Intro to Clinical pathology Flashcards
What is Clinical Pathology
Development, application and interpretation of laboratory procedure for:
establishing a diagnosis and/or prognosis
monitoring of treatment in sick animals
monitoring animal health
Clinical vs Anatomical Pathology
Clinical- related to care of live patient
Anatomical-
surgical- looking at biopsies of tissues
Necropsy
Anticoagulant used for haematology
EDTA
Anticoagulants used for clinical chemistry
Serum or
Li-heparin plasma or EDTA Plasma
Anticoagulant used for glucose
Fluoride-oxalate
Anticoagulant used for haemostasis/coagulation
Citrate (reversible)
Serum vs Plasma
serum has been allowed to clot, plasma has not
Effects of anticoagulants on K and ionised Ca
Heparinised- correct measuremenats
K- EDTA- false high K and low Ca
Effect of EDTAK- on alkaline phosphatase
Will be false low in sample as it depends on metallic cofactors
Importance of Draw/fill order
Preventing combination of chemistry samples with EDTA
What does icteric mean
Blood sample with high bilirubin
Plasma will be yellow, interferes with colorimetry
How to avoid haemolysis in blood samples
Choose appropriate gauge needle
Never dispense blood sample through needle
Effect of haemolysis on blood results
INCREASES in plasma/serum value of some compounds/enzymes due to their high conc. in the RBC
INTERFERES with determinations by colorimetry or with chemical reactions
How to avoid lipaemia in blood samples
Fast patient appropriately
Effect of lipemia in blood sample
Increase in total lipid, triglycerides and cholesterol
many determinations cannot be carried out or are significantly affected
Changes values of compounds in plasma/serum as:
presence of extra lipid fractions -> will be less aqueous -> false low readings of aqueous compounds such as electrolytes
turbidity caused by the lipids interfering in light detection methods (colorimetry)
