How to Collect and Prepare Samples for the Laboratory

Laboratory samples require forethought and care during prep to ensure optimal results.

PATHOLOGY

What to send:

  • Blood smear: 2 fresh blood smears, a CBC and EDTA blood
  • Coagulation: Citrate tube must be filled properly   centrifuge  separate and place citrate plasma in a new plain tube
  • Cytology: At least 5 air-dried slides per site
  • Fluids: 2 fresh smears and the fluid or BAL in an EDTA tube. Plus, a sterile tube or TM if bacterial cultures is needed.
  • Histopathology:  Up to 5 biopsies per site. For small size biopsies (endoscopy) use biopsy capsule

Always:

  • Fresh blood smear
  • Smear with every fluid analysis
  • Multiple smears for cytology
  • Avoid necrotic center of tissue

Do not forget:
Skin is considered one site; skin masses are considered different sites.
Use different pots for different tissue samples. If tissue sample very big avoid necrotic center and sample the edges/margins.
Send the cytology in a separate envelope than the histology specimen. Avoid as the exposure of cytology preparations to
formalin (including formalin fumes).

MICROBIOLOGY

What to send:

  • Swab with transport medium: Take and swab and firmly collect material from the area you want to culture. If it’s a fluid, ensure the swab is fully soaked. Place in the swab in the transport medium
  • Serum: Collect the blood in a plain tube  let is sit for 30-60 mins  centrifuge  collect the serum and place in a new plain tube
  • Faecal: Fill it about ¾ of a small stool sample container
  • Rabies: Fill in the appropriate separate form and post it with the sample

BIOCHEMISTRY

What to send:

  • Serum: Collect the blood in a plain tube  let is sit for 30-60 mins   centrifuge  collect the serum and place in a new plain tub
  • Cold / Frozen: Book the courier to come and collect the sample early in the morning and ensure the sample comes to us in the same day cold/frozen; send it with an ice-pack. Call us to let us know that you have send a cold/frozen sample.
  • Poisoning Screening: Contact us prior sending this to discuss sample collection. Besides urine and stomach content it is suggested to also send tissue.

PCR

What to send:

  • Swab without transport medium: Take and swab and firmly collect material from the area you want to PCR. If it’s a fluid, ensure the swab is fully soaked. Place in the swab in the transport tube.
  • Fluids: 2 fresh smears and the fluid or BAL in an EDTA tube.

PROFILES

What to send:

  • Blood smear: 2 fresh blood smears, a CBC and EDTA blood
  • Fluids: 2 fresh smears and the fluid or BAL in an EDTA tube.
  • Serum: Collect the blood in a plain tube  let is sit for 30-60 mins  centrifuge  collect the serum and place in a new plain tube
  • Swab with transport medium: Take and swab and firmly collect material from the area you want to culture. If it’s a fluid, ensure the swab is fully soaked. Place in the swab in the transport

ALLERGY – IMMUNOLOGY

What to send:

  • Serum: Collect the blood in a plain tube  let is sit for 30-60 mins  centrifuge  collect the serum and place in a new plain tube
  • EDTA Plasma (EP): Collect the blood in an EDTA tube  mix  centrifuge  collect the plasma and place in a new plain tube
  • Cold / Frozen: Book the courier to come and collect the sample early in the morning and ensure the sample comes to us in the same day cold/frozen; send it with an ice-pack. Call us to let us know that you have send a cold/frozen sample.

Useful Videos

On proper way of collecting samples etc.

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Making and staining blood smears 10:02

Watch detailed footage on how to make staining blood smears.

video previewPlay Video

Fine Needle Aspiration and smear making 5:44

Watch detailed footage on how to do fine needle aspiration and smears.

video previewPlay Video

Cytology fluid handling 13:22

Detailed footage on how to handle cytology fluids.

video previewPlay Video

Urinalysis 8:44

Watch footage on how to take urine samples for analysis.

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