[Changes in laboratories in small animal practice]

Economical considerations have led to a reduction of laboratory analysis. In particular, photometric examinations are rarely carried out in private practice because of its high level of personal labour intensive quality controls and the rapid decay of reagents. Nowadays, analyses are more and more carried out in commercial laboratories which can operate at considerably lower costs. Especially the loss of time until results can be obtained is an intolerable disadvantage which is particularly serious in emergency cases. Often too much time passes before an equivalent therapy can be started. Instead of the diagnosis in presence, i.e. direct sequence of anamnese, clinical investigation and laboratory diagnostic should be aimed at. The most common types of laboratory tests are instant semiquantitative methods with dry reagent strips for measuring blood sugar and urea. Very recently on the market are reflectance photometers which allow to determine blood parameters with dry chemical carriers. The systems Ektachem DT60, Reflotron and Seralyzer are presented. The use of this dry chemistry could reestablish the laboratory in the private small animal practice again.