Veterinary Laboratory Procedures: Blood, Urinalysis, and Safety Labels

What does OSHA stand for?

Occupational Health and Safety Administration

What is a secondary label?

Moving chemicals/materials to a new container from its original manufacturer packaging

What additive is in lavender blood tubes and what is its purpose?

Anticoagulant (EDTA) used for CBC, blood smear, morphology

What is the purpose of blue blood tubes?

Anticoagulant (Sodium or Lithium Citrate) for coagulation tests/clotting times PT/apTT

What is the characteristic of red blood tubes?

No additive

What is the purpose of SST/Tiger Top blood tubes?

Separating Gel & Clot Activator used for serum

What additive is in green blood tubes and what is its purpose?

Anticoagulant (Heparin) used for plasma chemistry

What is the purpose of red ring capillary tubes?

Anticoagulant (Heparin) used for PCV/TS or TP

What is the purpose of blue ring capillary tubes?

No additive, used for PCV/TS or TP when taking from EDTA tube

What is the difference between plasma and serum?

Plasma has no clot and contains fibrinogen; Serum has a clot and no fibrinogen/clotting factors

What are the layers of a PCV?

Bottom layer: Cellular components, Middle: Buffy coat, Top: Plasma

How do you calculate total protein on a refractometer?

Use TS/TP scale, units in g/100mL

What does MCV measure?

RBC size; classified as Macrocytic, Normocytic, or Microcytic

What does MCH measure?

Hgb aka Color; classified as Hyperchromic, Normochromic, Hypochromic

What does MCHC measure?

Hgb concentration aka Color; classified as Hyperchromic, Normochromic, Hypochromic

What is the objective for evaluating cellular morphology?

100x in the monolayer

How do you perform a WBC estimate?

40x in the monolayer

What is the method for WBC differential?

100x in the monolayer

How do you identify platelets and calculate platelets per high power field?

Count PLT in 10 hpf at 100x in monolayer, take average of the 10 hpf counts

How do you calculate urine specific gravity?

Use calibrated refractometer

What are the parts of a urinalysis?

Physical Evaluation, Chemical Evaluation, Sediment Evaluation

What does a ketostix measure?

Semiquantitative BUN

How do you use a glucometer?

Select correct species, add drop of blood to strip