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Getting results in clinical pathology 1. Pros and cons of in-clinic biochemical testing

VETERINARY practices are increasingly making use of laboratory data to assist them in their small animal clinical work and, in recent years, many have invested in in-clinic testing equipment. But how meaningful are the results produced and what are the limitations of these analysers? Also, what other factors might influence the results that are obtained and could these alter the interpretation? The aim of this series of short articles is to explore various pros and cons of in-clinic biochemical and haematology testing, and then highlight some of the factors that can influence laboratory parameters, notably, an animal's age, and medications, with a view to helping clinicians interpret data with greater confidence. This article reviews three of the most popular types of analyser in use in the UK and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of testing in general.

Mark Pinches graduated from Bristol in 1995, and spent eight years in general practice, both in the UK and abroad, before completing an MSc in wild animal health at the Royal Veterinary College, London. He is currently the Axiom clinical training scholar in clinical pathology at Bristol.