Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Rob Loxley — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 15:05:57 GMT

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]No capacity to run single parameters[/quote]

It's a trade off between simplicity to use, pretty much zero maintenance and solid reliability against cost and flexibility.

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]rotas need warming[/quote]

We run straight out of the fridge

[quote user="Mark Holmes"]only running single samples[/quote][quote user="Mark Holmes"]Does it cause issues if you have a number of pre anaesthetic samples to perform on a morning?[/quote]

More things we tend to take the pre-ga bloods (if needed) when the pet is seen for assessment before the op - gives plenty of time to deal with any abnormalities. And if we have on-the-day bloods there's not too many that we get bogged down. If we had a much higher inhouse lab throughput we might justify going for a different analyser - e.g. wet chemistry.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Bob Russell — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 10:59:13 GMT

Our Vetscan door has jammed! Sods law that I had mentioned we have had no problems!

Gone back to the VetScan hospital for surgery!

It can be a bit of a bind if there is a queue but a bit of organisation reduces that.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Mark Holmes — Thu, 18 Aug 2016 10:55:48 GMT

How restricting do you find Vetscan?

No capacity to run single parameters, rotas need warming, only running single samples. That type of thing? Does it cause issues if you have a number of pre anaesthetic samples to perform on a morning?

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

mariette asselbergs — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 08:01:49 GMT

Ah sorry, I did not mention that we did the normal thing of a normal bandage before.

Mariette

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

mariette asselbergs — Tue, 09 Aug 2016 07:58:01 GMT

I still think I'd have just stuck a bandage on the torn claw and not even bothered with clotting times and achieved the same outcome......Michael Woodhouse

Read my post Michael, I did stick a normal bandage on and it poored blood out through it, not just a drip drip. And this is lungworm country with life threatening bleeds not uncommon. The bandage that did the trick was a tourniquet type having a big sign of time when applied and maximum time to leave on.

Maeiette

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Rob Loxley — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 20:40:56 GMT

[quote user="Anthony Dennison"]The other good thing is the whole blood separator - can do a full biochem panel and electrolytes in 0.8mls of blood[/quote]
that much blood; vetscan needs just 0.1mls

Would be interested in David's experience with the Milab range - is there any information online as I can't find anything beyond a press release?

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Michael Woodhouse — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 17:40:57 GMT

The analyser will have a specified operating temperature, and rate of reaction generally is faster at higher temperature, so it is logical. Particularly (I don't know the methodology used) with something like this where the result is a time to something happening - rather than degree of pretty colour.

I still think I'd have just stuck a bandage on the torn claw and not even bothered with clotting times and achieved the same outcome......

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

mariette asselbergs — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 17:17:43 GMT

I had a dog bleeding for 2 hours from a badly torn off nail, when manual 10 min pressure did not stop the bleeding, we did clotting times which yielded APTT 125 and PT 25 both very increased.

So I bandaged the foot tightly and sent the dog to the Emergency provider to get plasma with clotting factors sand be tested for lungworm.

Result: after 1/2 hour drive bandage was removed and bleeding had stopped. Lungworm test was negative and clotting times test on their machine were normal

?????????

They then said that their machine gave erroneous clotting times when it wqas hot and they now only used it in an airconditioned room with the fan on it when it was hot.

Anybody heard this as an explanatiopn?

mariette

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Anthony Dennison — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 15:32:59 GMT

I have an Idexx Catalyst Dx in my branch, but it has a very low usage due to the number of consults I see. Sometimes it's used as little as 2 or 3 times a week. I have it because our practice uses Idexx exclusively, and it does do pretty much anything I need.

Our main hospital has nearly all the Idexx in house machines (awaiting the blood gas analyser) and is used a lot. Averaging probably 40-50 times a day, and hardly any problems. If it breaks Idexx send a replacement pretty quickly, and all the supplies we need are delivered quickly (usually within 48 hours). The other good thing is the whole blood separator - can do a full biochem panel and electrolytes in 0.8mls of blood.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

David Mills — Mon, 08 Aug 2016 14:50:02 GMT

We've just started to trial the MiLab from Finn and early indications are that it is superior to VetScan and Idexx Vettest. Although it takes a little training to know where to put everything it is reassuringly technical and the results so far have been good. We contacted Idexx who were uninterested in giving any appreciable discount, so for the numbers of bloods we run in house daily (5-10) the MiLab worked out much better and there are a number of different inexpensive profiles to choose from - the more you use it, the cheaper they become because of the diluent required. We did have (and still have) a Vetscan but the cost of the rotas is quite restrictive and often giving more information than you want. You also get a tie-in with histo from Finn who are both prompt and excellent.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Beats — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 20:48:17 GMT

Hard-pressed to find a member of staff that pre-dates the VetTest here, so an exact age is hard to determine but I'd estimate 15years and going strong. Has broken on few occasions, but readily rectifed - rare time has been dispatched and loaner sent.

As an end-user (I don't know how much various clinics I've been in have paid for purchase, upkeep and tests) I prefer the VetTest to the VetScan personally. Ability to just run the biochemical tests you actually want and repeat one or two parameters without using a whole rotor is nice.

I've seen a couple of clinics where albumin results were always suspiciously low on vettest when locuming - I've always wondered if this was because the first slide inserted was usually albumin and over-enthusiastic "drying" of pipette prior to replacing in machine may wick a little serum out thus depositing a smaller amount on the albumin slide? Maybe it just depends on the machine and not the user, but not conscious of that problem in 5 years with this machine so I don't think it's an issue with the actual slide technology for albumin. We do the idexx quality control scheme and I like it. I've also been told it's more reliable on serum than heparin plasma, but in practical terms I usually use the latter.

Still post out pretty much everything unless need results same day - . Don't have istat/epoc here - might use the VetTest less if we did.

Mileage we get out of it is about 1000 blood samples a year. I'll be sad when it is eventually retired, probably when idexx no longer provide service for it.

Keep getting mailings from Randox (must have entered a free draw once...) - anyone used one of their point-of-care analysers out of curiosity?

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Rob Loxley — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 19:34:16 GMT

[quote user="Marie Kubiak"]are most people buying or renting their vetscans?[/quote]

Our previous and current ones were bought outright. I can't see the point of renting rather then buying outright or in finance. We also don't have a service contract but it is so reliable this has never been an issue. If you are looking to buy, there are often reconditioned units to find - especially if you don't mind buying from the US.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Joyce Whitehead — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 09:55:27 GMT

We bought our first one (10-12years ago) but have rented this one, it seemed a better deal. And ours had always been reliable too, we've never had a problem till this year, and that was old age! We regularly send control samples off to check our results and have not had any concerning discrepancies.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Marie Kubiak — Sun, 07 Aug 2016 08:03:53 GMT

I have always used vetscan and found the various models very reliable and easy to use.

Out of interest, are most people buying or renting their vetscans?

Marie

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

bob lehner — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 15:11:23 GMT

[quote user="robloxley"]

[quote user="bob lehner"]Interesting how people say 'Ours is good '... and then a proviso.[/quote]

Have yet to find much in life that is 100% perfect?

[/quote] Yes - but treating animals based on crap lab data is not great...?

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Rob Loxley — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 12:37:37 GMT

[quote user="bob lehner"]Interesting how people say 'Ours is good '... and then a proviso.[/quote]

Have yet to find much in life that is 100% perfect?

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

bob lehner — Sat, 06 Aug 2016 12:13:02 GMT

Interesting how people say 'Ours is good '... and then a proviso.

I've encountered some truly rubbish practice labs - where you are hard pushed to believe anything.

If you have a practice lab it is absolutely essential that you are signed up with a proper quality assurance scheme with a commercial external provider.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Michael Woodhouse — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 23:19:46 GMT

We have an old Vet-Test in the loft that lies - it denies the existence of albumin mainly.

I-stat for 4 years has been very reliable (unless cold). That does emergency bloods and the rest goes away.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Nicola Lawlor — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 21:35:34 GMT

Another vetscan here (not sure which one mind you!) that usually works well. It can get a bit upset on hot days and we try and only switch it on for short periods of need in hot weather, and check the fluff filter over the fan regularly to help ensure it stays cool as best it can. Occasional blip with it (not for a long time now) has always been readily sorted by the company with a loaner if needed and service has been good from them.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Rob Loxley — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 21:18:57 GMT

Our vetscan2 still going strong after about 8yrs, replacement for the previous vetscan classic when it finally gave up.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Joyce Whitehead — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 21:08:28 GMT

We also have a vetscan and it has been very reliable. But then conked out this year. We reckon we've had it at least 10 years though, so it really doesn't owe us anything. We've replaced it with an updated Vetscan...

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Catriona MacIntyre — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 20:53:28 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]

Nope! Ours is a VetScan and (touch wood) has been reliable and fairly consistent with external lab work!

[/quote]

^^^ Wot Bob said.

RE: Who has had problems with their biochem analysers?

Bob Russell — Fri, 05 Aug 2016 13:19:20 GMT

Nope! Ours is a VetScan and (touch wood) has been reliable and fairly consistent with external lab work!