If you have a centrifuge

1. Fast the animal overnight prior to collection.
2. The animal should not be stressed or excited.
3. Collect 2 – 5 ml of blood into a plain plastic serum tube.
4. Record the time at which the sample was collected on the laboratory request form.
5. Allow the sample to clot at room temperature; it is important that the sample be completely clotted as fibrin strands can interfere with the assay. This should take less than one hour.
6. As soon as the sample has clotted, centrifuge the blood and remove the serum from the cells.
7. If sufficient serum is available, divide the sample into approximately 1 mL aliquots and store in plain plastic tubes.
8. Immediately refrigerate the serum sample(s).
9. The serum sample(s) must reach VETPATH within 5 hours of collection and must remain at 2-8ºC during this period; it is important to plan sample collection so that this requirement can be met (or see 10 below). Make sure the exact time of collection is recorded on the request form.
   OR
10. If it is not possible to get the serum to VETPATH within 5 hours, the serum sample(s) must be frozen and not be allowed to thaw.

To freeze the samples, wrap the tubes in ice packs to contour to the tubes to get rapid and complete freezing.Freeze at least overnight before transport to ensure that it is frozen solid.

Once frozen, the plasma Contact VETPATH to alert us that the sample is ready for collection.When the courier is ready to collect the sample, wrap the icepacks in thick paper and place into an esky packed to prevent movement.

As a precaution, keep one of the frozen samples at the practice and send the others to VETPATH.

Without a centrifuge

1. Fast the animal overnight prior to collection.
2. The animal should not be stressed or excited.
3. Collect 2 – 5 ml of blood into a plain plastic serum tube.
4. Record the time at which the sample was collected; make sure this time is recorded on the laboratory request form.
5. Transport the sample immediately to VETPATH; the sample must reach the laboratory within an hour of collection.
6. During this time the sample will clot.It does not need to be chilled, but do not allow the blood sample to be exposed to excessive heat.
7. The sample must be separated and the serum frozen as soon as the sample arrives at VETPATH.
8. Do not leave the sample in the after-hours box.
9. When the sample is delivered to the laboratory, make sure that the reception staff know that the sample is for PTH.

NOTE

Phone for a quote as the cost of this test is subject to change at short notice.

The turnaround time is approximately 5-7 working days