Preanalytical Errors in Veterinary Laboratory Testing: Prevention and Troubleshooting

By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD · 2026-08-11

Key Takeaways

• Preanalytical errors, encompassing patient preparation, sample collection, handling, transport, and storage, constitute the majority (52-77%) of laboratory errors in veterinary diagnostics, significantly impacting clinical decision-making.
• Proper tube selection is critical; using the wrong anticoagulant (e.g., heparin for calcium-dependent assays, EDTA for horses/camelids) or incorrect fill volume (underfilled EDTA tubes cause red cell shrinkage, overfilled citrate tubes lead to falsely prolonged clotting times) directly compromises assay accuracy.
• Timely sample processing is paramount: serum or plasma separation within 30-60 minutes of collection prevents cellular metabolism from falsely elevating potassium and lactate, and consuming glucose.
• Visible sample interferences like hemolysis (falsely elevates potassium, iron, enzymes), lipemia (interferes with spectrophotometry/immunoassays), and icterus (spectral interference) must be noted and can significantly alter results, necessitating laboratory consultation or recollection.
• Species-specific handling is essential; equine samples are prone to fibrin formation, bovine erythrocytes are fragile leading to hemolysis bias in mineral profiles, and prompt analysis of body fluids (within hours) is required to prevent cell count and morphology deterioration.
• A systematic troubleshooting approach, starting with sample inspection, reviewing submission details, and considering patient factors, is crucial when results conflict with the clinical picture, often leading to the decision to recollect.

Laboratory results guide clinical decisions, yet the quality of those results is determined before the sample reaches the analyzer. Preanalytical errors occur during patient preparation, sample collection, handling, transport, and storage, and they account for the majority of laboratory errors in veterinary diagnostics. A veterinary clinical laboratory that recorded errors over an eight-year period found that preanalytical errors constituted 52% to 77% of all recorded errors, a proportion comparable to that reported in human diagnostic laboratories, as described in a report on an error management system in a veterinary clinical laboratory.

This article provides a practical framework for recognizing, preventing, and troubleshooting preanalytical errors across species. It is written for practicing veterinarians who submit samples to reference laboratories or run in-house analyzers. The focus is on procedural decisions: which tube to use, how to collect and handle the sample, how to recognize interference, and what to do when results do not match the clinical picture. Instrument calibration and analytical method validation are excluded, as those belong to the quality control domain addressed elsewhere.

At a Glance

The Laboratory Testing Cycle and Error Classification

Laboratory testing is conventionally divided into three phases: preanalytical, analytical, and postanalytical. The preanalytical phase begins with test selection and patient preparation, includes sample collection and handling, and ends when the sample is prepared for analysis. The analytical phase covers the measurement itself, and the postanalytical phase includes result verification, interpretation, and reporting. This classification, described in the error management system report from a veterinary diagnostic laboratory, provides a common vocabulary for error tracking and quality improvement.

The preanalytical phase is the largest source of error in veterinary laboratory medicine. Errors in this phase are particularly insidious because they are often invisible at the point of analysis. A hemolyzed sample may produce a normal-looking serum that yields a falsely elevated potassium concentration. A delayed cell count on synovial fluid may return a falsely low nucleated cell count that changes the diagnostic interpretation from septic to nonseptic arthritis. These errors are preventable, but prevention requires deliberate attention to technique and an understanding of the mechanisms by which mishandling alters results.

Sample Collection Technique

Venipuncture and Vessel Selection

The quality of a blood sample begins with the venipuncture itself. A clean, attaumatic collection from a well-filled vein minimizes platelet activation, tissue factor contamination, and hemolysis. Repeated probing with the needle, excessive suction during syringe collection, and prolonged tourniquet application all increase the risk of hemolysis and activation of coagulation pathways. For most species, the jugular vein is preferred for larger volumes, while the cephalic or saphenous veins are acceptable for smaller volumes when the vein is adequately filled. Arterial samples are appropriate only for blood gas analysis and should never be used for routine hematology or biochemistry.

The order of tube filling matters when multiple tubes are collected from a single venipuncture. Blood culture tubes should be collected first, followed by plain serum tubes, then citrate tubes, then heparin tubes, and finally EDTA tubes. This sequence prevents contamination of subsequent tubes by anticoagulants or additives from earlier tubes. When using a butterfly collection set, a discard tube should be collected first to clear the dead space of the tubing, which may contain air or residual anticoagulant from a previous draw.

Anticoagulant Selection and Fill Volume

Each anticoagulant has specific indications and limitations. EDTA chelates calcium and is the anticoagulant of choice for hematology because it preserves cellular morphology. However, EDTA causes hemolysis in some species, particularly in horses and camelids, and it interferes with assays that require calcium or magnesium. Heparin activates antithrombin and is suitable for biochemistry panels, but it should not be used for hematology because it causes platelet clumping and staining artifacts. Sodium citrate is required for coagulation testing and must be filled to the exact volume indicated on the tube, as the citrate concentration is calibrated to a specific blood volume. Underfilled citrate tubes produce falsely prolonged clotting times because the excess citrate chelates calcium beyond the intended degree.

The fill volume of anticoagulant tubes is a common source of error. Underfilled EDTA tubes cause osmotic shrinkage of red cells and may produce falsely decreased hematocrit and altered cell counts. Overfilled tubes, conversely, leave insufficient anticoagulant and may allow microclots to form. The manufacturer's stated fill volume should be respected, and tubes that are visibly underfilled or overfilled should be recollected instead of submitted with a note.

Sample Handling and Processing

Serum Versus Plasma

Serum and plasma are not interchangeable for all assays. Serum is obtained from clotted blood and is required for assays that use the coagulation cascade as part of the measurement, such as some protein electrophoresis methods. Plasma is obtained from anticoagulated blood and offers the advantage of faster processing, as no clot formation time is required. However, plasma contains fibrinogen and other clotting proteins that may interfere with certain assays, and the choice of anticoagulant affects the results of some analytes. The laboratory's test directory should specify whether serum or plasma is required for each assay, and the submitting clinician should match the sample type to the request.

Centrifugation and Separation

Blood that is allowed to clot should be centrifuged within 30 to 60 minutes of collection. During the clotting period, cellular metabolism continues, and glucose is consumed while lactate and potassium accumulate. Prolonged contact between serum and the clot allows red cell contents to leak into the serum, producing spurious elevations of potassium, lactate dehydrogenase, and aspartate aminotransferase. The practical guidance on sample handling for equine patients emphasizes that the frustration of nondiagnostic results can often be avoided by following submission guidelines, and timely centrifugation is among the most important of these guidelines.

After centrifugation, the serum or plasma should be transferred to a separate tube if the sample will be stored or transported. Leaving serum on the clot during transport exposes the sample to continued cellular metabolism and increases the risk of hemolysis from agitation. For samples that cannot be centrifuged immediately, whole blood should be refrigerated, but this is a temporary measure that does not fully arrest cellular metabolism.

Hemolysis, Lipemia, and Icterus

Hemolysis is the leading cause of preanalytical errors in clinical laboratories. The release of intracellular contents from red cells alters the concentration of numerous analytes, and the degree of interference depends on both the analyte and the severity of hemolysis. A study of the influence of hemolysis on the mineral profile of cattle serum demonstrated that hemolysis significantly alters the concentrations of iron and zinc, with measurable bias occurring at a hemolysis threshold of 0.015 g Hb/L for iron and 2 g Hb/L for zinc. The same study noted that high interindividual variability makes it difficult to determine from a single result whether a sample was hemolyzed, which underscores the importance of visual inspection and documentation of sample quality.

Lipemia and icterus also interfere with laboratory assays, particularly those based on spectrophotometric or colorimetric principles. A study of oxidative stress biomarkers in canine serum found that hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia all induced significant interferences in the determination of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances and total antioxidant status, with even slight hemolysis and lipemia producing deviations that surpassed acceptable thresholds. These findings illustrate that interference is not limited to routine biochemistry panels but extends to specialized assays where the clinician may not anticipate preanalytical effects.

Storage and Transport

Temperature and Time

The stability of analytes in stored samples varies widely. Some analytes, such as glucose and potassium, are unstable even at refrigerated temperatures, while others, such as total protein and albumin, are stable for days. The choice of storage temperature depends on the analyte panel requested and the expected transport time. Refrigeration slows cellular metabolism and is generally preferred for samples that cannot be processed immediately, but it is not appropriate for all assays. Cold agglutination, for example, can cause spurious red cell clumping in samples from horses and other species with cold-reactive antibodies.

Body Fluid Samples

Body fluids require particularly prompt handling. A study of the effect of storage time and temperature on synovial and mesothelial fluids from horses found that total nucleated cell counts were significantly reduced after 72 hours of storage at 4°C and after 24 hours at 22°C. Neutrophil morphology also deteriorated over time, with significant changes observed at 24 hours for both storage temperatures. These changes affected clinicopathological interpretation, meaning that a delayed analysis could lead to a missed diagnosis of septic arthritis or peritonitis. Body fluid samples should be analyzed within hours of collection, and if transport to a reference laboratory is required, the sample should be submitted with a clear notation of the collection time.

Education and Error Tracking

Preanalytical error prevention depends on the knowledge and vigilance of the entire clinical team. A survey of biomedical students at the University of Zagreb found that students of medical biochemistry had a higher proportion of correct answers on preanalytical phase questions (86%) compared to students of veterinary medicine and medicine (62%), suggesting that formal education in laboratory quality may be insufficient in some curricula, as reported in the study of preanalytical knowledge among biomedicine students. This finding supports the value of ongoing training for veterinary staff in sample collection and handling.

Error tracking is an essential component of quality improvement. The American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology quality assurance guidelines provide a framework for laboratory quality management, including the recording and review of errors. Practices that track preanalytical errors

Troubleshooting Common Preanalytical Errors

When a laboratory result does not match the clinical picture, the first question should be whether the sample itself is trustworthy. A systematic approach to troubleshooting prevents unnecessary repeat testing and, more importantly, prevents incorrect clinical decisions based on flawed data.

The Troubleshooting Sequence

Begin with the sample. Inspect the tube for visible hemolysis, lipemia, or clot formation. Check the fill volume against the marked line on the tube. Underfilled tubes containing liquid anticoagulants produce relative dilution of cellular components and may leave excess anticoagulant that binds cations or inhibits enzyme activity. Overfilled tubes with EDTA can clot because the anticoagulant is exhausted.

Next, review the submission details. Was the sample collected before or after treatment? Was the patient fasted? What time elapsed between collection and analysis? The ASVCP quality assurance and laboratory standards guidance provides reference intervals and method validation standards that assume specific collection and handling conditions, and deviations from those conditions invalidate the comparison.

Then consider the patient. Acute-phase responses, recent feeding, exercise, and drug administration all alter laboratory values independent of sample handling. If the sample appears grossly normal and handling was correct, a repeat collection may be more informative than troubleshooting the original sample.

Species-Specific Considerations

The correct choice of tube, volume, and handling varies by species. Equine samples are particularly prone to fibrin formation in serum tubes, especially in horses with systemic inflammation. Chilling equine blood before centrifugation slows clot retraction and increases fibrin strand formation. The practical guidance on equine sample handling recommends allowing equine serum samples to clot at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes before centrifugation and avoiding refrigeration of uncentrifuged blood.

Bovine samples present different challenges. Cattle erythrocytes are relatively fragile, and rough handling during collection or transport produces hemolysis that alters mineral profiles. Research on hemolysis effects on the bovine serum mineral profile demonstrates that iron and zinc concentrations change at very low degrees of hemolysis, with iron significantly biased at a hemoglobin concentration of only 0.015 g/L. This threshold is invisible to the naked eye, meaning grossly clear serum can still produce misleading mineral results.

Small animal practice commonly encounters lipemia from postprandial sampling or underlying hyperlipidemia. Lipemia interferes with optical-based assays and can be reduced by fasting the patient for 12 hours before sampling. For urgent samples from nonfasted patients, high-speed centrifugation can clear chylomicrons in some cases, but this must be documented on the submission form.

Interference Patterns and Interpretation

Hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia interfere with assays through different mechanisms. Hemoglobin released from lysed erythrocytes absorbs light at wavelengths used by many colorimetric assays, releases intracellular analytes such as potassium and lactate dehydrogenase, and can chemically inhibit some enzyme reactions. Lipemia scatters light and displaces plasma water, producing falsely low electrolyte concentrations measured by indirect ion-selective electrodes. Icterus interferes primarily through spectral overlap.

The magnitude of interference is assay-specific and analyzer-specific. A study of oxidative stress biomarker interference from hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia in canine serum found that thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were affected by slight hemolysis and slight lipemia, while total antioxidant status was more resistant. This illustrates a general principle: some assays tolerate moderate interference while others do not, and the laboratory should be consulted when interference is suspected.

The following table summarizes common preanalytical errors, their typical effects, and the appropriate corrective action.

Documentation and Communication

Every sample that fails quality checks should be documented. Record the error type, the affected tests, and the action taken. This documentation serves two purposes. It creates a record for the medical file explaining why a result may be unreliable, and it feeds into the practice quality improvement process.

Error management systems in veterinary clinical laboratories show that preanalytical errors account for 52% to 77% of all recorded laboratory errors. Tracking these errors over time identifies training gaps and recurring procedural failures. A practice that records every hemolyzed sample will quickly identify whether the problem is a particular phlebotomist, a particular vein site, or a particular tube type.

Communication with the laboratory is essential when interference is suspected. Most commercial laboratories can provide information about the degree of interference their analyzers tolerate for specific assays. Some can perform alternate assays less susceptible to interference. The submission form should note visible hemolysis, lipemia, or icterus so the laboratory can interpret results accordingly.

When to Recollect

The decision to recollect depends on the clinical urgency and the specific tests requested. For a stable patient with a mildly hemolyzed sample and a request for routine biochemistry, recollection is appropriate. For a critically ill patient with a suspected hemolytic crisis, the hemolysis itself may be diagnostically relevant, and the sample should be submitted with a note describing the gross appearance.

Certain tests are more robust to interference than others. Electrolytes, especially potassium, are highly sensitive to hemolysis and delayed separation. Enzyme activities such as alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase are variably affected depending on the intracellular concentration in the species being tested. Coagulation testing requires strict adherence to citrate fill volume, and a sample with incorrect fill volume should always be recollected because the results cannot be corrected mathematically.

For body fluids, storage conditions critically affect cell counts and morphology. Research on equine synovial and mesothelial fluid storage demonstrates that total nucleated cell counts decrease significantly within 24 hours at room temperature and that neutrophil morphology deteriorates even when refrigerated. If analysis cannot occur promptly, the sample should be refrigerated and analyzed within 24 hours, with the caveat that cell counts may be underestimated.

Preventive Protocols

Standardized collection protocols reduce error rates. Written procedures should specify tube type, order of draw, fill volume, mixing technique, and handling for each sample type. Staff training should include hands-on assessment of sample quality, and competency should be verified periodically. The educational literature on preanalytical phase knowledge demonstrates that formal training improves understanding of preanalytical variables, and this principle applies to veterinary staff as much as to human laboratory personnel.

The order of draw matters when collecting multiple tubes. The MSD Veterinary Manual and AVMA practice resources both emphasize that contamination of one tube by additives from another produces spurious results. Collect serum tubes first, followed by citrate, then heparin, then EDTA. This sequence minimizes tissue thromboplastin contamination and additive carryover.

A practical checklist for every blood collection includes confirming the correct tube for the requested tests, filling to the marked volume, mixing gently by inversion, labeling immediately with patient identification and collection time, and processing within the time limits appropriate for the tube type. For practices that send samples to external laboratories, transport conditions must be verified with the laboratory, as some analytes are unstable at room temperature while others require chilled transport.

Recognized Complications and Early Detection

The most consequential preanalytical failures are those that alter results without visible warning. Hemolysis is the leading cause of preanalytical error in clinical laboratories, yet its effect on analyte concentration is often underestimated because visual inspection is unreliable. In bovine serum, hemolysis significantly biases iron and zinc concentrations at thresholds as low as 0.015 g Hb/L and 2 g Hb/L respectively, while calcium, selenium, and molybdenum tolerate approximately 8 g Hb/L before bias becomes significant Influence of Hemolysis on the Mineral Profile of Cattle Serum. These thresholds are element-specific, and interindividual variability in baseline mineral concentrations makes it difficult to judge whether a given result corresponds to a normal or hemolysed sample without a paired visual or spectrophotometric hemolysis index.

Oxidative stress biomarkers are similarly vulnerable. In canine serum, slight hemolysis, moderate icterus, and slight lipemia each produce deviations in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances that exceed acceptable interference thresholds, while total antioxidant status is affected to a lesser degree Hemolysis, icterus and lipemia interfere with the determination of two oxidative stress biomarkers in canine serum. The practical implication is that laboratories should report a hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia index alongside results for assays known to be sensitive, and clinicians should treat flagged results with caution instead of interpreting them as genuine abnormalities.

Early detection depends on systematic checks at three points: at collection, when the sample is visually inspected for color and clot formation, at centrifugation, when the separator gel position and supernatant clarity are assessed, and at result review, when the laboratory's quality flags are read alongside the numerical values. Practices that lack in-house hemolysis indices should establish a visual grading scale and document the grade on the submission form.

Common Errors by Less Experienced Clinicians

Students and recent graduates frequently make errors that stem from incomplete understanding of the testing cycle instead of technical incompetence. A survey of biomedical students found that those studying medical biochemistry answered 86% of preanalytical-phase questions correctly, whereas veterinary medicine and medical students answered only 62% correctly, and no improvement was seen between penultimate and final year within the same faculty The knowledge and understanding of preanalytical phase among biomedicine students at the University of Zagreb. This suggests that preanalytical education is not being reinforced during clinical training.

Recurring errors include underfilling anticoagulant tubes, which alters the blood-to-anticoagulant ratio and can produce spurious hyperkalemia or clotting factor dilution, failing to mix serum tubes gently after collection, allowing clot retraction to trap cells, and delaying centrifugation, which permits ongoing cellular metabolism to change glucose, lactate, and potassium concentrations. Corrective action begins with standardized training that pairs each error with its mechanism and consequence. Error recording systems that categorise mistakes by phase of the testing cycle allow a practice to identify which errors are most frequent and target corrective training accordingly An error management system in a veterinary clinical laboratory.

Limitations of the Evidence and Divergent Expert Opinion

The evidence base for preanalytical effects in veterinary medicine is thinner than in human laboratory medicine. Many published studies use pooled samples or spiked specimens, which may not fully reproduce the matrix effects of diseased patients. The hemolysis thresholds reported for bovine minerals, for example, were derived from in vitro hemolysate addition and may not translate directly to in vivo hemolysis Influence of Hemolysis on the Mineral Profile of Cattle Serum. Similarly, storage studies on equine synovial and mesothelial fluids show that total nucleated cell count declines significantly by 72 hours at 4°C and earlier at 22°C, but the clinical impact of these changes on diagnostic interpretation varies by case Effect of storage time and temperature on the results of analysis of synovial and mesothelial fluids.

Expert opinion differs on several practical points. Whether to centrifuge serum tubes before transport or send them as whole blood is debated, with some laboratories preferring centrifugation to minimize cellular metabolism and others preferring whole blood to avoid disturbing the clot. The acceptable delay between collection and analysis for body fluids is similarly contested, with recommendations ranging from immediate analysis to 24 hours depending on the analyte and storage temperature. Where evidence is limited, the safest course is to follow the receiving laboratory's published guidelines and to document any deviations from those guidelines on the submission form.

Escalation and Referral

Most preanalytical problems are resolved by recollection, but some circumstances warrant escalation. Persistent hemolysis despite careful venipuncture should prompt investigation of the patient's underlying disease, since intravascular hemolysis, vasculitis, or fragile red cells may be the cause. Repeated lipemia in fasted samples may indicate a metabolic disorder such as hyperlipidaemia or endocrinopathy instead of poor fasting compliance.

Referral to a specialist clinical pathologist is appropriate when interference patterns are ambiguous, when results are implausible relative to the clinical picture, or when a diagnosis hinges on an analyte known to be sensitive to preanalytical variables. Laboratory consultation is also indicated when a practice is introducing a new test and needs guidance on sample handling, or when point-of-care and reference laboratory results disagree.

Regulatory reporting obligations arise when sample handling failures affect results used for legal purposes, such as rabies vaccination titre verification, doping control, insurance claims, or export certification. In these contexts, the chain of custody and sample integrity must be documented, and any deviation from standard handling should be disclosed to the requesting authority. International movement of samples for disease surveillance may also trigger reporting requirements under WOAH terrestrial animal health standards, and practitioners should confirm the applicable requirements before submitting samples for regulatory purposes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Most Cost-Effective Way to Reduce Preanalytical Errors in a Busy Practice?

Target the highest-yield interventions first: standardized venipuncture protocols, correct anticoagulant tubes, and immediate serum separation. Error tracking does not require expensive software. A simple spreadsheet or logbook that records error type, species, and suspected cause will identify recurring problems. An error management system used in a veterinary diagnostic laboratory showed that preanalytical errors consistently accounted for the majority of recorded errors, so even modest improvements in collection technique yield measurable gains. Train all staff who collect blood, including nurses and technicians, also veterinarians. Formal education on the preanalytical phase significantly improves knowledge among biomedical students, and the same principle applies to in-practice training.

What Should I Do When the Correct Anticoagulant Tube Is Not Available?

Do not substitute. Each anticoagulant affects results differently. EDTA chelates calcium and is unsuitable for calcium measurement. Heparin interferes with some chemistry assays and may cause platelet clumping. If the correct tube is unavailable, either postpone collection or collect into a plain serum tube and note the limitation on the submission form. For hematology, a blood smear can be made from a drop of blood before the sample clots, preserving cell morphology for manual review. For coagulation testing, no substitute exists, recollect when the proper citrate tube is available. The American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology quality assurance guidelines emphasize that sample quality directly affects result validity, and a rejected sample is less costly than a misleading result.

How Do Preanalytical Error Patterns Differ Between Small Animal and Large Animal Practice?

Large animal practice introduces transport distance and time as dominant variables. Samples collected on farm may sit for hours before reaching the laboratory, making centrifugation and refrigeration protocols more critical. Bovine serum is particularly prone to hemolysis during collection, and hemolysis significantly alters the measured concentrations of iron and zinc in cattle serum, with thresholds as low as 0.015 g Hb/L for iron. Equine body fluids are similarly time-sensitive. Storage of synovial fluid at room temperature reduces total nucleated cell counts within 24 hours, which can change cytologic interpretation. Small animal practice more often involves same-site analysis, where fill volume errors and anticoagulant mismatch predominate. Species-specific reference intervals also affect interpretation of hemolysis, icterus, and lipemia interference.

How Should I Document Preanalytical Errors for Quality Improvement Purposes?

Record every rejected or questionable sample in a dedicated log with five fields: date, species, sample type, error category, and outcome. Categories should include hemolysis, clotting, insufficient volume, wrong tube, and labeling errors. Review the log monthly to identify trends. A veterinary clinical laboratory that maintained an error recording system over eight years found that annual error rates ranged from 0.7% to 1.3% of total samples, providing a benchmark for what is achievable. Share the findings with all staff who collect samples. If the same error recurs, change the protocol instead of relying on individual vigilance. For example, if wrong tube errors persist, reorganise the tube rack by color and add a second check step before venipuncture.

How Do I Explain a Recollection Request to a Client Without Undermining Confidence?

Be direct and factual. State that the sample quality was insufficient for reliable results and that repeating the test is the responsible choice. Avoid blaming the patient or the collector. A script such as "The blood sample clotted during handling, so the cell counts would not be accurate. We need to redraw to get a trustworthy result" is honest and professional. Emphasize that the goal is diagnostic accuracy, not convenience. Most clients accept recollection when the explanation is clear and the tone is calm. If the patient is difficult to sample, acknowledge the challenge and reassure the owner that the team will take extra care. The MSD Veterinary Manual advises that clear communication about diagnostic procedures supports client trust and compliance.

What Are the Minimum Standards for Sample Labeling and Submission Forms?

Label every tube at the time of collection with at least two patient identifiers, such as name and microchip number, plus the date and time. Never label a tube before collection, as this invites misidentification. The submission form must include the patient signalment, sample type, anticoagulant used, tests requested, and any medications that could affect results. Note visible sample abnormalities such as hemolysis or lipemia. Include the time of collection and, for samples transported off-site, the time of shipment. The American Veterinary Medical Association practice resources emphasize that accurate patient identification and complete clinical information are fundamental to safe veterinary care. If the laboratory rejects a sample, request the specific reason and adjust your protocol accordingly.

Related Clinical & Scientific Guides

• Peripheral Blood Smear Evaluation: A Step-by-Step Guide
• Reticulocyte Counts in Veterinary Medicine: Clinical Utility and Interpretation
• Cerebrospinal Fluid Analysis in Veterinary Neurology: Collection and Interpretation

References and Further Reading

• Practical Tips on Sample Handling for Hematology, Chemistry, and Cytology Testing for Equine Patients:: Getting More Bang for your Buck.. 2020.
• The knowledge and understanding of preanalytical phase among biomedicine students at the University of Zagreb.. 2016.
• An error management system in a veterinary clinical laboratory.. 2012.
• Hemolysis, icterus and lipemia interfere with the determination of two oxidative stress biomarkers in canine serum.. 2023.
• Influence of Hemolysis on the Mineral Profile of Cattle Serum.. 2021.
• Effect of storage time and temperature on the results of analysis of synovial and mesothelial fluids.. 2017.
• American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology Guidelines. American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.
• MSD Veterinary Manual, Professional Edition. MSD Veterinary Manual.
• American Veterinary Medical Association Practice Resources. American Veterinary Medical Association.

Related Articles

• Quality Control in Veterinary Laboratory Testing: A Practical Guide
• Coagulation Testing in Veterinary Medicine: A Practical Guide
• Point-of-Care Testing in Veterinary Practice: Benefits and Limitations
• Laboratory Monitoring of Anemia: Reticulocyte Response and Beyond
• Platelet Function Testing in Veterinary Patients: Clinical Applications

This article is educational professional reference material for veterinary audiences. It is not a substitute for veterinary diagnosis, individual clinical judgment, current product labeling, or applicable regulatory requirements.