Clinical Pathology Section -- NYS Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory



Education Research Services Departments News

Sample Submission Links:

Submission home page

Hematology

Coagulation

Chemistry

Blood Gases

Urinalysis

Immunology

Cytology

STATS

After hours

Culture if

Saving samples

Adding tests

Microtainers

Clin Path Related Pages:

Clin Path home

AHDC home

Emergency Service

Personnel

Available Test

Sample Submission

Price List

Reference Intervals

Research Projects

News and Images

Modules

Questions or Comments

Clinical Pathology Laboratory - Sample Submission

Microtainers

The use of microtainers should be avoided at all costs. There is no excuse whatsoever to collect blood into microtainers from large breed dogs!! We do realize that small dogs (e.g. puppies) and cats can be difficult to bleed and that large volumes of blood are more difficult to obtain. For these reasons and in the critically ill patient, where withdrawal of 5 ml or more of blood would be deleterious to the patient, microtainers can be used. Also realize that microtainer tubes are quite expensive!

EDTA (lavender top) microtainers should be full (600 µL) when submitted. If you collect anything other than a full microtainer, we will not have enough blood to perform all the tests we need. Ensure you mix the blood thoroughly with the EDTA, by gentle inversion several times and rotating the tube between your palms. The blood in the tubes may not mix with anticoagulant if just inverted once or twice and may clot. There is insufficient blood in a microtainer to perform a Coombs test.

Heparin (green top) microtainers can be used for chemisty tests. However, to obtain full panels and sufficient plasma (depending on the PCV of the patient) to rerun tests or perform dilutions, we need 2 full (1.2 ml) microtainers. If just 1 or 2 chemistry tests are requested, e.g. electrolytes or creatinine, 1 microtainer should be sufficient. Make sure you mix the blood thoroughly with anticoagulant (DO NOT SHAKE!!).

Red top microtainers are unacceptable under any circumstances!! We cannot obtain sufficient serum off the clot to run any tests at all!

Blood must not be submitted in microtainers for blood gases or panels that include ionized calcium. All these samples must remain anaerobic, which is impossible if you submit the blood in microtainers.