rabbit blood glucose testing

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

Martin Atkinson — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 16:46:03 GMT

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]As a slight aside, there was some research done on ferret glucose measurements with an Alphatrak and the result was that the dog code is more appropriate.[/quote] There is logic given that ferrets are more closely related to dogs than cats.

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"] I use the Alphatrak feline settings for rabbits (based on an arbitrary decision alone) [/quote] I would do the same and as you intimate we are not treating numbers we are correlating symptoms with results and looking for trends and consistency is more important than the difference in a few digits which could alter just by sampling technique and handling anyway.

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

Marie Kubiak — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 14:49:49 GMT

I guess a consistent discrepancy is better than randomly varying numbers! Still it's quite a large gap between the two figures. Maybe try calibrating both machines and if they remain in disagreement then call IDEXX for their take on why the readings are so different as the alphatrak 2 in our hands seems consistent with other machines?

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

HMC — Fri, 10 Jan 2014 13:47:14 GMT

Thanks Marie,

I saw the rabbit back today for haematology and took some extra blood to help work all this out. The glucometer (dog setting- I always use this, again arbitrary but consistent) 13.6mmol/L; idexx machine in-house heparin sample 8.18mmol/L. So there is a definite discrepancy.

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

Marie Kubiak — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 18:41:25 GMT

[quote user="Martin Atkinson"]

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]With regards species differences, the raw measured plasma glucose does not represent a true absolute value as it ignores that within rbcs. So, the machine then calculates the 'total' glucose by multiplying by the species-specific factor (based on ratio of plasma:rbc glucose storage) to give the displayed value.[/quote] I bow to your greater knowledge Marie. But given there is no code for rabbits should we be choosing the canine or feline code? I would plump for the feline one but may be completely misguided.

[/quote]

No idea! The only real research on clinical value of glucose measurement in rabbits was done using a Roche glucometer which tends to read lower values consistently and doesn't allow species settings. I use the Alphatrak feline settings for rabbits (based on an arbitrary decision alone) and we have set up in house expected reference ranges with that setting. Sometimes the clinical course can be decided by a minor shift so I prefer to be consistent and know what number I should have with that machine and the same setting even if it is in linear proportion to rather than the true total glucose measurement. If I didn't use the same setting consistently then any variation in a case would be difficult to interpet. Does that make any sense? I'd love to know whether commercial labs worry about this or just stick the blood through on the same settings on the biochem machine...

As a slight aside, there was some research done on ferret glucose measurements with an Alphatrak and the result was that the dog code is more appropriate. Hopefully something similar will eventually be done with rabbits.

Marie

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 18:14:06 GMT

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

Marie Kubiak — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 16:54:43 GMT

We use Alphatrak for rabbits and have found it consistent with the standard in house (?Prestige) biochem machine and our vetscan.

With regards species differences, the raw measured plasma glucose does not represent a true absolute value as it ignores that within rbcs. So, the machine then calculates the 'total' glucose by multiplying by the species-specific factor (based on ratio of plasma:rbc glucose storage) to give the displayed value. If you use a different multiplication factor by using a different species code it does affect the value given. Presumably all machines have to do this approximation so perhaps IDEXX used a different algorithm that was species specific?? Or the sample got dropped and 'remixed'!

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

mariette asselbergs — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 15:44:18 GMT

Thanks for this down to earth comment Martin. Sounds perfectly logical.

Mariette

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

Anonymous — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 15:39:56 GMT

At Abbott we have not validated for rabbits but have seen good results using the canine code, but always receommend back up with clinical chemistry! Send me a PM if you have any queries

Sandra
Abbott Animal Health

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 14:22:01 GMT

The human glucometers read 1-2 mmol/l lower than true values so you should interpret the result in this light. This is because most people are stupid and could inadvertently go hypoglycaemic so its designed to frighten them into doing something about it before they go belly up.

The Alphatrac correlates more closely to real values as we vets are much more sensible and we don't send owners home with one very often. I don't think the code number changes the value you're given on the Alphatrac it is more to do with interpretation of normal ranges if you use the additional software. Indeed if you use the new strips with the old Alphatrac they tell you to use one code for both species. Try back to back tests on the same sample using the wrong codes and see what results you get then repeat it the right way round and compare with a bench-top analyser and they will all be different within 1- 2 mmol/l! This is the art of veterinary science. I would be happy interpreting a rabbit result whichever method I used.

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

HMC — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 13:17:48 GMT

I see what you're getting at but the alphatrak has dog and cat settings and we always use animal glucometers rather than human ones....

Re: rabbit blood glucose testing

Martin Atkinson — Thu, 09 Jan 2014 11:15:28 GMT

Why should rabbit glucose be any different from any other species? Glucose is glucose its only normal ranges that vary. if you're getting spurious results its sample handling that is to blame not the machine.