VNO2 > Sample collection & storage > Flashcards

Sample collection & storage Flashcards

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1
Q

How should blood samples be collected?

A

Aseptically, wearing gloves and with appropriate skin preparation.

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2
Q

Name four suitable veins for blood sampling.

A

jugular, cephalic, saphenous, marginal/lateral ear vein.

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3
Q

needle size for blood sampling?

A

21G

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4
Q

Why must blood be collected slowly and steadily?

A

To prevent microthrombi, vein collapse, and haemolysis

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5
Q

What is haemolysis?

A

Breakdown of red blood cells, damaging the sample.

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6
Q

What are microthrombi?

A

Small clots that form in blood samples if collection is too fast or rough.

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7
Q

Plain tube (white / clear / black lid) – what is it used for?

A

Biochemistry (serum).

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8
Q

Plain tube with gel (brown lid) – what is it used for?

A

Biochemistry (serum).

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9
Q

Lithium heparin tube (orange or green with gel) – use?

A

Biochemistry.

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10
Q

Fluoride oxalate tube (yellow lid) – use?

A

Glucose

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11
Q

EDTA tube (red / pink / purple lid) – use?

A

Haematology

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12
Q

Citrate tube (mauve / blue lid) – use?

A

Clotting profiles

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13
Q

What are the four methods of urine sample collection?

A

Free catch

Manual bladder expression

Catheterisation

Cystocentesis

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14
Q

Which urine collection method gives the most representative and accurate sample?

A

Cystocentesis

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15
Q

What container should urine samples be collected and stored in?

A

Plain universal container.

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16
Q

Which container is used if bacterial culture is required for urine?

A

Red-topped container.

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17
Q

What preservative is in red-topped urine containers?

A

Boric acid

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18
Q

What is a pooled faecal sample?

A

Three separate faecal samples collected over three days.

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19
Q

Why are enema samples not suitable for faecal testing?

A

They are diluted and contaminated with oil or lubricant.

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20
Q

What is macroscopic faecal analysis?

A

Assessing appearance, colour, and texture.

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21
Q

What are commercial faecal test kits used for?

A

Detecting infectious diseases (e.g. parvovirus).

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22
Q

hat are the two main methods of parasite identification in faeces?

A

McMaster technique

Baermann test

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23
Q

What is the McMaster technique used to detect?

A

Parasite ova (eggs).

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24
Q

How does the McMaster technique work?

A

Faeces are mixed with strong saline, placed in a McMaster chamber, and examined under a microscope to count ova.

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25
What is the Baermann test used to detect?
Parasite larvae.
26
How does the Baermann test work?
Faeces are suspended in gauze in fluid for 24 hours; larvae migrate into the fluid and are examined microscopically.
27
Why are skin and hair samples taken?
To assess dermatological conditions.
28
What precautions should be taken during skin and hair sampling?
Avoid contamination; wear gloves, aprons, and appropriate PPE.
29
What are coat brushings?
Brushing the coat with a fine-toothed comb and collecting debris on white paper or tissue.
30
What can coat brushings detect?
Surface mites, lice, fleas, and flea dirt.
31
How does flea dirt appear and how is it confirmed?
Small black dots that turn red when moistened with water.
32
How are tape strip samples collected?
Sticky tape is pressed onto the skin or lesion to collect surface debris.
33
How are tape strip samples examined?
Under a microscope, plain or stained (e.g. Diff-Quik).
34
What conditions can tape strips detect?
Lice and surface mites Bacteria, yeasts, fungi Inflammatory cells
35
How are hair plucks performed?
haemostatic forceps
36
How are hair pluck samples prepared for examination?
Placed on a microscope slide, often with mineral oil.
37
What can hair plucks be used to detect?
Demodex mites Lice eggs attached to hair shafts Some fungal diseases
38
What are skin scrapes used for?
To collect epidermal material to detect burrowing (sub-surface) mites.
39
What instrument is used to take a skin scrape?
A scalpel blade, most commonly a number 10 blade.
40
Why is mineral oil or liquid paraffin used during skin scrapes?
To lubricate the skin and help collect and retain mites in the sample.
41
How much mineral oil is typically used for a skin scrape?
Approximately 0.5 ml.
42
Describe the correct scraping technique for skin scrapes.
Scrape sideways across the skin (like buttering toast), taking care not to cut the animal.
43
When should scraping stop during a skin scrape?
When capillary bleeding (small pin-pricks of blood) appears.
44
How is the skin scrape sample prepared for examination?
The sample (and oil if used) is placed onto a microscope slide.
45
Which parasites are most commonly detected using skin scrapes?
Burrowing mites such as Sarcoptes and Demodex.
46
What is ringworm and what causes it?
Ringworm (dermatophytosis) is a fungal infection caused by dermatophytes such as Microsporum and Trichophyton.
47
Where does ringworm grow and what lesions does it cause?
it grows on skin and hair, causing circular lesions.
48
What precautions are required when handling ringworm samples?
Aseptic handling; barrier nursing may be required as ringworm is zoonotic.
49
Which ringworm tests can only be used in active infections?
Microscopy and Wood’s lamp examination.
50
What samples are used for microscopy in ringworm testing?
Hair plucks, skin scrapes, and tape strips.
51
How does a Wood’s lamp help diagnose ringworm?
It emits UV light causing some Microsporum species to fluoresce after 3–5 minutes warm-up.
52
Which test can detect asymptomatic ringworm carriers?
Fungal culture.
53
What samples are taken for fungal culture?
Hair from lesions or whole-body coat brushing if asymptomatic.
54
Describe the conditions and appearance of a positive fungal culture.
Incubated at 25–27 °C; fluffy white colonies form and medium turns orange to red.
55
How long can fungal culture for ringworm take?
Up to 14 days
56
From which sites can swabs be taken?
Wounds, eyes, mouth, nostrils, and anus.
57
What are swab samples mainly used for?
Bacterial culture and sensitivity testing.
58
What materials are most swabs made from?
Cotton wool and calcium alginate.
59
Why is transport media used for swabs?
To prolong bacterial survival during transport.
60
Name types of transport media used for swabs.
Charcoal (black) and E-swab (depending on the laboratory), Plain
61
How are ear swabs collected for cytology?
Use a plain cotton wool swab gently, then roll onto a microscope slide.
62
How can ear swab cytology samples be examined?
Under a microscope, either plain or stained (e.g., Diff-Quik).
63
What is the purpose of a fine needle aspirate (FNA)?
To obtain a cellular sample from a mass.
64
How should FNAs be performed?
In a sterile manner: clip the area, prepare skin aseptically, and handle all equipment aseptically.
65
Why are tissue biopsies performed?
For skin investigations, mass/tumour analysis, or organ diagnostics/post-mortem.
66
What preparation is required for a biopsy?
Sterile skin preparation, aseptic handling of equipment, and patient anaesthesia.
67
What is a punch biopsy?
Uses a small circular cutting blade (2–8mm) to remove tissue; hole may be sutured.
68
What is a wedge biopsy?
Surgically removes a small wedge of tissue with a scalpel; incision closed with sutures.
69
What is a core biopsy?
Uses Tru-Cut® or Surgivet® devices to obtain high-quality tissue with minimal trauma.
70
What are the types of excisional biopsies?
Intracapsular: mass removed without capsule Marginal: mass removed with capsule Wide: mass removed with margin of normal tissue Radical: mass removed with entire surrounding tissue (muscle, fascia)
71
How should tissue samples for histopathology be handled?
Fixed in preservative (10% formal-saline or 10% neutral buffered formalin) to prevent decay; handle carefully as solutions are toxic/carcinogenic.
72
How are tissue samples for bacterial culture handled?
Place on a saline-soaked swab, fold, and put into a sterile universal container.
73
What is paracentesis?
Collection of fluid from a body cavity.
74
How are fluid samples tested?
Bacterial culture & sensitivity: plain universal container Cytology: universal container with small volume of fixative (formalin-saline)
75
What is arthrocentesis?
Collection of synovial fluid from a joint.
76
What are the two CSF sampling sites?
Cerebellomedullary cistern (mostly used) and lumbar cistern.
77
What is the maximum volume of sample that can be posted?
50ml; larger samples must be split into multiple containers.
78
What information should be on the sample label?
Animal ID, owner name, date, sample site.
79
What details must laboratory forms include?
Practice/vet details, owner, patient info, test required, sample details, date, relevant history, date of dispatch.
80
How should samples be packaged for posting?
Wrap in cotton wool/absorbent pad Place in zip-lock bag (remove excess air) Paperwork in separate bag/section Wrap in bubble wrap Place in outer envelope/box, label clearly
81
What must be on the outer packaging label?
Laboratory address, “Handle with Care”/“Fragile”, “Biohazard”/“Pathological Sample”, return address, diagnostic specimen symbol. UN3733
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