The UK's largest veterinary laboratory, Idexx, has successfully automated haematology analysis for a wide range of animals
The UK's largest veterinary laboratory, Idexx, has successfully automated haematology analysis for a wide range of companion animals and production animals using the advanced multi-species software available for Bayer Diagnostics Advia 120 haematology system.
This software takes full advantage of the analyser's unique ability to deal with mean corpuscular volumes (MCV) between 15fl and 140fl while also providing accurate platelet counts, full five-part differentials, comprehensive quantitative red cell flagging, plus fully automated reticulocyte counts.
Staff in the Idexx laboratory have established normal ranges for all the different species they deal with.
All feline, canine, equine, bovine, ovine, and rabbit samples are processed on the Advia 120 automatically, and the system has been set to accept small paediatric size samples down to 0.75ml.
"Speed of throughput and the flexibility of the Advia 120 are both very important factors for us", says John Luke, haematology/biochemistry manager at the Idexx facility in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, where two Advia 120 analysers are now in routine use.
"We can do a straight full blood count with or without a differential, and can also take reticulocytes on or off depending on whether they are needed or not.
"We are pleased with the red cell parameters on the instrument, and the white cell differentials for canines are excellent, even when the samples are 24-48 hours old.
"As a commercial organisation, we have to provide good service and it's very important for us to get things right first time every time, which the Advia 120 enables us to do".
Use of the Advia 120 and dedicated multi-species software enables complete test profiles to be obtained on up to 51 different species, 30 of which can be individually defined by users.
The system provides complete random access test and species selectivity, and samples are processed at the rate of up to 120 per hour.
