VetStat Electrolyte Analyser: The third analyser measures critical levels of three basic types of electrolytes in the blood: sodium, potassium and chloride. Why is this important? For a body to function correctly, all three of these electrolytes need to be maintained in balance. This is necessary for proper heart function - rhythm and heart rate - as well as for the proper functioning of the kidneys. Every cell in the body depends on a proper electrolyte balance. Therefore, it's vitally important to know exactly what this balance is like in a sick animal.  Electrolyte imbalance is created by dehydration, diarrhoea, various diseases, burns and infections as well as by thyroid and kidney problems. They can also be affected by medications - whether it's one being used to treat the animal, or one that belongs to the owner and accidentally ingested. Electrolyte imbalances can be FATAL! With the readings from the VetStat, we can use 'electrolyte therapy' to restore the balance.  This often results in a dramatic improvement in sick patients.  But, electrolyte levels must be monitored as they can change dramatically in as little as 30-60 minutes.  Obviously, sending a blood sample to a commercial lab is of no use - you must have the equipment in-house for quick tests to properly administer this life saving therapy.  One of the nice features of this machine for us is that it uses simple cassettes to analyse the blood.  That means there isn't any blood in the measuring parts of the unit that might contaminate a subsequent sample and give false results.  So we can do tests quickly and accurately. This is what the VetStat does.  It gives accurate electrolyte readings in minutes. Plus, it lets us analyse carbon dioxide and blood gases, acid-base balance, ionized calcium, glucose, anion gap, tCO2 and bicarbonate levels in the blood - which can be important when doing emergency work.  VetStat connects to the LaserCyte computer and links with our main computer system so all of the test results are sent to a patient's record.  It produces a graph of the trends so we can see at a glance how the patient is responding and adjust the fluid therapy accordingly. When giving these life saving fluids to a patient, it's important to make sure that the delivery rate remains controlled.  We use an infusion pump that is specifically designed for animal use, rather than use a standard 'drip' setup.  This gives us precise control of the amount of IV fluids infused over time.   Return to LAB page