or serum w/in 1 hr.  Submit >2.0 ml blood for full panel. Consult lab if short draw.

Blood Gas, STAT Na+/K+/HCO3=, I-Ca++

Coat syringe with Lithium Heparin, expel all heparin.

Gases: > 1 ml (3 ml for iCa), remove air bubbles immediately, store on ice water for up to 2 hours if testing is delayed.  Mix well by inversion.  Redraw if clotted. Excess heparin interferes with results.

Ammonia

(PVMH courier called for STAT pickup.)

Heparin

(Green top)

Place sample on ice-water,

remove plasma w/in 30 minutes, keep plasma on ice-water.

Glucose curves after lab hours

NaFl/ Calcium Oxalate (Grey top)

>1/4 full

Mix by inversion.

Urinalysis

 

None.  Submit at least 5 ml

 

Label syringe or cup (not lid).  Refrigerate if testing delayed. Indicate sampling method.

Note:  Ideal blood collection is via Vacutainer systems.  If collecting blood with a syringe, remove the needle and tube cap before filling tubes to avoid hemolysis and anticoagulant contamination.  Gently but thoroughly mix tubes with anticoagulant by inversion immediately after collection.

 

Hematology:   Make 2 unstained blood smears; label and store at room temperature for CBC's submitted after hours.   Check EDTA tubes for clots, redraw if clotted, and refrigerate tube. 

 

Coagulation:   Must be clean stick.  Tube must contain 9 parts blood to 1 part citrate. Ideal collection is by Vacutainer to avoid activation of the clotting mechanism; blue top tube is the 2nd tube used.  By syringe (not recommended): leave needle in the vein; use blood from 2nd syringe (esp. for Coag Factor assays).

 

General Chemistry: Selected tests require serum.  At least 1 ml blood is necessary for a Diagnostic Panel. If the sample is short, identify test priorities.  STAT Na/K/HC03 may be performed on heparinized whole blood.  Reference ranges for equine heparinized plasma approximates equine serum.  Other species have not been compared. Remove serum or plasma from cells within 1 hour of sample collection. Label tube including anticoagulant used.

 

Cross-match:  EDTA and Clot tube from donor (or a pigtail from donor unit) and recipient. 

 

Urine Fractional Excretions: Urine and serum collected w/in 24 hours of each other. 

 

Send-Out Tests: Ask Clinical Pathology office staff for specific information.  Generally, samples submitted before 11:00 am Mon through Thurs will be sent the same day.  Samples are not shipped on Fridays or prior to holidays.

2/04