Laboratory Procedures Flashcards
7 cards from real VTNE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Laboratory Procedures flashcards as text
A blood smear from a cat shows pale-staining, small RBCs with a high central pallor. What morphology is described?
Answer: Hypochromic microcytes
Hypochromic microcytes are smaller than normal with increased central pallor, indicating iron deficiency or chronic blood loss impairing hemoglobin synthesis.
Which test is the gold standard for confirming hypothyroidism in dogs?
Answer: Free T4 by equilibrium dialysis (fT4ed)
Free T4 by equilibrium dialysis is considered the most accurate single test for diagnosing canine hypothyroidism because it is unaffected by binding protein changes and euthyroid sick syndrome.
A sample requiring immediate serum separation should ideally be centrifuged within how many minutes of collection?
Answer: 30 minutes
Serum should be separated from the clot within 30 minutes of collection to prevent analyte shifts (e.g., potassium leaking from RBCs, glucose consumption).
Which organism causes salmon poisoning disease in dogs in the Pacific Northwest and is transmitted via Nanophyetus salmincola flukes?
Answer: Neorickettsia helminthoeca
Neorickettsia helminthoeca is the rickettsial organism transmitted by the intestinal fluke Nanophyetus salmincola found in raw Pacific salmon, causing potentially fatal salmon poisoning disease.
When performing a bone marrow biopsy cytology evaluation, a myeloid:erythroid (M:E) ratio greater than 3:1 suggests:
Answer: Granulocytic hyperplasia or erythroid hypoplasia
A high M:E ratio (>3:1) indicates either increased granulocytic production (e.g., infection, inflammation) or decreased erythroid production.
Which finding on a urinalysis sediment is pathognomonic for ethylene glycol toxicity in cats?
Answer: Calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals (hippurate-shaped)
Calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals (envelope- or hippurate-shaped in cats) in large numbers in fresh urine are characteristic of ethylene glycol (antifreeze) poisoning.
A quality control chart shows three consecutive values on the same side of the mean. This pattern is called a:
Answer: Trend or shift warning
Three or more consecutive QC values on the same side of the mean suggest a systematic trend or shift in the assay, warranting investigation before patient results are reported.