Blood Chemistry

RRDA division of MDS offers complete blood chemistry and hematology services to complement our toxicology operation. This is designed to be a useful addition to our toxicology capabilities. The services are tailored to rabbits and rodents, as well as other species of laboratory and companion animals.

Fasting duration should be appropriate for the species and the analytical tests to be performed. Regulatory guidelines for blood chemistry requirements appropriate for all test substances include measurements of electrolyte balance, carbohydrate metabolism, and liver and kidney function. Specific determinations should include:

Mouse over the tests for a description

Electrolyte Balance

• Sodium
• Potassium
• Calcium
• Chloride
• Bicarbonate (CO2)

Carbohydrate Metabolism

• Glucose (in fasted animals)
• Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)
• Glucose Oxidase (in fasted animals)

Liver function

A: Hepatocellular

• Asparatate Amino Transferase (AST-GOT)
• Alanine Amino Transferase (ALT-GPT)
• Glutamine Dehydrogenase (GLDH)
• Sorbito Dehydrogenase

B: Hepatobiliary

• Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP)
• Gamma-Glutamyl Transferase (GGT)
• Total Bile acids
• Bilirubin, Direct
• Bilirubin,Total
• 5' Nuclease

Kidney Function

• Creatinine
• BUN

Cardiac Function

• Creatine Kinase (CK)
• CK-MB
• Cardiac Troponin I (cTnI)
• Myoglobin
• Cardio CRP
• BNP (B-type Natriuretic Peptide) and proBNP
• Lactate Dehydrogenase (LDH)

Lipid Panal

• Cholesterol (fasting)
• Triglycerides (fasting)
• HDL
• LDL

Bone & Joint

• Gout
• Uric Acid
• Parathyroid Diseases
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Calcium
• Alkaline Phosphatase

Anemia

• Iron (Fe)
• Total Iron Binding Capacity (TIBC)
• Ferritin
• Vitamin B 12 (cobalamin)

Other markers of cell changes or cellular function

• Acid Phosphotase
• Ammonia
• Aldolase
• Amylase
• Angiotensin Converting Enzyme ( ACE)
• Cholinestrase
• Copper
• CK-MB
• CRP
• Iron
• Lithium
• Lipase
• Porphobilinogen (PBG)
• Total Protein
• Albumin (A)
• Globulin (G) (calculated)
• A/G Ratio (calculated)
• UIBC

When adequate volumes of blood cannot be obtained from test animals, the following determinations for "Comprehensive Metabolic Panel" should generally be given priority.

• Alanine Amino Transferase (ALT-GPT)
• Chloride
• Creatinine
• Gamma-glutamyl Transpeptidase (GG transferase)
• Glucose (in fasted animals)
• Potassium
• Protein (total)
• Sodium
• Urea Nitrogen

Additional clinical chemistry tests may be recommended to extend the search for toxic effects attributable to a test substance. The selection of specific tests will be influenced by observations on the mechanism of action of the test substance. Clinical chemistry determinations that may be recommended to ensure adequate toxicological evaluation of the test substance include analyses of acid/base balance, hormones, lipids, methemoglobin, and proteins.

 

Common causes of hemolysis include: 

• Wet needles, syringes, or glassware
• Collecting sample using too much pressure (vacuum)
• Ejecting blood from needle/syringe too rapidly, especially if the needle is small
• Putting sample in chilled glassware
• Vigorous shaking (should be slow inversion of tube) or ringing of sample
• Temperature extremes (most common cause of hemolysis in whole blood samples mailed to a laboratory)

If a sample is lipemic (the serum may appear cloudy), the following test results may not be accurate:  amylase, bilirubin, BUN, glucose, hemoglobin, total protein, electrolytes, platelet count, and calcium.  To prevent lipemia, be sure the animal is fasted prior to sample collection.